THE vice-chancellors of Oxford’s two universities have received an apology over a claim that their answers to a committee of MPs would not earn a GCSE pass.

Oxford University vice-chancellor Dr John Hood and Prof Janet Beer, vice-chancellor of Oxford Brookes University, were both questioned last month by MPs investigating university standards.

But it was the assessment of their performance afterwards by Phil Willis, chairman of the House of Commons Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Select Committee, that led to complaints.

The most heated exchanges came when the vice-chancellors were asked whether an Oxford University degree was superior to one from Brookes. Mr Willis said their answers left him incredulous.

Then, after the meeting, he told the Guardian newspaper: “It is enormously disappointing when the heads of institutions persistently fail to answer questions. We are not trying to find fault with institutions, we are trying to say, ‘how do we improve the product?’.”

He said the vice-chancellors had given the impression that the British higher education system was perfect before adding: “But they are asking for thousands of pounds per student. You have to ask whether the answers given would pass a GCSE essay.”

The two vice-chancellors later wrote a private joint letter to Mr Willis to express their unhappiness about his comments.

An Oxford University source yesterday confirmed that they had now received an apology from the select committee chairman.

The Commons select committee had travelled up from Westminster to take evidence at Oxford Brookes University. The committee was undertaking a major inquiry touching on all aspects of university education and funding and MPs chose to hold a key session on a university campus rather than House of Commons committee room.

During the questioning Dr Hood, was told the committee was not happy with his answers about funding, admissions and Oxford’s tutorial system. “We are going around in circles,” Dr Hood was told at one point.

The vice-chancellors, sitting side by side, were asked whether a 2:1 in history at Oxford University was worth the same as a 2:1 in history at Brookes. Dr Hood replied: “At Oxford, we apply a consistent standard in awarding degree classifications. We use external examiners and we take their assessments very seriously.” Prof Beer said: “It depends on what you mean by equivalent and worth.”

At one point the chairman said: “I’m treating this conversation with incredulity. it costs twice as much to educate a student at Oxford University than at Oxford Brookes, and you are creaming the world’s best students, yet you say the outcomes are the same.”

Dr Hood went on to say that Oxford University was losing almost £8,000 a student and some increase in tuition fees “might be considered desirable”.

This week, however, he rejected some national newspaper reports claiming that Oxford wants to raise fees to £11,000.