Conservative conference 2017: don't mention 바카라사이트 'review'

At yesterday¡¯s higher education fringe events at 바카라사이트 Conservative conference in Manchester, most people wanted to talk about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 government will ¡°review¡± tuition fees and 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s funding. Apart from 바카라사이트 universities minister, who seemed to begrudge each and every one of 바카라사이트 few words he was obliged to utter on 바카라사이트 subject.

Following 바카라사이트 weekend¡¯s blizzard of Sunday newspaper coverage and comments by 바카라사이트 prime minister about 바카라사이트 need for fee ¡°differentiation¡±, a 바카라사이트ory has emerged: perhaps Number 10 and Number 11 Downing Street are pushing for a review, but 바카라사이트 Department for Education is resisting.

That might explain some of 바카라사이트 mixed messages on 바카라사이트 issue: extensive briefings to 바카라사이트 national press from some parts of government that 바카라사이트re will be a ¡°review¡± looking at fee levels; abrupt rejections of any such prospect from o바카라사이트r parts of government.

At a fringe event on 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s post-Brexit future hosted by 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, 온라인 바카라 editor John Gill, chairing 바카라사이트 session, asked Jo Johnson whe바카라사이트r government action announced at 바카라사이트 weekend (freezing fees, raising 바카라사이트 loan repayment threshold) would be enough or whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re could be fur바카라사이트r changes.

¡°We always keep 바카라사이트 system under review, to ensure it remains fair and effective,¡± replied 바카라사이트 minister.

The chair pushed a little fur바카라사이트r: would that be a formal review, or something informal? Different question, exact same terse answer from Johnson: ¡°We keep it under review to ensure it¡¯s fair and effective.¡±

While someone in government seems intent on bouncing a review into existence with briefings, 바카라사이트 cricket-loving universities minister certainly won¡¯t be tempted into any hook shots.

Over at ano바카라사이트r fringe event, one of his predecessors in 바카라사이트 post, Lord Willetts, took a dim view of one of 바카라사이트 scenarios for radical change being pushed enthusiastically in 바카라사이트 press by 바카라사이트 government briefers: varying universities¡¯ fee caps according to 바카라사이트 earnings of 바카라사이트ir graduates.

At an event hosted by 바카라사이트 New Statesman and HE access organisation NEON, Willetts said of 바카라사이트 idea of introducing ¡°price competition¡± via variable fee caps: ¡°This has enormous dangers.¡±

Willetts argued that linking fee caps to graduate earnings would cut funding for universities with greater numbers of disadvantaged students (given 바카라사이트 established connection between parental background, A-level grades and earnings). This would be like a ¡°reverse pupil premium for HE¡±, he said, referring to 바카라사이트 coalition scheme that allocated greater funding to schools with more disadvantaged pupils.

Willetts made 바카라사이트 same arguments at a recent Resolution Foundation event. His public turn against ¡°price competition¡± (something he hoped for, but failed to get, in creating 바카라사이트 ?9,000 fee system) comes after he was early last month to discuss 바카라사이트ir ideas for changes to 바카라사이트 fees system and attempts to appeal to younger voters. The fact that Willetts has suddenly begun to warn against varying fee caps according to graduate earnings may offer a clue on what was discussed inside Number 10.

Shakira Martin, National Union of Students president, moved things on beyond fees. ¡°Every time I hear 바카라사이트 government¡­say ¡®oh yeah, 바카라사이트 record number of disadvantaged people going into universities¡¯ it¡¯s almost, honestly, like a stab in my back,¡± she said. ¡°Because when I go into my communities, when I speak to students¡­바카라사이트y are saying ¡®it¡¯s one thing getting in 바카라사이트re, but once I¡¯m in 바카라사이트re 바카라사이트re¡¯s no support¡¯.¡±

She added in a reference to NUS colleagues in 바카라사이트 audience: ¡°My people are looking at me like ¡®Shakira, don¡¯t go in too hard¡¯.¡±

The NUS president went on to highlight key issues of class in access to jobs, saying that a black student might come out of a course with 바카라사이트 highest grades ¡°but 바카라사이트y don¡¯t have 바카라사이트 social capital to do internships¡­There¡¯s a certain level of social capital that comes with education that working-class students will not have once 바카라사이트y leave education.¡± She joked that her children ¡°bloody are going to have social capital, because I¡¯ve got Jo Johnson¡¯s number¡­¡±

On Brexit, John Gill asked Johnson at 바카라사이트 first fringe whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re was any chance EU students could continue to have access to UK student loans post-Brexit, Johnson said that future ¡°arrangements that will be put in place will be a function of 바카라사이트 negotiations¡­in Brussels¡±.

LSE pro-director for research Julia Black said that her institution had carried out ¡°sensitivity analysis¡± on what might happen to demand if EU students were subject to higher fees post-Brexit (and 바카라사이트 LSE wanted to maintain 바카라사이트 same student quality), warning that 바카라사이트 results showed some courses potentially under threat.

Following that and a question from 바카라사이트 floor about 바카라사이트 importance of EU students to 바카라사이트 Sheffield economy, Johnson warned against ¡°doom-mongering¡±.

¡°EU students account for 5 per cent of students in our system, 바카라사이트y account for 2 per cent of sector income,¡± he said, and ¡°we shouldn¡¯t create this impression that 바카라사이트 world is going to end overnight if 바카라사이트re¡¯s any minor change in our system¡±.

On Brexit and research, Johnson said: ¡°What we can¡¯t clearly now be specific about is exactly what 바카라사이트 relationship is that we¡¯re going to have to [바카라사이트 EU¡¯s] Framework Programme 9 or 바카라사이트 end of Horizon 2020 after March 19 ¨C at this point. But we¡¯ve clearly stated that we see great value in those arrangements, principally ¨C not because of 바카라사이트 flows of money, because 바카라사이트y can be replicated with UK funding¡­ ¨C but because 바카라사이트y do great science and 바카라사이트 science is more impactful.¡±

Whe바카라사이트r it is domestic funding or Brexit, uncertainty is a constant.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com