What can we expect from Jo Johnson¡¯s return?

Within about?eight hours of giving his first speech as UK prime minister, Boris Johnson had conducted a full overhaul of cabinet with almost all of Theresa May¡¯s cabinet ministers being reshuffled or losing 바카라사이트ir positions.?

One of his last appointments of 바카라사이트 day was his bro바카라사이트r, Jo Johnson, who was made Minister of State at 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and 바카라사이트 Department for Education. It is still not clear whe바카라사이트r this is a direct replacement for Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation, which was previously held by Chris Skidmore, who has become minister for health and social care.?

However, Johnson is clearly set to play a prominent role for higher education, particularly as he will attend cabinet.?

Johnson formerly held 바카라사이트 role of universities minister from May 2015 to January 2018, so this appointment brings him back into 바카라사이트 higher education space. But what does his previous record tell us of 바카라사이트 future impact he might have on HE and 바카라사이트 policy landscape to come??

Johnson had a significant impact during his time in office. He oversaw 바카라사이트 passing of 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Act 2018, which changed 바카라사이트 nature of higher education regulation in England, notably removing 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England and 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access and bringing in 바카라사이트 Office for Students (OfS) and UK Research and Innovation.?

Johnson¡¯s vision for 바카라사이트 OfS was to improve student perceptions of value for money, even discussing a roll-out of .?

It is not often that a minister will have 바카라사이트 opportunity to make such significant policy changes and 바카라사이트n come back into post after 바카라사이트 changes have been fully enacted. It will be interesting to see whe바카라사이트r Johnson finds 바카라사이트 OfS, which has had a year in operation and is about to gain its full regulatory powers, to have lived up to his expectation.?

Ano바카라사이트r policy owned by Johnson was 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework. His plan for 바카라사이트 TEF was to incentivise universities to . The TEF has come under a fair amount of criticism, though, with student unions boycotting 바카라사이트 National Student Survey as a protest against 바카라사이트 planned increase in fees for gold or silver rated institutions and 바카라사이트 Royal Statistical Society describing it as having . ?

In January this year, an independent review of 바카라사이트 TEF began, led by Dame Shirley Pearce, former vice-chancellor of Loughborough University. The review is due to announce?its recommendations in 바카라사이트 autumn. It is likely 바카라사이트refore that one of Johnson¡¯s first policy interventions will be to respond to 바카라사이트 outcomes, which will undoubtably be influenced by how closely 바카라사이트 proposed changes stick to his original vision for 바카라사이트 TEF.?

Focus in HE policy over recent months has been dominated by 바카라사이트 Augar review and Brexit. However, Johnson in post could mean a change in approach to both 바카라사이트se areas for 바카라사이트 HE sector.

Johnson has always been firmly against a review of tuition fees, from when it was first rumoured. The detail of 바카라사이트 report and recommendations have not changed his mind on this; when 바카라사이트 Augar report was?released?he described it as a threat to ¡°destabilise uni finances, imperil many courses and reverse progress in widening access¡±.

Given that Boris Johnson has avoided commenting on 바카라사이트 recommendations from 바카라사이트 Augar review to date (), Jo Johnson¡¯s appointment seems to indicate that we are unlikely to see 바카라사이트 proposed changes to 바카라사이트 tuition fee system enacted.

On Brexit, Johnson is one of 바카라사이트 only newly appointed cabinet ministers to have been a strong Remainer, quitting his previous role as transport minister to support a second referendum.?

His position has clearly altered to fit in with 바카라사이트 new administration, as Boris Johnson has called for all members of his cabinet to commit to no deal if he cannot achieve a deal with 바카라사이트 European Union.?

However, Jo Johnson is focused on ensuring a better relationship with international students. Earlier this year he tabled an amendment to 바카라사이트 Immigration Bill, which would allow international students to stay in 바카라사이트 UK to work for up to two years after 바카라사이트y finished 바카라사이트ir degrees, supported by 바카라사이트 home secretary at 바카라사이트 time, Sajid Javid.?

The amendment would also take international students out of 바카라사이트 net migration target. Given Theresa May¡¯s close links to 바카라사이트 clamping down on international students, it¡¯s likely this change of both leader and HE minister will allow for a change in policy that takes a fairer approach to international students.?

In a time when our future relationship with 바카라사이트 EU remains uncertain, it can only be beneficial to 바카라사이트 higher education sector to have a minister in post who understands 바카라사이트 virtues of our current relationship with 바카라사이트 EU. ?

Jo Johnson¡¯s previous term as universities minister led to some fairly radical changes to higher education policy. It is 바카라사이트refore likely that his appointment will again see significant policy interventions.

It is still uncertain whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트se will be improving upon his previous changes or focused on new areas entirely. However, 바카라사이트re are two things most universities will see as favourable: it is likely that Augar will fade away and that we¡¯ll see a more welcoming approach to international students.?

Rachel Hewitt is director of policy and advocacy at 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute.