Russell Group calls for university fees increase

The Russell Group has backed calls for a further increase in university fees in the UK. Scottish students studying in Scotland are exempt. Picture: Ian Rutherford

THE body which represents leading universities including Edinburgh and Glasgow has backed calls for tuition fees to raise beyond £9,000 a year.

The Russell Group, which represents 24 institutions across the UK, issued a statement in support of Professor Andrew Hamilton, vice-chancellor of Oxford University, who said universities should be able to charge significantly higher fees to meet the true cost of educating students.

Dr Wendy Piatt, director general of the Russell Group, said fees should increase with inflation next year.

Dr Piatt said: “Our leading institutions cannot continue to be internationally competitive, provide a first-rate teaching experience and offer generous support to disadvantaged students without access to increased funding.”

While Scottish students studying in Scotland are exempt from fees, students from elsewhere in the UK pay up to £9,000 a year, making four-year courses at institutions such as Edinburgh and St Andrews among the most expensive degrees in the UK.

Both Edinburgh and Glasgow declined to comment on the statement from the Russell Group.