The Office for Fair Access (OFFA) has today published its decision on institutional access agreements and confirmed fee levels for 2012/13. All GuildHE member institutions that submitted access agreements have had them approved.

GuildHE CEO, Andy Westwood, said,

“From 2012, higher education providers will spend more to support wider access to their programmes. For GuildHE institutions, these access agreements will build on the considerable achievements that they have already made in widening participation and improving access to date.

“In writing access agreements and setting fee levels, GuildHE institutions have thought hard about their pricing and student support packages. Many institutions have included students in the decision-making process.

“Access agreements show how institutions will provide support for access, participation and good outcomes for students from under-represented groups – and are not simply about the tuition fee they want to charge.

“However, the Government has radically reformed the higher education funding system and it remains to be seen what impact those reforms will have on student demand and aspiration. The new fees regime is untested and further adjustments to fee levels, access agreements and the broader regulatory framework may well be required beyond 2012/13.”

ENDS

For more information and comment, please contact:

Andy Westwood
Tel: 020 7387 7711
Mobile: 07970007142
Email: andy.westwood@guildhe.ac.uk

Notes to editors

1. GuildHE is a recognised higher education representative body. Its 32 members are among the most dynamic and fastest-growing institutions in the sector. For a list of GuildHE institutions, please visit: https://www.guildhe.ac.uk/en/members-list/  

2. The Office for Fair Access (OFFA) is an independent, non-departmental public body established under the Higher Education Act 2004 to help promote and safeguard fair access to higher education.

3. The OFFA press release and approved access agreements can be found at https://www.offa.org.uk/