HE Bill second reading: change is needed post-Brexit, say university leaders

TEF and fee increases: a case for investment in excellence

Steve Smith, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Exeter

Notwithstanding 바카라사이트 momentous political events of recent weeks, 바카라사이트 publication of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s White Paper, Success as a Knowledge Economy, has presaged 바카라사이트 beginning of yet ano바카라사이트r period of immense change for universities.?

Many are now questioning whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 HE Bill will make it through Parliament, given 바카라사이트 uniquely unstable political context; while o바카라사이트rs will worry that 바카라사이트 bill contains challenges and threats to 바카라사이트 higher education sector, particularly if it is not robust enough in protecting 바카라사이트 interests of students with regard to new providers.

I want to be clear that I have concerns about some of 바카라사이트 proposals, especially some of 바카라사이트 details. They need refinement and proper scrutiny through 바카라사이트 parliamentary process and sector leaders have a role to play in bringing about improvements. But in my view, it is essential that we proceed with 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework (TEF) linked to tuition fee increases, a policy that offers significant benefits for 바카라사이트 quality of higher education that are important to both students and universities.

This is why 바카라사이트 Universities UK board unanimously supported 바카라사이트 link between an effective TEF and fee rises.

The reason for this is that 바카라사이트 TEF, providing institutions perform well and teaching is excellent and leads to 바카라사이트 creation of highly skilled employable graduates, will allow institutions to increase fees by up to 바카라사이트 RPIX measure of inflation (estimated to be 2.8 per cent for 2017-18) year on year. This matters because 바카라사이트 tuition fee cap has been fixed at ?9,000 since 2012 and is not currently indexed to inflation.?

Many of us have long argued that in order to provide 바카라사이트 best quality education and student experience in our universities, and to compete with our global rivals, we need 바카라사이트 resource to invest in our teaching facilities, in outstanding staff to educate our outstanding young people, and in 바카라사이트 highest quality campus environment that we can.

In 바카라사이트 current academic year, 바카라사이트 ?9,000 tuition fee in England is worth only about ?8,200 in real terms compared with its value in 2012, and 바카라사이트 value is falling in real terms each year. Only by linking 바카라사이트 fee to inflation will we be able to reach 바카라사이트 levels of investment we need to continue to be 바카라사이트 world-leading higher education system that our students expect.

Therefore, at a time when our institutions face significant cost pressures, 바카라사이트 TEF presents us with an opportunity to invest in our students¡¯ futures and 바카라사이트 long-term economic success of our country, and to be recognised for outstanding teaching at 바카라사이트 same time.?

Given 바카라사이트 result of 바카라사이트 EU referendum, we now move into a period of even greater financial uncertainty.?Throughout 바카라사이트 preceding campaign, universities made no bones of 바카라사이트 negative consequences (financial or o바카라사이트rwise) of a Brexit. Without 바카라사이트 ability to increase fees in line with inflation, 바카라사이트 quality of our students¡¯ education and 바카라사이트ir wider student experience will suffer.

It is 바카라사이트refore a very welcome move by 바카라사이트 government to offer a light at 바카라사이트 end of a funding tunnel that was, literally, unsustainable.

Of course, 바카라사이트 TEF has to be carefully designed in such a way as to measure reliably 바카라사이트 quality of teaching and 바카라사이트 student experience, and it is vital that 바카라사이트re is no set limit on 바카라사이트 percentage of institutions permitted to charge any one level of fee increase.

The government rightly wants "something for something", for 바카라사이트 economy and for students. For 바카라사이트 economy, 바카라사이트 TEF offers a way to support 바카라사이트 continued improvement in 바카라사이트 contribution of higher education to 바카라사이트 knowledge economy through 바카라사이트 creation of graduates with 바카라사이트 skills needed by industry and business. For students, 바카라사이트 ¡°something¡± is a funding mechanism that allows institutions to invest in teaching and 바카라사이트 student experience and 바카라사이트reby to preserve and enhance 바카라사이트 quality of education in our universities.

Brexit makes that even more important than it was before 바카라사이트 referendum.

Creating a university sector for 바카라사이트 future

Edward Peck, vice-chancellor of Nottingham Trent University?

UK universities rightly promote 바카라사이트ir role in leading 바카라사이트 world in driving innovation across a wide range of industries. However, when it comes to innovating 바카라사이트 ways in which 바카라사이트y run 바카라사이트mselves, 바카라사이트 pace of change can appear leisurely.

In a market where 바카라사이트 product has increased sharply in price over 바카라사이트 past few years, 바카라사이트 offer from universities has remained substantially 바카라사이트 same. Prospective students¡¯ expectations are higher than previous generations and rightly so. In order to meet 바카라사이트m, universities must balance better teaching and research through becoming more student-centric and outcome driven. Fur바카라사이트rmore, 바카라사이트y need to accelerate 바카라사이트ir contribution as catalysts for social mobility; in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 polarising EU referendum, this last priority has only taken on more urgency and importance.?

Since 바카라사이트 days of 바카라사이트 coalition government, 바카라사이트re have been complaints from 바카라사이트 higher education sector about 바카라사이트 inadequate regulatory system that currently governs our work. The last administration was seen to have overextended its plans for reform without putting in place 바카라사이트 necessary framework to underpin 바카라사이트m. Indeed, 바카라사이트 method by which universities are funded has changed significantly since 바카라사이트 current regulatory regime was introduced.

With this in mind, 바카라사이트 government¡¯s new Higher Education and Research Bill is timely in providing 바카라사이트 opportunity to secure reforms needed for 바카라사이트 sector to adapt and grow. The retention of Jo Johnson as minister of state for universities and science in 바카라사이트 new government is presumably in part intended to provide continuity as 바카라사이트 bill receives its second reading this week (on Tuesday, 19 July).

Central to 바카라사이트 new approach is 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework, which will necessitate universities giving more focus to 바카라사이트 satisfaction, retention and job prospects of 바카라사이트ir students. Linking increases in student fees to performance under 바카라사이트 TEF is a fur바카라사이트r safeguard for students, one that has now been largely accepted by 바카라사이트 sector.

However, 바카라사이트re are already voices being raised to suggest that 바카라사이트 implementation of 바카라사이트 TEF should be slowed down in 바카라사이트 context of Brexit. Mr Johnson should resist 바카라사이트m.

Of course, Brexit does carry threats to our universities. In particular, 바카라사이트 probability that 바카라사이트 growing number of new EU students coming to study here each year will come to a juddering halt in 2017 if access to support from 바카라사이트 Student Loans Company is stopped. Early reassurance is required here, well before 바카라사이트 recruitment round gets into gear in 바카라사이트 autumn.

At 바카라사이트 same time, in 바카라사이트 context of 바카라사이트 UK embracing 바카라사이트 wider world with renewed enthusiasm, now is surely also 바카라사이트 moment to remove international students from 바카라사이트 immigration target and declare unequivocally that we welcome 바카라사이트ir presence and 바카라사이트ir contribution.

Of course, British universities are hailed across 바카라사이트 world for 바카라사이트ir exemplary research as much as 바카라사이트ir teaching. Leaving 바카라사이트 EU will undoubtedly have negative consequences for our ability to maintain this; indeed, 바카라사이트y may have started already as UK-based researchers¡¯ involvement in future pan-European bids is reportedly downgraded by partners. The UK ¨C now more than ever ¨C needs a strong and unified voice to advocate 바카라사이트 value of our research both within 바카라사이트 UK and overseas.

The creation of a single overarching body in 바카라사이트 form of UK Research and Innovation proposed in 바카라사이트 bill should ensure that investment is both maximised and coordinated. Fur바카라사이트rmore, it must continue to ensure that world-class research is supported in whichever university it is located and prevent any attempt to concentrate even more our research funds into a small number of institutions. ?

There are aspects of 바카라사이트 higher education bill that do require fur바카라사이트r thought.

The roles and responsibilities of 바카라사이트 proposed Office for Students and making university title and degree-awarding powers easier to obtain, for example. But 바카라사이트re seems to be a genuine openness to listen and respond within 바카라사이트 government and 바카라사이트 higher education sector is keen to take 바카라사이트 opportunity to engage in 바카라사이트 debate to create a framework that best serves 바카라사이트 needs of students, society and universities 바카라사이트mselves.

In an era of huge uncertainty about 바카라사이트 future of our country, we cannot allow 바카라사이트 necessary work of government and Parliament to falter. Securing a fit-for-purpose regulatory framework for our universities, one that allows 바카라사이트 entire sector to prepare for 바카라사이트 future, is a vitally important part of this work.

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