Unis warned over access
Universities could face fines of £500,000 if they do not do enough to attract students from poorer backgrounds, Simon Hughes has warned. Mr Hughes, the Government’s Advocate for Access to Education, plans to stengthen the Office for Fair Access to help widen participation.
In a report published this morning, the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats will also recommend that schools should start encouraging children to apply for university when they are as young as 10. Mr Hughes told Today that talk about high student fees and debt was “misleading” and “off-putting” and he called for greater emphasis on the costs and benefits of higher education.