University of Sussex

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)
"Council has confirmed the decision. We haven't made decisions on part-time fees."


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?
"We have a committee looking to develop this."


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'll probably also be offering scholarships for exceptionally promising students too."


6 If yes, are they funded
A From central university funds
B From a benefactor, private donations, etc?
C A mixture. "We will be seeking to raise some private money. We have been raising money for bursaries and scholarships in recent years."


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
B Better academic facilities
C Better academic pay
D Bursaries
E Bumping up research capacity
F Other, please state
"Investment in academic posts; we want more academics. Our focus has got to be on the quality of the student experience, academically and socially. They've got to see themselves incurring substantial debts and we need to provide them with good experiences."


9 Will top-up fees provide enough extra income for the university for the foreseeable future?
A Yes
B No
"On the assumption that the government sticks to its promises to maintain public funding of higher education, then the additional fee income will make a substantial difference to allowing us to secure some stability in university funding. It's not as much as we need, but it's a substantial contribution."


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
"If the system proves to be problematic then 2010 will see some kind of change. Lots of people are concerned about whether the new fee regime will discourage students from poorer background coming into university. I think not. I think it will encourage students to come in because they don't pay until after they have graduated."


11 Do you think top-up fees will put less well-off students off going to university?
A Yes
B No


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 already have good widening participation strategies. Having yet another government office scrutinizing us and asking for reports is not entirely welcome, but we recognize the political realities".