Supplementary written evidence submitted
by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
THE FUTURE OF HIGHER EDUCATION INQUIRY:
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM THE SELECT COMMITTEE
COMMUNICATIONS
Before launching the awareness campaign, what
analysis was done of the 2005-06 campaign to learn what could
be done better?
The 2005-06 campaign achieved recognition levels
of 60% and 38% respectively for students and parents.
A thorough analysis of the evaluation of all previous
student finance campaigns (since 2005) was undertaken prior to
the development of the awareness campaign. This analysis was supplemented
by focus group testing that indicated a positive response to our
proposed campaign approach. These analyses confirmed that, potential
higher education students and their parents:
— wanted
the reforms to be explained as plainly as possible and without
spin. Hence our current campaign on the key elements of the reforms—namely
that fees will not be paid up-front, that loans are to be available
for both tuition and living costs and that all loans will only
be paid back once an individual has left university and is earning
over £21,000.
— wanted
the information provided in an easily accessible format online
as well, hence our current campaign features an innovative campaign
website that enhances the information already available on Directgov
(www.direct.gov.uk/yourfuture) as well as part of the media partnership
with Channel 4.
— Wanted
figures regarding loan repayments presented in an easily accessible
online format, hence our current campaign website features a repayment
calculator which illustrates the weekly repayment rates for a
range of professions average starting salaries.
Changes in the media consumption habits of young
people have also meant that their take-up of online communications
channels has greatly increased since 2006, so our current campaign
is biased toward digital communications.
Whom did you consult in designing the communications
campaign about the new student finance system?
The Department consulted widely. We met a wide range
of external groups on the 13th December 2010 to discuss
the communications strategy, including representatives of the
University Marketing Forum (UMF), the Universities and Colleges
Admissions Service (UCAS), the Higher Education Funding Council
for England (HEFCE), the National Union of Students (NUS, Student
Loans Company (SLC), the Association of Colleges (AOC) and the
Department for Education.
In developing the campaign we also held fortnightly
phone conferences with representatives from Universities UK (UUK),
GuildHE, the SLC and the University Marketing Forum.
In December 2010 we also met over 40 representatives
of university marketing departments to discuss a shared and consistent
approach to developing the 2012 prospectuses issued by universities
in January 2011.
We also conducted a series of presentations to communications
staff and key stakeholder groups representing the schools and
information, advice and guidance (IAG) sector, including the National
Association of Student Money Advisers and the Institute of Careers
Guidance.
Did you involve the Director of Fair Access?
Yes. The Office For Fair Access (OFFA) Communications
Manager joined a meeting which included a presentation on the
plans for the campaign. Feedback from OFFA at this meeting was
taken on board and wording on the campaign website was modified
accordingly.
Was the feedback given by Simon Hughes MP taken
on board in designing the Your Future site?
Yes. We met Simon Hughes MP on 19 April to present
the proposed creative approach for the campaign. During this presentation
he made a number of observations, the majority of which were taken
on board. He requested that repayment figures be expressed in
monthly rather than weekly amounts. However, our research amongst
potential students indicated a preference for weekly figures.
The research we undertook with parents and students
told us that we should be careful that using terms other than
"tuition fee" did not weaken government's ability to
communicate the facts in a way that were easily understood. Ministers
therefore decided that in the short term "tuition fees"
could be used sparingly where there was a specific need for clarity.
Did you involve UCAS in discussions about the
communications campaign, and did you act on any advice from them?
Yes. UCAS were involved in a meeting on 13 December
to discuss the campaign communications strategy. They were also
involved in a meeting on 10 May where the campaign materials were
presented and discussed.
UCAS also attended meetings with BIS and Martin Lewis
(moneysavingexpert.com) to discuss communicating the student finance
package. UCAS recommended that the campaign messaging should stress
that a graduate would make the same level of repayments regardless
of whether they paid £6k or £9k. This was taken on board
and this messaging is made clear on the "Calculate Your Repayments"
section of the campaign website.
What user-testing and evaluation was done of the
Your Future site before launch? Were any changes made as a result?
The Your Future site was tested with potential
students and their parents. The feedback was positive and confirmed
that our target audiences found the site simple and easy to navigate.
Some amendments were suggested to help make the information clearer.
For example a footnote was added to the repayment calculator to
explain the fact that take-home pay included NI and tax deductions.
These amendments were made ahead of the campaign launch on 9 May.
DESIGNATED INSTITUTIONS
FOR STUDENT
SUPPORT
Who designates institutions and courses to receive
public support?
Publicly funded institutions UK universities and
the University of Buckingham are considered automatically designated
for student support purposes. Other publicly funded further and
higher education institutions are also designated to receive public
support automatically.
Equivalent courses provided by private institutions
are specifically designated on an individual course by course
basis by the Secretary of State.
On what basis are they designated? What criteria
do they have to meet?
To be eligible for student support, eligible courses,
provided by UK universities and publicly funded institutions,
are automatically designated under The Education (Student Support)
Regulations 2009. For undergraduate courses, the course should
be:
— mentioned
in Schedule 2 of the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2009;
and
— of
at least one academic year's duration.
In addition all courses must currently be validated
by a body with UK degree awarding powers to ensure consistent
quality and academic standards are maintained. The only exceptions
to this are Higher National Diplomas or Higher National Certificates
which are awarded by Edexcel (formerly the Business and Technician
Education Council) or the Scottish Qualifications Authority and
Initial Teacher Training Courses which are subject to a separate
approval process.
The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and
Skills uses the criteria for automatic course designation that
are set out above when specifically designating individual undergraduate
courses at private institutions.
We will be reviewing the process and criteria for
designation of these courses in light of the proposals for regulatory
reform.
Is there a list of designated institutions and
courses anywhere?
The Student Loans Company's Higher Education Institution
database, records all the courses that are designated for student
support and the maximum fee loan that students can apply for.
A list of specifically designated courses can be
found on the Student Finance England website. http://practitioners.studentfinanceengland.co.uk/portal/page?_pageid=133,4210374&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
If an institution is designated, does that mean
student loans are available for all courses offered by that institution?
For student support purposes it is courses
that are designated not institutions. If the course is designated
for student support, then loans will be available.
If a student wishes to attend a designated private
institution which charges fees above £6,000 in 2012, can
they still claim the tuition fee loan to cover part of the cost?
In 2012-13, tuition fee charges at alternative providers
will be unregulated and private providers will be free to set
their own fees. If an eligible student is enrolled on a specifically
designated course then for 2012-13 they will be able to apply
for a tuition fee loan up to the £6,000 limit for full time
courses. Such providers are not currently part of the OFFA regime
and it would have been unfair to those providers that are, had
their students been free to take out a tuition fee loan of over
£6,000.
We said in the Higher Education White Paper that
we intend to introduce a single transparent regulatory framework
for all providers of higher education. Subject to Parliamentary
Approval we intend to introduce this new regime in 2013-14. Transitional
arrangements are therefore being introduced for 2012-13 until
all providers can be brought within the same regulatory regime.
ROLE OF
BUSINESS
Do you see any threat to academic autonomy and
independence from a closer relationship between business and higher
education?
No. University autonomy is a key principle of our
HE system and we value this feature of our academic life. Developing
a closer link with business should not be seen as a threat to
institutional autonomy. In fact, we view such engagement as having
the potential to benefit both; for example, business can provide
information on new developments in their specific sectors which
institutions can use to enhance the relevance of their provision
while institutions can offer / provide business with other forms
of help, research, etc as well as seeking work placements for
students to gain practical skills. Many institutions have already
forged their own deep links with business in such a way that has
not affected their autonomy.
Are there any courses or areas of a university's
provision which you would consider off-limits to business?
Institutions are independent and autonomous and it
is ultimately for them to decide how they best manage their relationships
with business on matters such as teaching, graduate employability
and research.
2 September 2011
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