Degrees: are they value for money?

By John Newton. With annual tuition fees now £9000 at many institutions, does a British degree represent good value for money, asks John Newton. 
It can be no coincidence that in the space of a few weeks both David Willetts, the Universities Minister, and the Office of Fair Trading triggered investigations into the amount of teaching that a student receives in our British universities. Both Mr Willetts and the OFT are keen to see whether the amount of teaching, the proportion of contact hours and the emphasis given to research for post graduates (as opposed to newly-minted undergrads) are fit for purpose. More...