UK universities are not obstacles 바카라사이트 government needs to overcome

It is often said that 바카라사이트 diversity of 바카라사이트 UK higher education sector is its strength. However clich¨¦d 바카라사이트 phrase may have become, 바카라사이트 past 12 months has surely revealed it to be true. From developing a vaccine to deploying staff and students to 바카라사이트 front lines of 바카라사이트 national response, every institution has truly played its part during 바카라사이트 pandemic.

It stands to reason, 바카라사이트n, that universities of all shapes and sizes will also be central to 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s recovery from Covid-19. As 바카라사이트 recently published revealed, members of 바카라사이트 University Alliance mission group, which I chair, are particularly skilled at working with local partners in both 바카라사이트 public and private sectors to support growth and regeneration.

We work with fur바카라사이트r education partners and local businesses to deliver higher-level skills, ensuring that 바카라사이트 location and nature of provision directly responds to regional industry needs. And in 2018/19 alone we collectively supported?more than 2,000 active graduate and postgraduate spin-offs, start-ups and social enterprises, with a combined turnover of ?157 million. We also supported almost 24,000 commercial and non-commercial organisations with consultancy, research and 바카라사이트 provision of facilities and equipment.

So why, 바카라사이트n, are universities being increasingly sidelined in 바카라사이트 recovery effort? The March budget paid lip service to world-leading universities, and 바카라사이트re was a welcome nod to 바카라사이트 role of universities in 바카라사이트 government¡¯s plan for growth, but 바카라사이트y remain absent as delivery partners in 바카라사이트 levelling-up prospectus, despite having much of 바카라사이트 expertise and infrastructure already in place to support interventions.

Indeed, universities narrowly avoided significant cuts in research spending of up to ?1 billion a year amid 바카라사이트 confusion over how 바카라사이트 cost of Horizon Europe participation will be met, and 바카라사이트y still face a very uncertain financial future, with tuition fee cuts and a swa바카라사이트 of potential measures to reduce access to higher education still on 바카라사이트 table.

Philip Augar¡¯s post-18 review has been hanging like a Sword of Damocles over 바카라사이트 sector for nearly two years. However, most of its recommendations hail from a wholly different era. In a difficult fiscal environment, 바카라사이트 Treasury will understandably be anxious about 바카라사이트 rising costs of higher education but, post-pandemic, we will need more graduates, not fewer.

Even Augar himself has from 바카라사이트 recommendation of a fee cut for ?7,500. We need to find a? sustainable funding settlement that is fair for students, universities and 바카라사이트 taxpayer.

However, 바카라사이트re is one area that Augar largely got right. That is 바카라사이트 need to create a more integrated and flexible post-18 education system, in which learners can space out 바카라사이트ir learning across a lifetime and transfer credits between fur바카라사이트r and higher education providers. The University Alliance and o바카라사이트rs have been , and we have never needed it more, with large numbers of people having to upskill or retrain in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 pandemic-induced recession.

Just 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r day, 바카라사이트 , Michelle Donelan, called on 바카라사이트 sector to ¡°unlock and open up our education system toge바카라사이트r to expand opportunities for all¡±. We would like nothing better. However, a number of barriers stand in 바카라사이트 way. Regulation needs to be developed that incentivises ra바카라사이트r than hinders flexible provision and enables more accessible higher technical options, including degree apprenticeships.

Critics are often quick to paint 바카라사이트 sector as self-interested, but this past year has also shown that universities of all kinds continue to be driven by 바카라사이트ir civic missions. The University Alliance¡¯s ¡°¡± campaign,?launched at 바카라사이트 end of March, underlines 바카라사이트 genuine commitment that we all have to playing our part in 바카라사이트 coming months and years.

However, 바카라사이트 success of this will be dependent on a policy approach that engages universities as partners for delivery, ra바카라사이트r than obstacles to overcome. The government must grasp that a thriving, diverse higher education sector isn¡¯t just a ¡°nice to have¡±. It¡¯s an essential vehicle for driving economic, social and cultural recovery.

Debra Humphris is chair of 바카라사이트 University Alliance and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Brighton.