With tuition fees now standing at up to £9000, students are no longer believe they are receiving value for money, according to a recent survey by Which? and the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI).
The survey, which was based on the feedback of over 17,000 students, found that undergraduates were receiving only 20 more minutes of contact time with lecturers since annual tuition fees rose from £1000 in 2006 to £9000 in 2012. The report found that the average student has just 14 hours a week of ‘contact time’, with university becoming “more like a part-time than a full-time job”.
However, Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, defended the universities, saying that it was “misleading to make a crude assumption that time spent in lectures and seminars can be equated with university course quality”.
“Tuition fees also pay for far more than contact time” She said. “They cover all manner of services including student support facilities, employment advice and training, library services and clubs.”
Unsurprisingly, the report found that student dissatisfaction levels had grown with the introduction of higher tuition fees. The report told that it “put universities under increasing pressure to deliver, and be seen to deliver, value for money”. The survey showed that 29% of the 17,000 students questioned did not feel that their course was good value for money, in comparison to the 16% figure that came from the 2006 study.
Rachel Wenstone of the National Union of Students (NUS) pointed to the growing perception of students as ‘consumers’ since the rise in tuition fees, and urged the government to take the appropriate action.
"The government needs to undo its shambolic changes to higher education and find a better way for graduates to contribute towards the education system, halting the 'marketisation' of universities that is of no benefit to students or society."
The report also found disparity between differing subject areas and institutions, identifying this as something that could be ‘damaging’ to the reputation of the higher education system in the UK. An analysis by HEPI pointed to the need for equal workloads and contact hours amongst universities.
“If it becomes known that it is 'easier' to obtain a qualification in one university than another, then that will in due course damage the reputation of that university, but it will also have an impact on the reputation of the entire UK higher education system."
Which? executive director Richard Lloyd said that it had “never been more important for prospective students to get as much information as possible to help them make the right choice.”
He urged that further investigation into the matter was needed, adding: "There must be an investigation into the huge variations in the academic experience that we have revealed, and more transparency to ensure students can get the information they need."
Sally Hunt, from the University and College Union said: "It is perhaps not surprising that some students and their parents expect more bang for their increased buck, following the rise in university fees.
She added that despite the rise in fees: “Universities are not any better off after the government slashed state support for higher education."
Written by Sarah Davis