Student financing under review

The lower tuition fees policy for Welsh students is only guaranteed until 2009-2010

Radical changes to student finance in Wales could be on the way.

Education minister Jane Hutt said the two-stage review would include student debt and widening access, as well as higher education's "purpose and role".

A flagship policy of lower tuition fees for Welsh students at universities in Wales could be questioned.

The Conservatives claimed the assembly government had systematically undermined higher education and raised concerns over the review's timetable.

Welsh students going to Welsh universities pay £1,200 in fees, rather than £3,000 for students from outside Wales.

It costs £61m a year, but it is only guaranteed until the academic year starting in 2009.

But the One Wales coalition document commits the Welsh Assembly Government to keep to current spending levels until the end of the assembly term in May 2011 and the tuition fees bill would rise to £77.9m.

Education minister Jane Hutt said the review was taking place at a crucial time.

"It is time to refresh the strategy .. and ensure we respond to the many challenges and opportunities faced by higher education in Wales," she said.

REVIEW GROUP Prof Merfyn Jones , vice-chancellor Bangor University (chair) Prof Danny Saunders, University of Glamorgan Roger Thomas OBE, chair of the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales Rob Humphreys, director Open University of Wales Prof Robin Williams, school of engineering, Swansea University Alison Itani, director of Wiltan Ltd Louise Casella, director of strategic development, Cardiff University Ben Gray, NUS Wales president

Ms Hutt said it would assess the extent to which student finance is targeted to widen access and encourage take up of priority subjects.

The review will also look at how spiralling graduate debt can be tackled.

The first phase is meant to be complete by September of this year.

Ben Gray, NUS Wales president, who has been appointed to the review group, said: "I don't want to pre-judge the review, but we certainly don't want any situation which makes the situation worse for students.

"The level of student debt makes things incredibly hard for graduate students on lower incomes."

Conservative education spokesman Andrew Davies said the funding gap between Welsh and English universities had grown.

He said most graduates were thousands of pounds in debt and the assembly government had failed to act.

"I am extremely concerned at the tight timescale involved in this review examining the state of student finances and the obvious impotency of the assembly government to act on many of the factors which lead to student debt," he said.

The review team will be chaired by the vice chancellor of Bangor University Professor Merfyn Jones.

After the first phase of the review is completed in the autumn they will move on to the wider question of how Welsh universities fulfil the demands of learners.