Next steps for Birkbeck: an invitation to discussion

You may have seen recent media coverage about Government plans to reduce public funding and introduce major change to student finance arrangements in England that compel universities to charge much higher tuition fees from 2012.

The much publicised withdrawal of the vast majority of direct state funding for teaching and its replacement by much higher loan-supported student tuition fees dramatically alters the higher education landscape. Like the rest of the sector, Birkbeck expects to lose over 80% of its teaching funds and will need to raise tuition fees from 2012 in order to maintain the College’s world-class research and teaching excellence.

At a time of such change and turbulence in higher education, I wish to consult widely with the Birkbeck community about our proposed next steps.  It is very important that the whole college community has the opportunity to debate and inform our next steps at such challenging times.

My meeting with students is planned for 5pm on Monday 21 February in Room B33, Malet Street.

I need to reassure you immediately that if you are a current student or indeed a student planning to start in the 2011/12 academic year you will not be affected by these much higher fees. If you plan to move onto postgraduate study with us in the future, we also believe you will be unaffected as current government plans only apply to undergraduate study. Our discussions will be about our plans to support the new Birkbeck students who join the college from 2012.

More information about the fee changes

In advance of these consultations I urge you to read the paper that sets out our proposals, which you will find here http://staff.bbk.ac.uk/news/newsstory89.

I look forward to meeting you soon.

Professor D S Latchman, CBE