NUS launches funding Blueprint
As part of our Funding Our Future Campaign, we have launched a Blueprint for an alternative higher education funding system. This is our moment as the student movement to break up the consensus that top-up fees are the only way of funding higher education.
Back at NUS Conference our members set out some very clear guidance on what they believed we should achieve through designing an alternative Blueprint. We have deliver a model which is true to those principles and has followed our mandate.
Our proposals would end the very notion of a course fee or price, and eliminate a market in fees. Our members agreed that if graduates should contribute to the future costs of higher education they should do so according to their actual earnings, so that those who benefit the most from university by earning more will contribute more. We are proud to be delivering a system that meets this central principle.
A progressive graduate contribution
A graduate contribution would be paid into an independent fund - a people's trust for higher education - which would be built up over time and eventually deliver considerable additional resources for the universities of the future. It is important that any future funding model delivers a sustainable higher education sector, and our Blueprint does just that.
Fair for all
Abolishing all up front fees for part-time students, our system would initiate a new era for non-traditional learning and continuing education through life. We also envisage a route that allows voluntary employer contributions, so that employers could support far more employees to study than ever before.
Support our Campaign
You can pledge your support to the Campaign and follow its progress throughout the year. Those who register will receive news updates and details of events taking place across the UK.
Give us your feedback
It is really important to us that our members provide us with their feedback on the model and our proposals. What do you think is fairer in the Blueprint? What do you think could be improved on? We want to continue the Great Higher Education Funding Debate we as a movement have been having for the last few years. Email your feedback to fundingourfuture@nus.org.uk
FAQs - We have put together some FAQs for you, based on question already asked by the membership. If your question is not answered here, please email us at fundingourfuture@nus.org.uk
Our mandate - and how we have fulfilled it:
- Funding to match the OECD average - Through recommending the creation of the People's Trust we have created a model that when allowed to develop to its maximum almost doubles the amount of public income going into the sector. This will have a positive impact on the UK's ranking in the OECD;
- A structured business contribution - This model provides a clear route for business to contribute to the cost of higher education for its employees;
- That any graduate contribution should be income-contingent and linked to earnings, not prices - The system in the blueprint delivers does just that;
- A fairer deal for part-time students based on the same principles as full-time students - This is a key tenant of the system that we have designed. Our model will mean an increased amount of flexibility for students wishing to transfer between full and part-time study - and gives part-time student equity with regards to graduate contribution.
Return to this campaign's homepage or view all articles in this campaign.