Cambridge University has stirred up the debate over top up fees by issuing a statement saying it has no plans to introduce the controversial charges.

The statement came after the university's ruling council met to discuss the matter on Monday following pressure from the Students' Union.

It is not clear to the council that new fee arrangements would not damage access

Cambridge University

The university said it was concerned that charging top-up fees - which would see students paying significantly more than the current �1,100 towards tuition - might damage its attempts to attract students from a broader social background.

"The council believe that the present system of higher education funding is not sustainable," the university said in a statement.

"However, it is not clear to the council that new fee arrangements would not damage access: it is for the government to show that access would not be adversely affected if it decided that fee arrangements were to be changed."

On Monday over 2,000 students gathered outside the council's meeting at Senate House to demonstrate their concerns over top-up fees.

'Momentous decision'

President of the Students' Union, Paul Lewis, said he believed council members were moved by the protest.

Cambridge is really standing against the tide

Paul Lewis, Students' Union

Mr Lewis said the statement from the university was a "momentous decision" and represented "a big step in the right direction".

"When you consider what other universities like Imperial, Oxford, Warwick and Nottingham are saying, Cambridge is really standing against the tide," said Mr Lewis.

He said he hoped the stance by Cambridge would carry significant weight in the debate over top-up fees.

President of the National Union of Students, Mandy Telford, said: "This reiterates the message to the Government that nobody wants top-up fees."

"Lecturers don't want them, parents don't want them, students don't want them and even Labour MPs don't want them," she said.

Government choice

Cambridge University is calling on the government to consider other methods of funding for the higher education sector.

"The university's future is dependent on decisions to be made by the government in the forthcoming months," the university statement said.

"The Council hope that the higher education review will rigorously explore and consider all the available funding options, and take into account the impact of higher fees, and other measures, on access to Cambridge and other UK universities."

The government is due to outline its proposals for higher education funding in a policy document due out in January.

Prime Minister Tony Blair has refused to rule out allowing universities to charge top-up fees.

And Imperial College, London has drawn up proposals for fees which could be as high as �10,500 a year.