LSE presses case for rise in postgrad fees

* Academics at the London School of Economics have been asked to look again at proposals to increase fees for United Kingdom postgraduates.

The school's standing committee has asked the academic planning and resources committee to gather more evidence in support of its proposal to raise annual postgraduate fees by about 40 per cent, from Pounds 5,500 to Pounds 7,700. The proposal, already approved by the academic board, is designed to bring UK postgraduates more into line with overseas counterparts, who pay an average of more than Pounds 9,000 a year. The students' union opposes any moves to increase charges.

Director Anthony Giddens (pictured above) said: "LSE, like many other universities, is having to consider ways to maintain the highest quality educational standards."