The University of Newcastle

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?
Won't say.

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
We're having a scheme whereby we will be awarding bursaries to all students from the north east who have a maintenance grant.


6 If yes, are they funded
A From central university funds?
B From a benefactor, private donations, etc?
C A mixture
"Alumni development fund designated for students in the north east."


7 Have you employed outside agencies to help you make the decision (market researchers/brand managers)?
A Yes
B No


8 Where will you spend the extra income?
A Better student facilities 1
B Better academic facilities
C Better academic pay 2
D Bursaries
E Bumping up research capacity
F Other, please state
"1 Teaching social and sporting facilities. 2 the backlog in academic pay."


9 Will top-up fees provide enough extra income for the university for the foreseeable future?
A Yes
B No
"All universities are looking to try and increase all other forms of income. Dependence on direct government funding is going down. Three years ago 35% of our funding was from government. Now it's 30%. We have more than doubled our income from overseas students. Student fees is important, but they will only be successful if they have other income streams."


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
"I don't see it changing within the lifetime of the next parliament. I think it all depends who is in power - if the Labour Party got a fourth term, it would become increasingly difficult for them to change."


11 Do you think top-up fees will put less well-off students off going to university?
A Yes
B No
"I hope not. I think the whole question is about the perception of debt, but what is being proposed is the combination of the maintenance grant and the fact that universities will be forced to give bursaries. Their debts will be less.

"If people understand what is being proposed they shouldn't be put off. It's a big concern in the north east. If people really understand what's being proposed it shouldn't. The government recognizes that the government have got to make people aware of what's on offer. We have to produce the information too."


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
"Wait and see. As with so many of theses things it depends on the quality of staff they employ and what the motivation concerned is. I hope we can work positively with them and it will actually be a good thing. The devil is in the detail."