In an admission that a £1m radio campaign had failed to explain the government’s message about top-up fees, Bill Rammell the Minister for Higher Education and Lifelong Learning, has announced a new Students Finance Communications Initiative, that is expected to include £1.4m of television advertising, along with spending on direct mail, newspaper and radio.

Reports put the total cost of the campaign at about £4.5m, and the contract(s) will presumably go to one or more agencies on the C.O.I. roster. It’s doubtful if any incumbents on the current Educational Marketing roster which is under review will be included. In a move that has surprised many observers of this controversial issue, the National Union of Students, President Kat Fletcher has said, ‘NUS welcomes this information campaign, which we have been lobbying hard for’.

• www.coi.gov.uk

• www.nusonline.co.uk