http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8547992.stm

Any bets that they will all raise their fees substantially?

Ooo I'm a baby boomer. I got my university education for free. I'm going to make sure everyone that comes after me has to pay for it.

F***ing parasites

I did not realise that you were Paul Calf.

I think that it should be free but do we really need half of our kids going to university and ending up in serious debt before they have even started a career?

No we don't.

University is a bad option for most students. We need to get a grip on the idea that people need different educations.

University should be for geeks, swots and speccies;
Polytechnics for craftsmen and artisans;
Technical colleges for skilled office trades.

Unfortunately we, as a society, have lost sight of the fact that academics don't generate wealth; craftsmen do. Middle management should always earn less than skilled engineers and carpenters. It should not be a sign of failure to become a plumber; it should be a greater achievement than a degree.

Academics can create new areas for economic growth such as transistors and Astronomy boosting satellite industries. Though generally you are right that they do not do create wealth. It was the Tories AGAIN who botched the higher education system. I would like to see a return to the old system, with grants for all. Polytechnics create a better qualified work force so while it would be best that they paid the alternatives are that they would dump the financial responsibility on the employees, and try and benefit on the free rider principle. They could pay for this with a payroll tax on the higher paid. This should be calculated on a pro rata basis so stopping them paying £100 000 to a part time boss to avoid the tax. Then if employers wanted certain qualifications then the student could get them without incurring debt.

I would say it was nu labour who really botched the higher education system with tuition fees and its blind insistance that we were going to have upto 50% of people go to university. Academic ability went out the window. Its been 13 years almost since the Tories were last in power, you would think that by now Labour could of fixed the problems first started by the Tories.

Around 3k for tuition fees is not that bad when a typical science course will be over 15k, and the level that international students will pay. But if the cap is scrapped the universities will soon up the prices as much as they think they can get away with.

15k per year for a 3-4 year course will pay for an awful lot of vocational based training and apprenticeships.

I thought that the Tories under John Major started with a £1000 tuition fee and student loans, though Labour have increased that as often as possible. Yes but New Labour were basically copying the Tory handbook. That is why there is no difference in their policies for most things.

Tuition fees started with nu labour after they promised in theire manifesto to put legislation in to stop it ever happening.

It is amazing how politicians say one thing in their manifesto and then do the complete opposite.

Lies, Damned Lies & Politicians.

It was also why they were banned from the annual "Liar of the Year" competition . They, along with estate agents, were deemed to be professionals and the competition was only for amateurs.

If the prices go up, will the level of education go up too?
In my first year of uni (2006-2007) I paid £1,285 for the year. I am now paying £3,225 for my final year, and if anything, the standard of teaching has gone down partly because of things like the extra administration that comes with being forced to take in more and more students each year.

Probably not, but you'll find the places with a better reputation will rapidly become a lot more expensive to go to than those with less eminent standing. Soon enough we'll get to the American system, where going to the best Universities depends on you/your parents having tens of thousands of pounds to throw away each year (or you're phenomenally lucky and get a scholarship) rather than you academic ability.

Jon