Consumer pressures

Universities need to "adjust to being consumer oriented", according to Mike Goldstein, former Coventry vice-chancellor and a critic of government plans for variable tuition fees. Dr Goldstein, who was this week appointed non-executive chairman of Heist, a subsidiary of the consultancy firm Euro RSCG Riley, said: "The days when the education sector had a take-it-or-leave it approach have gone. Universities and colleges have realised they need to be more consumer oriented."