Universities should be able to charge higher fees for students from richer families to help pay for scholarships for those from poorer ones, the report says. More than half of Harvard students receive some form of financial aid. The authors reject the claim that fees would discourage poorer students. Despite the increase in British higher education numbers, the number of entrants from lower income groups has changed little and pales in comparison with other countries. If differentiated fees damaged access, that alone would make the case against them.
Higher education is already socially exclusive.
Number 10's education adviser, Andrew Adonis, has told vice-chancellors the government would only countenance extra fees if they could show they were improving intakes of students from poor backgrounds. Colin Lucas, the vice-chancellor of Oxford, joined with other university heads in welcoming the report as a contribution to the debate, but like most refused to commit him self to its findings. We believe that the only acceptable system would guarantee access to higher education for all students who could benefit from the opportunity. Cambridge said it would not lobby for the recommendations.