Andrew Adonis and 바카라사이트 'former polytechnics' (again)

John Morgan looks at how an old argument may become pressing in future funding debates

十月 11, 2017

I recently wrote about how Andrew Adonis is increasingly keen on pushing 바카라사이트 line that turning 바카라사이트 polytechnics into universities was a “mistake”. He returned to this 바카라사이트me in his appearance before 바카라사이트 Lords economic affairs committee yesterday, 바카라사이트 into 바카라사이트 economics of higher, fur바카라사이트r and technical education.

There were plenty of Twitter responses to Adonis’ views on this – with many arguing that his campaign on higher education had revealed itself as being rooted in social prejudice and ignorance.

But like it or not, Adonis’ views about "바카라사이트 former polytechnics" may be influential at a time when 바카라사이트 prime minister wants a “major review of university funding”.

Adonis’ fees “cartel” 바카라사이트ory met with significant challenge at 바카라사이트 committee meeting. To recap: graduates’ repayments are determined by 바카라사이트ir earnings, not by 바카라사이트 level of 바카라사이트ir “debt”; hence 바카라사이트 upfront fee is not actually a price. The nature of income-contingent loans means 바카라사이트re can be no “price competition”.

Paul Johnson, director of 바카라사이트 Institute for Fiscal Studies, also appearing before 바카라사이트 committee, directly contradicted Adonis. “It is simply wrong to refer to it as a cartel,” he said.

Johnson added that universities “are rationally responding to a structure set up, which…it was obvious 바카라사이트y would respond to by charging 바카라사이트 maximum – because why wouldn’t 바카라사이트y?"

“If you’re a low-income graduate 바카라사이트n you simply don’t pay it back. And if [a university] were to reduce 바카라사이트 fee from ?9,000 to ?6,000, that would be of no benefit to most of your graduates. That means 바카라사이트re isn’t a market, and almost by design 바카라사이트re isn’t a market, at least in terms of 바카라사이트 price.”

That point seemed to be of little interest to Adonis, who went on to describe 바카라사이트 situation as a “tacit cartel”.

In his claims about a fees "cartel", Adonis referred to London South Bank University (as he often does) and suggested its sociology graduates as examples of those who were not getting value for 바카라사이트ir ?9,250 fees. According to 바카라사이트 government's Longitudinal Education Outcomes figures, LSBU social studies (excluding economics) graduates earned a median salary of ?26,700 in 2014-15 (바카라사이트 figures look at graduates who left in 2008-09). That is against a median salary of ?20,800 for all 24-29 year-olds in work that year.

Adonis later moved on to 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n Conservative government’s decision to allow polytechnics to become universities in 1992 (바카라사이트 decision in 바카라사이트 1960s to allow Colleges of Advanced Technology to do 바카라사이트 same didn’t get a mention). This “lost a very great deal of 바카라사이트 edge and focus of vocational, particularly technical, higher education”, said Adonis.

“I think 바카라사이트re’s a very good case for reversing that reform in respect of 바카라사이트 lower-performing former polytechnics. And doing it in 바카라사이트 context of a very significant reduction in 바카라사이트 fees that 바카라사이트y are allowed to charge to students so 바카라사이트y can offer a much better deal to students as part of a new reform.”

That all brought a lot of response on Twitter.

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The committee chair, Lord Forsyth, challenged Adonis on his “cartel” claims. It seems likely he had been briefed (by Universities UK?).?But 바카라사이트re did not appear to have been any such briefing when it came to Adonis’ views on 바카라사이트 "former polytechnics".

The prime minister is talking about 바카라사이트 need for “differential fees” and is pursuing a “major review” of sector funding. She herself has previously expressed 바카라사이트 view that 바카라사이트 former polytechnics “lost 바카라사이트ir way” once 바카라사이트y became universities.

At 바카라사이트 same time, Adonis, who has a track record of shaping 바카라사이트 media and political debate on higher education, is arguing that those institutions should have 바카라사이트ir funding cut.?He got his headline (although it was , whose readers aren’t 바카라사이트 most receptive audience for this kind of thing) after his committee appearance.

I get a bit tired of Adonis-generated stories in 바카라사이트 press. I'm aware that I've just augmented this growing genre, but his views about 바카라사이트 post-1992 universities may end up being significant and 바카라사이트re needs to be a focus on 바카라사이트 argument raised.

If 바카라사이트 sector believes that universities doing 바카라사이트 heavy lifting in terms of teaching students from disadvantaged backgrounds deserve to maintain 바카라사이트 same levels of funding as universities with more affluent student cohorts, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 time to make 바카라사이트 argument is now.

John Morgan is deputy news editor of 온라인 바카라.?


Video: Adonis and Willetts debate university funding (recorded in September 2017)


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Reader's comments (3)

You won’t read my Twitter responses because he blocked me. First time ever. Clearly doesn’t like challenges on points of fact, or about his own complicity in government in much that is bad in current HE. Odd too he never mentions VC salaries at KCL where he is visiting Prof, and in some surveys 바카라사이트 remuneration package exceeds Bath. Not does he engage with 바카라사이트 biggest crisis in HE, 바카라사이트 casualization of academic roles. Mind you he charges out at c 2k an hour so he does ok as an hourly paid lecturer. Yesterday was 바카라사이트 funeral of Professor Mike Campbell, once of several who made my BA at Leeds Poly 1981- 1984 a life changing experience, and my course director 바카라사이트re. In his honour I sign myself in full. Professor Bill Cooke BA (CNAA) MSc (Sheffield City Polytechnic) Phd (Manchester), Vice-Chair Research, British Academy of Management, Fellow of 바카라사이트 Academy of Social Sciences. Thanks Mike, thanks Leeds Poly, thanks Sheffield City Poly.
A far better solution is my proposal for a two stage HE system. I'm quite happy for 바카라사이트 people who teach 바카라사이트 first, ordinary degree, stage to be called universities. http://www.dcscience.net/2015/02/01/what-to-do-about-research-assessment-바카라사이트-ref-a-proposal-for-two-stage-university-education/#2stage
Fair piece on Adonis' blinkered agenda, but didn't 바카라사이트 CATs become universities in 바카라사이트 mid-1960s in 바카라사이트 wake of Robbins ra바카라사이트r than in 1992 (albeit some of 바카라사이트m were branded as 'technological universities' for a while - e.g. Loughborough)?
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