Oxford Brookes University

1 Will you charge:
A Top-up fees across the board maximum (?3,000)
B A flat rate for all courses below ?3,000. (If so, what is it)
C Different rates for different courses.(If so,please specify range - ie minimum/maximum)


2 If you are varying fees will they be:
A Lower for Sciences
B Lower for Arts/Humanities/social sciences
C Lower for foundation degrees
D Lower for vocationally-focused degrees
E A combination, please state (areas or specific courses)


3 Are you introducing bursaries?
A Yes
B No


4 How much for?
"Not sure yet."


5 If yes, will they be:
A Targeted at the most needy students
B Targeted at subjects which are short of students
C A mixture, please detail
"The John Henry Brooks opportunity bursaries are already there but will be extended. Most needy students is the biggest priority, but we need a system to assess that and we are hoping that this would tie-in with the government's means testing. It's very important to convey to prospective students what they qualify for."


6 If yes, are they funded
A From central university funds
B From a benefactor, private donations, etc?
C A mixture. "In recent years we have done a lot of fundraising and the current bursary scheme is primarily from fundraising. We will also use central income to supplement that."


7 Have you employed outside agencies to help you make the decision (market researchers/brand managers)?
A Yes. "We do market research all the time. It's ongoing, as a matter of routine."
B No


8 Where will you spend the extra income?
A Better student facilities
B Better academic facilities
C Better academic pay
D Bursaries
E Bumping up research capacity
F Other, please state
"The bursaries must be the first priority, but the additional funding must be focused on teaching and learning. We haven't yet earmarked that in any particular order or proportion."


9 Will top-up fees provide enough extra income for the university for the foreseeable future?
A Yes
B No."I imagine that every vice chancellor recognizes that top-up fees won't meet the full funding gap. It goes someway but isn't enough, and we look to the government to come up with more resources in future spending rounds."


10 How long do you expect the limit on top-up fees to remain at ?3,000
A 1-3 years
B 4-6 years
C 7-10 years
D Over 10 years
"It depends on who's in power and how things progress. We await with interest."


11 Do you think top-up fees will put less well-off students off going to university?
A Yes
B No. "It shouldn't because in reality the new situation for those students will be better than what currently exists. I think there has been a lot of negative publicity and it needs selling properly. It's a substantial improvement."


12 How do you think Offa will affect your attempts to widen participation?
A Help
B Hinder
C Have no effect
D Undecided, please state
"We don't know how it's going to function, what it's going to do. I would hope it won't hinder us - we already do a lot to reach underrepresented group."