New providers to compete for public funding

Higher education reforms could see more alternative providers seek teaching and research grants.

Newly established universities and colleges could capture a share of public funding following the government’s higher education reforms, delegates heard at a conference on 29 November.

Ian Coates, higher education policy and strategy director in the the Department for Education, said confirmed that the “door will be open” to new providers wishing to obtain full access to the funding distributed by the Office for Students and by Research England, provided they are on the register of providers and they accept the government’s £9,000 course fee cap.