I believe everyone with the potential to should have the ability to access higher education, irrespective of their background and family income. By ending student number controls, the Government is ensuring that a university place is now within the reach of more students, and we are seeing high application rates among students from disadvantaged backgrounds. This shows the reforms are working, and students understand they do not have to meet the cost of tuition fees up front.

However, if we are to continue to succeed as a knowledge economy, we cannot stand still, nor take for granted our universities' enviable global reputation and position at the top of league tables. We must ensure that a university system which is now open to more people is also fulfilling its potential for students, for employers and for the taxpayers who underwrite it.

Continued on PDF...