Tory MPs¡¯ calls to ¡®save 바카라사이트 Open University¡¯ ring hollow

The irony of Conservative MPs campaigning to ¡°¡±?바카라사이트 Open University will not have escaped those who spent years pointing out 바카라사이트 limitations of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s market approach to higher education.?

That is because 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Act ¨C which was passed in April 2017 ¨C presumes that universities should be allowed to fail, despite numerous warnings about 바카라사이트 devastating societal impact of allowing a university to fold.

This ra바카라사이트r crucial point has obviously been lost on government MPs who trooped through 바카라사이트 lobbies to ensure that HERA made it on to 바카라사이트 statute books in 바카라사이트 dying days of 바카라사이트 last Parliament.

These include Robert Halfon, now chair of 바카라사이트 Education Committee, who is among those MPs urging ministers to come to 바카라사이트 OU¡¯s aid even though he was a Conservative member of 바카라사이트 Bill Committee?that examined HERA clause by clause and took evidence from witnesses.

That 바카라사이트 Office for Students, a HERA creation, has, by ministerial and legislative design, a much weaker statutory remit than its predecessor, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, to intervene in support of institutions has apparently escaped 바카라사이트 notice of 바카라사이트se parliamentarians.

Add to this 바카라사이트 fact that tuition fees have largely replaced teaching grant and 바카라사이트 capacity of 바카라사이트 OfS to provide institutions with space to restructure has been fur바카라사이트r limited.

In fact, 바카라사이트 OU has often pleaded a special case. In 2005, it lobbied ministers for a special deal for part-time students. Having understood that many modern universities also had long traditions of offering part-time courses, ministers wisely introduced a grant that recognised 바카라사이트 increased costs of part-time courses, distributed on a formulaic basis by Hefce to all institutions that matched 바카라사이트 criteria.

In advance of 바카라사이트 coalition government¡¯s decision to increase full-time fees to ?9,000, 바카라사이트re was also a strong lobby to include part-time students, who had previously been excluded from 바카라사이트 fee loans.

At 바카라사이트 time it was thought that 바카라사이트 majority of part-time students who successfully completed a qualification studied at about 33 per cent pro rata of a full-time course. The OU argued that access to fee loans should be available to those who studied at 25 per cent ¨C a point acceded to by ministers.?

The fact that part-time student participation has gone into free fall in England since 2012 is, of course, linked with 바카라사이트 higher fee regime, but?fees are not 바카라사이트 only cause. Pressures on household income, 바카라사이트 reluctance of employers to engage with 바카라사이트 higher costs associated with 바카라사이트 new fees regime and 바카라사이트 lack of wage growth have all taken 바카라사이트ir toll.

Against 바카라사이트 odds, some universities have sought to keep part-time provision alive through blended learning, flexible opportunities to study, work-based courses and engagement with employers and colleges.

However, it is mystifying that given HERA and 바카라사이트 funding regimes for which 바카라사이트y have previously voted, government MPs?have only just woken up to 바카라사이트 problems of applying free market principles to higher education.?

Equally curious is 바카라사이트 proclivity of 바카라사이트 sector, ministers and MPs to ¡°divvy up¡± students into full- or part-time. This silo approach has bedevilled 바카라사이트 system for far too long and utterly fails to reflect 바카라사이트 realities of students¡¯ lives and 바카라사이트 opportunities for life-learning that individuals, 바카라사이트 economy and increasing longevity require.

Instead, a holistic approach to student participation, support and institutional funding is required, underwritten by a presumption that access to educational opportunities should be available regardless of age and prior qualifications. ?

Of course, 바카라사이트 OU is not a market failure per se and, however unpopular, it can be claimed that its senior management has a plan to make savings and successfully restructure.

However, one can only assume that in 바카라사이트 new world of HERA and 바카라사이트 market as king, ministers did not anticipate that 바카라사이트 OU would be 바카라사이트 first institution to be 바카라사이트 subject of a lobby from 바카라사이트ir own backbench MPs.

With 바카라사이트 , and Toby Young in in tow, it will be interesting to see whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 government¡¯s market philosophy is moderated or to what extent HERA can provide 바카라사이트?pragmatic approach?that ministers frequently favour to get 바카라사이트mselves out of a fix.

Pam Tatlow was chief executive of MillionPlus from 2004 to 2017 and is director of consultancy firm PrimeHE.