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Presented at The Know in partnership: STUDENT ATTITUDES TOWARDS UNIVERSITY FEE REFORM

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Presented at The Know in partnership:

STUDENT ATTITUDES TOWARDS UNIVERSITY FEE REFORM

INTRODUCTIONThe Student Room surveyed a sample of over 1,000 students to understand their attitude towards university fee reform. This report shares key insights into the narrowing of provision, commercialisation of universities and student purchase rationale.

Our survey suggests young people require more clarity around the transactional value of education.

Viewing university as a transaction to boost future employability is a reoccurring theme.

As savvy consumers, students are active and well informed; they expect clarity around what they’re buying into and share concerns about the lack of transparency from institutions.

It’s not about paying less. The value lies in the quality of education, teaching and student experience. This is made evident by the high value they place on TEF rankings, desire to learn from experienced lecturers and willingness to pay more for smaller tutor groups.

This report represents the views and attitudes from over 1,000 students aged 17-24, 75% of who are currently considering applying to university.

Evidence collected demonstrates that students feel uncomfortable with a ‘one size fits all’ approach to pricing, preferring a bespoke fee which represents their experience and the services they access.

Students are comfortable with the concept of variable fees, with (42%) willing to pay more for a better-quality education and experience.

The concept of ROI is introduced with a significant proportion (48%) of students and applicants primarily motivated by improved employment prospects, as opposed to a love of learning (26%) or overall uni experience (also 26%).

This carries through to attitudes to fee variance with 71% willing to pay more to study a course with better employment outcomes and improved salary expectations.

When asked to rank purchase criteria, students ranked the TEF as the most important factor, followed by NSS and finally contact hours.

Interestingly, despite the accepted perception of Russell Group universities being more prestigious, only 41% of respondents are willing to pay more to go to one.

believe courses with less contact time should be cheaper

believe courses that are cheap to deliver should be cheaper

believe they should not pay for services they don’t use

would pay less for lectures delivered online

DELIVERING VALUE FOR MONEY

PURCHASE RATIONALE

80%75%

53%75%

Conversely, factors which do translate into a willingness to pay more include:

• Small class sizes and more 1-2-1 time (63% agree)

• An incredible university experience (53% agree)

• A university higher up the league tables (44% agree)

This willingness to pay more (or less) dependent on experience and educational variables suggests an acceptance of the journey towards fee differentiation.

The introduction of variable fees fits with the student narrative of wanting to pay for what you receive, as opposed to generic flat rate pricing.

Money I pay for the degree is reflected in my increased employment prospects.

The hours of teaching, the quality of resources at the university, the attitude of teachers (e.g. very willing to help students 1-2-1 out of lecture hours to improve their understanding) and the support given to students by the uni, e.g. very accessible health care and mental health support.

It means feeling like I am getting something out of it, I pay £9k for only 6 hours a week right now and feel cheated. Especially with the strikes.

I want university to be worth the money I am paying; if I am paying £9k a year, I do not expect to miss lectures due to strikes if I am not being reimbursed, if I pay for accommodation I expect it to reflect the value of my fees.

Value for money means a good all-round experience at university, including large contact hours and fun society experience.

The amount you pay towards your education is reflected in how good the facilities/lectures are. If you are paying a very big amount then your university should be high up in the league tables and have many excellence awards.

Being able to achieve a degree by having a good education and not needing to have the whole uni experience. Cost effective, economically sustainable.

WHAT INDICATES VALUE FOR MONEY TO YOU?

Our survey demonstrates that students want to be inspired and connected to ‘campus celebrities’; lecturers and tutors who are actively pioneering advancements in industry and academia.

Interestingly, students and applicants place a premium on academics who support their career aspirations, with 56% willing to pay more for lecturers “actively pioneering advancements in industry and best practice” as opposed to 48% willing to pay more for access to equivalents in academic research.

Students are happy to carry sector commercialisation through to academic remuneration with 57% believing lecturers who are loved by students for their teaching should be paid more.

A small proportion of students and applicants indicated they would prefer tuition from native English speakers. Of those that would pay more for a lecturer whose first language is English, their main reasons are for clarity and ease of communication and productivity of learning.

Quality of teaching, clarity and quality of communication, more effective discussions, & wider participation with all those involved.

Efficiency of communication where time is limited.

Seminars are run more efficiently as less time is spent on making sure those with English as second language understand the basics due to language barriers.

ROLE OF LECTURERS

Students and applicants accept and value fee differentiation when in relation to broader social and economic outcomes, such as bridging the skills gap and delivering front line staff to our hospitals.

However, they become uncomfortable when faced with the prospect of their fees being used to cross-subsidise programmes to deliver on this altruistic vision.

Respondents have demonstrated an appetite for variance in service and experience, dictated by willingness to pay.

With WP students under financial pressures we wanted to understand how students and applicants viewed the prospect of WP students accessing a lower level of service or experience dictated by ability to pay. A prospect we have come to call ‘experience apartheid’.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FEES AND SOCIAL OUTCOMES

GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, PAY FOR WHAT YOU GET

SOCIAL CONSCIENCE

believe that courses with a national shortage should be run at a cheaper cost to the student

agree that NHS courses with lower earnings like nursing should be free/ bursary provided

don’t believe students studying a course that will make them a lot of money should pay higher fees to subsidise the courses that will make the world a better place

don’t believe vocational courses with a standardised career ladder to high earnings (medicine, engineering, architecture) should pay higher fees

84%79%68%

61%

Responses demonstrate students want to avoid an experience apartheid, preferring to be immersed in a diverse community at university. Respondents think widening participating students should be given fair opportunities to have the same experience as more affluent students who may take the average university experience for granted.

When we asked “should WP students be better connected with the university alumni network and employability services” 72% of respondents agreed that they should.

Conversely 56% of students don’t think more affluent students should pay more to subsidise students with a lower family income.

Here again, we see the tension between an altruistic world view and an unwillingness to personally subsidise programmes and services for others even if it is those services that deliver the altruistic benefit they want to see. Which raises the question – where do they think the money will come from?

It could also be interpreted to represent a view that social mobility and cultural collateral support represents part of the core product for WP students.

don’t believe poorer students should pay less and receive less feedback and contact hours

believe accommodation should be subsidised for poorer students so they have access to the same quality and environment

don’t believe poorer students should have option to pay less and get less access to university facilities

88%

81%

81%

VIEWS FROM THOSE WHO WANT NATIVE SPEAKING LECTURERS In analysing the data we stumbled across a small group whose responses differ significantly from the majority of respondents.

The students who indicated they would pay extra to be taught in an environment exclusively made up of native English speakers showed unique characteristics.

Their appetite to pay more for a “great university experience” (64% of this subset vs. 52% of the remainder of respondents) suggests this group is wealthier.

This group was significantly more likely (31% vs. 22%) to agree that poorer students should be able to pay less and get a lower level of service.

However, they were also much more likely to support the idea cross subsidisation of courses that “make the world a better place” from courses where graduates “make a lot more money” (44% vs. 31%).

Additionally, this group was much more likely to support higher fees for vocational courses with a standardised salary and career ladder (54% vs. 37%).

COMMERCIALISATION OF UNIVERSITIESWith the rising cost of university tuition fees and the ever-changing landscape of higher education, the sector has become a market place.

In turn, students are behaving more like consumers and perceive university as a business transaction. Results revealed respondents feel strongly about having the right to refunds, discounts and offers, just like they would when purchasing a product or service.

When asked ‘how would you feel about students in future years paying less for the same course?’ the single biggest response chosen was “lucky them” (44%).

Conversely, however, 34% responded that they would feel “cheated”.

believe they should be refunded some of their fees if lecturers strike and their lecture is cancelled

would refer a friend to go to their uni if they got discounted fees

believe their fees should be discounted if their course or university goes down in the league tables during their time there

91%

54%53%

Although the data suggests students are treating university like a market place, when it comes to the narrowing of provision, they don’t agree that market forces should dictate course options.

How would you feel if universities in the UK had a lot less of some courses or if they died out altogether, because they aren’t making enough money?

Sad - the money and the economy shouldn’t dicate the options for studying at uni (47%)

Sad - society needs these courses (19%)

Fine - we should prioritise the courses that add most of the economy (17%)

Fine - everything needs to pay for itself (8.5%)

This is everything wrong with the world (8.5%)

NARROWING OF PROVISION

47%19%

17%

NOTES:

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