OnionTerror Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 (edited) ..Got an email today, stating that from 2012, full time students will expect to pay £15k for a 360 point degree. I'm not sure how this will effect part time/hobbyist course takers yet, although I I suspect that they'll have to pay the same course fees... http://www8.open.ac.uk/study/explained/fees-2012 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-14216167 The Open University has announced tuition fees of £5,000 per year for the equivalent of a full-time place for students in England from next year. This will mean that the Open University, which provides degree courses by distance learning, will have among the lowest fees in England. Vice chancellor Martin Bean promised "high-quality, flexible and great value-for-money education for all". The majority of universities will charge £9,000 for some or all courses. More than two-thirds of the Open University's students are studying part-time - and the university will be expecting to benefit from the introduction of loans for part-time students. For a typical part-time Open University student, studying at the level of half of full-time, the fees will be £2,500 per year. Mr Bean said that the extension of the loan system represented the "beginning of a new era for part-time students". Younger students At present the university has 264,000 students taking more than 600 undergraduate and postgraduate courses and professional qualifications - which it says makes it the largest single higher education institution operating in the UK. The university has reported a surge in younger students taking its degrees - increasing by a third last year. Pitching its fee below many other universities will be seen as adding to its competitive appeal for undergraduates in England facing a big increase in fees from 2012. Although the Open University's fees will be among the cheapest - this still represents a substantial increase. The current full-time equivalent for an Open University course is in the region of £1,800 per year. Mr Bean said the fees had been set at the lowest affordable level. The government's White Paper on higher education, published earlier this month, promised a greater emphasis on competition from providers outside mainstream publicly-funded, full-time, campus-based universities. Among these has been a private college with its own degree-awarding powers, the ifs School of Finance, which announced fees of £5,750 to £6,000 per year, undercutting many rival institutions. But a large majority of universities have set their fees in the region of £8,000 to £9,000. International reach The Open University, created in 1969, was first known for its television broadcasts but has become a pioneer of using online technology. It claims the world record for the highest number of downloads from any university on the iTunes U service - currently in the region of 36 million. This service provides a free distribution of university lectures and course material. The university has also developed services overseas, operating in more than 20 countries. This includes funding from the United States to support a project to cut drop-out rates from higher education, in a pilot scheme with 10 US colleges. The proposals for greater competition are also expected to bring more overseas providers into England's higher education market, including those offering online degrees. "We're clearly going to see a lot more diversity in the landscape," said Mr Bean. As such he says it will be more important than ever that students' choices about courses are based on "quality rather than price". A spokesman for the Department for Business, Skills and Innovation said: "Our reforms extend tuition loan support to part-time students for the first time because we want a more diverse higher education sector that is open to all those with the ability and desire to study at a higher level." The fee level of £5,000 per year applies to students from England. The Open University says that it expects students in Scotland to pay a similar amount to the current fees of £1,400 per year. The university says that in Wales, the cost is "likely to be lower than in England as a result of additional support from the Welsh Government". There has yet to be a decision on future fees for Northern Ireland. Edited August 2, 2011 by Dave Beans Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reck B Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 What happens at open university freshers week? Do you just get drunk at home and watch pornhub? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dissident junk Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 The world of academia is about to get a big shock. It will be okay for undergraduate recruitment, as the new tutition loans system is government-run and 18-year-olds don't think too much about repayment as they tend to assume they will earn decent salaries, but for postgraduate, part-time and mature .... hardly anyone is going to pay this kind of money. Who is going to be able to pay £15K for an OU course? Who? Who earns enough to do that without taking out debt, considering the other liabilities they may have? Academics haven't got a clue how disastrous the rise in fees outside of conventional undergraduate will be. Plus the cuts in government research funding? I predict very turbulent times ahead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichB Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 clean sweep. End of "social mobility". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tahoma Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 A friend is on an OU course, the admin is a shambles. We need something truly online, run by people with a hunger to educate rather than a hunger for money. This guy, for instance. 90% of any 'knowledge' based course could be taught this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnionTerror Posted August 2, 2011 Author Share Posted August 2, 2011 (edited) A friend is on an OU course, the admin is a shambles. We need something truly online, run by people with a hunger to educate rather than a hunger for money. This guy, for instance. 90% of any 'knowledge' based course could be taught this way. The OU currently charge around £200 for a three-month 10 point "taster course"...the admin of these are very hit & miss..they're either fairly well moderated or its non existent...If these rise to £700 ish...they will go...not value for money... Edited August 2, 2011 by Dave Beans Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichB Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 We need something truly online, run by people with a hunger to educate rather than a hunger for money. Something like MIT? http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
200p Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 The Open University is now closed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Injin Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 A friend is on an OU course, the admin is a shambles. We need something truly online, run by people with a hunger to educate rather than a hunger for money. This guy, for instance. 90% of any 'knowledge' based course could be taught this way. Qualifications aren't about teaching as much as they are about gating access to markets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bogbrush Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Qualifications aren't about teaching as much as they are about gating access to markets. That's true. If education is what you're about then the certificate is irrelevent because you achieved the objective when you knew stuff. The paper is for other people, and often because the law says you must have it to do certain things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chesnor Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 That's true. If education is what you're about then the certificate is irrelevent because you achieved the objective when you knew stuff. The paper is for other people, and often because the law says you must have it to do certain things. Wouldn't it be terrible if the guys handing out these qualifications used their new found financial muscle to lobby for more laws requiring people have their qualifications to do certain things... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkins Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Although the Open University's fees will be among the cheapest - this still represents a substantial increase. The current full-time equivalent for an Open University course is in the region of £1,800 per year. That's quite a rise, almost 200%. I'm sure this won't adversely affect demand though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnionTerror Posted August 2, 2011 Author Share Posted August 2, 2011 That's quite a rise, almost 200%. I'm sure this won't adversely affect demand though. http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1702909 My 4 30-point level 3 courses came to £1480 when I started (now £1600 because of the annual increase). A lot (but not all) of that was covered by grants so no loan to repay. An increase to £5000 means an (approximate) increase of 238% from last year and 213% from this year. Current conventional tuition fees are £3290 and the new maximum is £9000, so in the most severe cases this is an increase of 174%. Meanwhile, for less severe cases, only 82% for tuition fees of £6000. Add to this no maintenance support for Open University students and no incentive payments that many conventional universities offer and it seems a very raw deal. It might just be me, but I can't see the Open University being all that popular with students in the future. Lose the "hobbyists", and its most likely the beginning of the end of the OU... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RufflesTheGuineaPig Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1702909 Lose the "hobbyists", and its most likely the beginning of the end of the OU... An they will still have all those pensions to pay. The only reason uni fees are going through the roof is all the pensions promised by the boomers when they were at their free universities have suddenly come due at around the same time. GAME OVER. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olliegog Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 I suspect the 5K will only apply to those rich enough not to be on a qualifying benefit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
righttoleech Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 That's quite a rise, almost 200%. I'm sure this won't adversely affect demand though. Education, Education, Education.....Bliars chant before he introduced £1000 tuition fees. He must be proud! The ninefold shafting should be enough to keep out the rif raff. OU closed off as an option too, Bravo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RentingForever Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 I'm affected by this - currently studying for a maths degree. They've introduced "transitional arrangements" which means that anyone currently registered with them can carry on paying the current fees, as long as they finish their degree by 2017, and take at least one course each year (so no "gap years"). So I'm alright (Jack!), but in my opinion this spells the end of the OU as a place for "hobby" learners - the mature and elderly students who make up the bulk of OU students. . Unless you're Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish, that is. These new fees apply only to the English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 There has to be new ways of gaining creditable distance learning education open to all at the right price....a possible new business opportunity...there is a demand as well as a need.... The OU students have a get together at summer school...supposed to be good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnionTerror Posted August 2, 2011 Author Share Posted August 2, 2011 (edited) I'm affected by this - currently studying for a maths degree. They've introduced "transitional arrangements" which means that anyone currently registered with them can carry on paying the current fees, as long as they finish their degree by 2017, and take at least one course each year (so no "gap years"). So I'm alright (Jack!), but in my opinion this spells the end of the OU as a place for "hobby" learners - the mature and elderly students who make up the bulk of OU students. . Unless you're Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish, that is. These new fees apply only to the English. I can see private providers coming in taking a share of the OUs market, and undercutting them....its a deep shame that the OU has been affected by this...I'm currently looking at alternatives.. Edited August 2, 2011 by Dave Beans Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doesn't Commute Anymore Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 (edited) Lose the "hobbyists", and its most likely the beginning of the end of the OU... A few years ago some key strategic errors were made at the OU, and the great institution lost its way: 1) Courses were commissioned based only on intake number spreadsheet projections, not employability. Thus, for example, leisure-learning astronomy courses, with 100's of students but little in terms of genuine employment prospects, were encouraged. The OU started targeting the "Isn't-Brian-Cox-Interesting" brigade, rather than being a higher education institute offering part-time reskilling/upskilling. The 10 point "taster" courses typify this I am sorry to say - getting HEFCE (essentially government) funds through big student numbers, without the contact time to develop the student to the stage where they could realistically be upskilled/re-skilled without more HEFCE-funding courses. 2) Summer schools were reduced, or even removed, in some faculties. How an OU science graduate can compete with a conventional uni graduate at interview without any lab experience still mystifies me. The summer schools also offered valuable face-to-face time with tutors/other students and a chance to feel "part of the OU community". This decision was daft as the OU was gifted a free campus, next door to its existing campus in MK, by the closure of DeMontford's MK annexe. This site would have been ideal for summer schools (rather than hiring out other uni facilities over the summer, at great expense). Instead, they filled the new campus with managers and diversity officers. Edited August 2, 2011 by Diet Cola Addict Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay67 Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 That's a massive increase for students in England. Hmm..wonder if the OU check out addresses? If you have a friend or relative living in Scotland or Wales,who would let you use their address and post on any mail in return for a bit of beer money,could an English person get away with the cheaper rate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr 0.01% Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 I've been thinking about doing a postgrad in some form. OU can FO if they think I'd even consider them at these prices! I don't even see how they think they'll be able to get the numbers through their doors to balance their books. Are they hoping for a massive increase in the availability of credit or something...? This is it. The first step towards QE: The Next Generation. Where's Q when you need him (it?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RentingForever Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 I've been thinking about doing a postgrad in some form. OU can FO if they think I'd even consider them at these prices! I don't even see how they think they'll be able to get the numbers through their doors to balance their books. Are they hoping for a massive increase in the availability of credit or something...? This is it. The first step towards QE: The Next Generation. Where's Q when you need him (it?). The postgrad fees aren't affected by this - they're not subsidised apparently, so there's no loss of subsidy to make up for. To be fair to the OU it's not their fault. It's the government withdrawing undergraduate teaching money, same as they're doing for all the other universities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oracle Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 ..Got an email today, stating that from 2012, full time students will expect to pay £15k for a 360 point degree. I'm not sure how this will effect part time/hobbyist course takers yet, although I I suspect that they'll have to pay the same course fees... http://www8.open.ac.uk/study/explained/fees-2012 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-14216167 oops. big mistake. I think they will have just jilted the jilted generation once too far. ...maybe even to the point where they say "no we won't fight your f***in wars for you either,go and bleed on the battlefield yourselves you selfish cants". so much for "wasting an entire generation",the kids..even in their dumbed-down stupor as they are,are still sharp enough to see through the smoke and mirrors. I think there is a strong likelihood that they will be rather forcibly taking back what the older generations have stolen from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ayatollah Buggeri Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Academics haven't got a clue how disastrous the rise in fees outside of conventional undergraduate will be. But with the exception of the OU (which, in terms of the qualification you get at the end, is also conventional undergraduate), fees aren't rising. Our fees for TPG and RPG are staying exactly as they are, except for inflation-linked rises, as are, as far as I can tell, everyone else's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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