Course fees at Highlands College

​​​Request 724099729

Fees for degree courses at Highlands College have risen several times in the last few years. Can you please answer the following:

1. What is the process for determining and approving fees for degree courses at Highlands College?

2. Why are some courses much cheaper than others eg. Civil Engineering?

3. What proportion of the fee is spent on direct teaching costs for degree students? Please provide a breakdown of the proportional allocation of the remaining amount to other costs, including management

Response

1. Under Education (Jersey) Law 1999, Part 5 (Article 57(5)) 

“13A. Each year, subject to the approval of the Minister of Education and Lifelong Learning, the governing body of Highlands College shall determine the manner in which fees for the provision of education in the said College shall be set.”.

2. The variation in course fees is influenced by several key factors:

Programme Duration and Delivery Mode:

Courses such as Civil Engineering are delivered part-time over a 4-year period, which affects the overall cost structure. In contrast, programmes like Business Management, Psychology, and Criminology are typically delivered over 3 years, resulting in different fee allocations. Some fees were set historically and now more closely aligned with the U.K. even though costs are higher here. 

Awarding Bodies and University Partnerships:

The cost of programme delivery is also impacted by the charges of specific awarding bodies and university partnerships. These partnerships vary in their associated costs, which in turn influence the final programme fees. However, these are nationally and internationally recognised qualifications not Highlands or UCJ awarded degrees. 

Public Finance Compliance:

All fees are set in alignment with the Public Finance Manual, ensuring that they reflect the cost of delivery and where they are subsidised by the public purse, the Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning and the Treasury Minister agree this. 

These factors collectively contribute to the differences in course fees across various programmes.

3. For degree students, 51.3% of the total fee is allocated to direct teaching costs. The remaining 48.7% is distributed across other essential services and operational areas as follows:

• Management: 14.1%

• University Partnership Fees and Materials: 18.0% 

• Facilities and Domestic Services: 6.1%

• IT & Data Services: 6.3%

• Exams: 3.3%

• Employability & Student Support: 0.9%

This breakdown ensures that all aspects of programme delivery and student support are adequately funded, contributing to a comprehensive and high-quality educational experience. Student support is also supported by the core grant for Further Education.​