UK universities may face fines for breaking promises to students

UK universities could face financial sanctions if they break their promises to students on lecture time and class sizes, a vice-chancellor suggested.

Paul Wellings, chair of the 1994 Group, said universities should be clear about the minimum entitlement they offer to their students. The 1994 Group, which represents 19 leading universities, has called for the cap on tuition fees to be raised.

Addressing a public hearing of Lord Browne's independent review of student funding, Prof. Wellings, who is also vice-chancellor of Lancaster University, said students should know what to expect from a course.

He said: "What we have to do is be very clear about minimum expectations, on contact, on class size, expectations and feedback."

The Higher Education Funding Council for England, which funds England's universities, could step in if universities fail to live up to their guarantees, he suggested.

Speaking after giving evidence, Prof. Wellings said: "If a university offers 'x', say, as a minimum standard and then is always in breach of that, then the funding council's yearly engagement with that university could begin by saying 'why are you not up to the pace given you are making this commitment?', and ultimately ask if the public resource is being used to best effect."

He added: "What's in the jar should be what's on the label."

These minimum entitlements could be different depending on the type of course a student is taking - for example, a laboratory-based science subject, or a seminar-based humanities degree.

A spokesman for the 1994 Group added: "Institutions that fail to deliver on quality should not be funded for that quality."