University of Plymouth

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)
Not setting fees for foundation degrees because they are being taken by partner colleges. Access courses are likely to below ?3,000.


3 Are you introducing bursaries?
A Yes
B No


4 How much for? "Substantially above ?300. Differential, but we're concerned that they should be for hardship rather than for specific courses. Some will be at several thousand, but we're not as rich as Cambridge. But there will be some at ?1,000-3,000. We are certainly going to offer a substantial number."


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


6 If yes, are they funded
A From central university funds?
B From a benefactor, private donations, etc?
C A mixture?


7 Have you employed outside agencies to help you make the decision (market researchers/brand managers)?
A Yes
B No "We have a strong marketing department where our marketing has come from, they are doing some, but not an outside agency. We may do so later."


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


"Bursaries have to be a factor, but it's threefold. First bursaries; second staff pay and third, as a university which is a thrown together hodgepodge of 1960s buildings, I want to get really good student facilities, sports facilities and watersports - lots of students come here for the watersports."


9 Will top-up fees provide enough extra income for the university for the foreseeable future?
A Yes
B No "Its' a welcome addition but no. I'm particularly concerned about whether it will be truly additional. I'm not convinced that after 2010/11 it will still be additional. This is a window of opportunity and I will use that to rebuild the university. I've seen what happened in New Zealand and Australia."


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
"By the next parliament it will be a market economy, it won't last part that. It will be sad and the start of privatisation of higher education."


11 Do you think top-up fees will put less well-off students off going to university?
A Yes
B No
"It might the first year but I doubt it will after that. Most people are getting the message that it is paid off after they graduate. Nobody likes the idea of debt and it will have an effect on them when they start families and buying house. But the students of today are quite street wise and they will realize they won't have to stump up the money. "

"Where it will have an effect is later in life and particularly for part time students who won't be able to afford university and at a local level part-time education is being cut back on. Education for education sake is an important thing for this country and it will be cut back on."


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


"I don't think it's been helpful. I think like all universities we work with a system and we learn to model the way in which we market ourselves to whatever systems in place. We're quite good at changing when the forces around us change as well. There will be certain universities who have a precarious few years, but Plymouth won't be one of them."