North East backing for new private university

Feb 8 2010 by Nicola Juncar, The Journal

A NORTH East academic is backing plans to set up an elite private university.

Support for the plans has grown after a group of independent schools, including Newcastle’s Royal Grammar School, said families were unhappy with the quality of education at many universities.

The new institution would be modelled on American arts colleges, which concentrate on providing teaching for undergraduates rather than research.

It is expected the fees would be at least £10,000 a year.

James Tooley, a professor of education at Newcastle University, has been involved in early discussions and is expected to advise on the development.

He said: “The idea is that the independent sector should not be dependent on the whims of government dictating who is and is not let into university.”

The plan is being considered by the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference of independent schools and has been drawn up by Terence Kealey, vice-chancellor of Buckingham, which is the only private university in the UK.

The supporters say there will be strong demand for pri