With keynote speakers Peter Vicary-Smith, Chief Executive, Which? and Anthony McClaran, Chief Executive, Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.

Set in the context of the Higher Education White Paper this important national conference brought together policy makers, student support professionals, student representatives and senior HE administrators with legal experts and data-mining professionals to consider the impact that the new financial situation will have on student behaviour and institutional response.

As the implications of the new variable tuition fee regime come into place, universities must consider how student demand and hope will change. Differential fees presage a new era of heightened expectations across different institutions and courses.

Students have high expectations and, with student complaints on the rise, even seemingly isolated cases have the potential to significantly detract from the institution's or the UK’s reputation for excellence in higher education.

How can universities and colleges monitor and track student expectations and understand perceptions and reputation? How can colleges and universities identify issues and tackle them? How will managements expect academics and support services to raise their game – and how will that be measured?

Consideration was also given to how new initiatives such as Student Charter and the Key Information Set will provide a platform for institutions to supply more transparent information about the courses on offer, and how they will relate to rising expectations.

For further information contact Paul Rushworth on 020 7960 6845, or
e-mail [email protected]