Distance learning courses 'to increase'

Lord Browne of Madingley's proposal to lift the cap on tuition fees for university students - meaning that it could cost £14,000 a year to access higher education in the future - might lead to a rise in distance learning online.

Andrew McGrath made this observation in an article on the Virgin Media Business blog, noting that technological innovations such as videoconferencing and podcasts - that can be used in seminars and lectures - could well be utilised more often to get a "great education, without breaking the bank".

Mr McGrath went on to state that if these recommendations are in fact pushed through, a "fundamental shift" in the delivery of university education could be seen, with many school leavers applying for online training so as to reduce the "significant financial strain" of tuition.

However, under the Student Finance Plan - as the new system has been dubbed - pupils will not pay anything until they graduate from university and are earning more than £21,000 a year.