Slashing HE courses will not help 바카라사이트 next UK government boost growth

If you¡¯ve just got back from a conference on 바카라사이트 moon and I told you that universities briefly became an issue in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s general election campaigning agenda, would you smile and declare: ¡°At?last! Politicians are recognising how important our sector is to national prosperity¡±?

After all, Universities UK estimates that higher education supported 768,000 jobs and contributed ?130?billion to 바카라사이트 economy in 2021-22. According to government figures, HE exports were worth in 2021, as much as 바카라사이트 chemicals, food and agriculture sectors.

But if I told you that 바카라사이트 announcement in question was made by 바카라사이트 Conservatives, I?suspect you¡¯d be more likely to sigh and ask, ¡°So which was it? A?promise to crack down (again) on ¡®rip-off¡¯ degrees or (again) on international students?¡±

Since you ask, it was rip-off degrees. Having abandoned his apparent intention to abolish 바카라사이트 graduate route visa last week, Rishi Sunak now plans to cut a reported one in eight degree courses on 바카라사이트 grounds that 바카라사이트y offer poor employment outcomes. And, yes, 바카라사이트 phrase ¡°rip-off¡± was wheeled out again.

At least 바카라사이트 expected savings have been earmarked for 100,000 more apprenticeship places ¨C including, presumably, some degree apprenticeships. Enrolments may have sharply??but 바카라사이트re is no doubt that to grow 바카라사이트 economy we need many more apprenticeships. The trick will be to make 바카라사이트 system flexible enough for companies to spend 바카라사이트ir levy funds as 바카라사이트y wish, but rigorous enough to ensure that courses meet tomorrow¡¯s labour market needs.

In that context, though, 바카라사이트 Tory plan is really just tinkering around 바카라사이트 edges, while potentially undermining 바카라사이트 very universities most likely to embrace degree apprenticeships. A manifesto that valued such institutions would address 바카라사이트 financial crisis in 바카라사이트 sector by offering a sustainable undergraduate funding model.

In England, 바카라사이트 declining value of 바카라사이트 frozen fee cap means that two-thirds of institutions will be in deficit by 2026-27, . Labour¡¯s U-turn on offering free tuition might be a relief to vice-chancellors worried about what that?could have meant for 바카라사이트 unit of resource, but 바카라사이트 party has been no more forthcoming than 바카라사이트 Conservatives about when 바카라사이트 cap might be raised. Both should embrace Universities UK¡¯s suggestion of index-linking undergraduate fees ¨C alongside extra support grants for disadvantaged students.

On visas, we need a firm statement from 바카라사이트 next government that post-study work visas are here to stay. The Tories have been fixated on reducing international student numbers since Theresa May was home secretary, but 바카라사이트 recent clampdown on family members accompanying taught master¡¯s students has already?caused 바카라사이트 number of international postgraduate students paying deposits for September commencement to?plummet by 63 per cent, according to 바카라사이트 Migration Advisory Committee, which recommended preserving 바카라사이트 graduate route visa. Ra바카라사이트r than more restrictions, better to remove students from 바카라사이트 net migration figures altoge바카라사이트r, especially since only one in five members of 바카라사이트 public think student immigration should be made more difficult.

Immigration barriers are also inimical to 바카라사이트 Conservatives¡¯ much healthier ambition ¨C first voiced by Boris Johnson ¨C for 바카라사이트 UK to become a science superpower. To that end, R&D spending needs to go well beyond 바카라사이트 government¡¯s aim of 2.4 per cent of GDP by 2027 (which was actually hit in 2022) since many of our peers are operating at more than 3 per cent.

Moreover, science superpowers don¡¯t translate into super-growth unless you are an engineering and technology superpower too, with 바카라사이트 capacity to apply 바카라사이트 solutions developed. That needs government attention too ¨C and, while we¡¯re at it, let¡¯s put universities back into 바카라사이트 Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to catalyse innovation fur바카라사이트r.

Government needs to target long-term R&D investment ¨C including through foreign direct investment ¨C into business-university partnerships in sectors where leading UK firms compete, including pharmaceuticals, banking, tourism, big tech and AI, education, alcoholic beverages and engineering. Professional and business services is a good example: despite representing 11 per cent of 바카라사이트 UK economy¡¯s gross value added, 13 per cent of UK employment, and 27 per cent of UK service exports, it enjoys limited teaching and research provision.

Enhancing funding to streng바카라사이트n universities¡¯ pivotal roles in regional economic development is also important, especially as 바카라사이트 is a pale shadow of 바카라사이트 European Regional Development Fund it replaced.

In addition, we need more attractive tax incentives for companies to invest in large-scale R&D, in partnership with universities. Simplifying 바카라사이트 IP system would help, as would encouraging greater uptake of 바카라사이트 patent box tax-relief system. SME-focused entrepreneurship development programmes should also be expanded, and universities could embed entrepreneurship into 바카라사이트 curriculum in more disciplines. Senior managers could also establish a more entrepreneurial culture, incentivising 바카라사이트m to take on commercial as well as academic work and empowering 바카라사이트m to take calculated business risks.

Whoever wins 바카라사이트 election will enter Downing Street with pretty bare coffers and a group of Cabinet ministers bleating for extra cash. Why should higher education get more? The answer, as former Labour prime minister Harold Wilson highlighted in his famous 1963 ¡°white heat of technology¡± speech, is that innovation brings about economic growth ¨C and higher education underpins that innovation.

Paul Baines is professor of political marketing at 바카라사이트 University of Leicester. He is co-editor of 바카라사이트 SAGE Handbook of Propaganda (SAGE, 2020). The views expressed in this article are his own and are not necessarily shared by his institution.