There is a need to recognise that new groups of students need different sorts of support mechanisms which increases the resource costs in tackling access issues. The next 5-10 years have a very different profile for the student in higher education. The Open University was a model for this, more so than the University of the Highlands and Islands project. There is real potential for substantial change. There are individual requirements for people who study part-time and are based away from campus.
Remote access engenders a set of different needs.
It is hard to predict how learning will change. Postgraduates still need contact with the academic community for this is how research is generated. A centralised system would be the best option since economies of scale could be achieved by using a centralised agency. It is hoped that if the Scottish Parliament is sufficiently committed to education to abolish fees then it would also encourage others in the UK to do so. Such a scenario is by no means impossible and it is as much a matter of political will as anything else.