Government outlines the case for OFFA

Citation

(2003), "Government outlines the case for OFFA", Education + Training, Vol. 45 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.2003.00445fab.005

Government outlines the case for OFFA

Government outlines the case for OFFA

The government plans a new Office for Fair Access (OFFA) to widen participation in higher education by raising the aspirations of, and increasing applications from, students from backgrounds that are under-represented in higher education. OFFA will be separate from, but supported by, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). Universities that wish to increase their fees above the current £1,100 level will need to draw up an access agreement that will be considered and approved by the head of OFFA. An agreement, which will last for five years, will need to set out:

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  the fee levels the institution wishes to charge (up to a maximum of £3,000);

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  the courses to which the higher fees will apply;

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  the outreach work to be undertaken by the institution with schools and colleges to help to raise the level of attainment, aspirations and applications;

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  the bursaries and other financial support the university will make available along with advice on financial issues; and

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  the milestones and indicators that a university will decide itself and against which it can measure progress towards its own ambitions of widening participation.

Education Secretary Charles Clarke said: "There is no question that the ultimate driver to widening participation is attainment in schools and it is the government's responsibility to ensure that the education system from early years onwards enables every individual to realize his or her true potential. At the moment, nine out of ten students who get good "A" levels go on to university, but those from less-advantaged backgrounds just are not applying for the top universities." He pointed out that there is an 8 per cent social-class gap in applications to the top universities but only a 1 per cent social-class gap in admissions of those applying to the top universities.

The government has asked Professor Steven Schwartz, vice-chancellor of Brunel University, to lead a team to identify good practice in admissions. Universities that want to charge variable fees will wish to demonstrate that they subscribe to these principles.