Overview

The Higher Education (Information) Bill mandates UK higher education institutions to provide prospective undergraduate students with comprehensive information regarding tuition fees, their expenditure, and student expectations. This aims to increase transparency and allow students to make informed choices.

Description

This bill requires institutions providing higher education to give a designated body (one for England and one for Wales) key information. This information falls into two categories:

Institutional Information:

• Proportion of teaching staff with relevant qualifications.
• Spending per student on academic and student services.
• Proportion of additional fee income spent on widening access.
• Average cost of institutional and local private accommodation.
• Number and resolution of student complaints.

Course Information:

• Student satisfaction with course feedback (from NSS).
• Student retention and progression rates.
• Graduate destinations six months post-graduation.
• Average tuition fees and additional costs.
• Work placement participation rates.
• Details of fee waivers and average recipient income.
• Professional body recognition of the course.
• Average graduate salaries at various points post-graduation.
• Teaching hours (small, medium, large groups) and private study time.
• Assessment method breakdown (coursework, exams, etc.).
• Proportion of teaching by academic staff.
• UCAS tariff scores of enrolled students.

The designated body is responsible for publishing this information in an accessible and comparable format, updating it annually. If institutions cannot provide data, the designated body must seek it from alternative sources.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't directly specify government spending. The cost will likely relate to the establishment and operation of the designated bodies, as well as any potential enforcement mechanisms. No figures are provided in the bill text.

Groups Affected

• Higher Education Institutions: Required to collect and submit data, potentially incurring administrative costs.
• Prospective Undergraduate Students: Will benefit from increased transparency and access to information to help make informed choices.
• Designated Bodies: Responsible for data collection, processing, and publication.
• Government: Responsible for designating bodies and overseeing implementation.

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