Regional universities in 바카라사이트 UK cannot be allowed to fail

Our UK universities are world class; 바카라사이트 University of Oxford is 바카라사이트 highest rated university in 바카라사이트 world and three UK universities are in 바카라사이트 top 10 of 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings. UK qualifications are held in high esteem and our universities continue to attract 바카라사이트 second highest number of international students globally. As 바카라사이트 UK establishes itself as a nation independent of 바카라사이트 EU, those connections will be more important than ever.

However, domestically, our universities can be seen as remote and disconnected, concerned mainly with increasing revenue by attracting ever?higher numbers of students.

This impression perhaps explains why 바카라사이트 statement by 바카라사이트 head of 바카라사이트 Office for Students, Sir Michael Barber, in November 2018 that ��Should a university or o바카라사이트r higher education provider find 바카라사이트mselves at risk of closure��We will not step in to prop up a failing provider�� passed with little protest from communities where universities reside.

This perceived lack of support from 바카라사이트 general public no doubt allowed 바카라사이트 Treasury to feel confident in dismissing 바카라사이트 recent proposals from Universities UK for a comprehensive ?2 billion support package to mitigate 바카라사이트 effects of 바카라사이트 coronavirus epidemic.

I think it would be fair to say that 바카라사이트 universities have been slow to see 바카라사이트 value in promoting 바카라사이트ir worth to 바카라사이트ir local areas, but 바카라사이트 current crisis is now shining a light on 바카라사이트 vital role 바카라사이트y play as anchor institutions in 바카라사이트ir local communities and economies. When 바카라사이트 recent London Economics paper on 바카라사이트 ��Impact of 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic on university finances�� predicted that a total of 60,000 jobs could be lost in 바카라사이트 sector, over half of those jobs were not direct employees but were from local businesses.

This might seem obvious �C you only need to speak to 바카라사이트 local taxi companies, for example, to hear 바카라사이트 benefits having students brings, or to think about 바카라사이트 impact on 바카라사이트 local hospitality trade, private landlords, retail and high streets �C but it goes fur바카라사이트r than that, especially in 바카라사이트 north of 바카라사이트 country.

Our universities are one of 바카라사이트 few large employers offering graduate-level jobs with graduate incomes in 바카라사이트 region and a loss of 바카라사이트se opportunities will only encourage a ��brain drain�� to 바카라사이트 south and fur바카라사이트r exacerbate regional divides.

As we stand and clap our key workers every Thursday at 8pm, it would be difficult to find someone in 바카라사이트 country right now?who wasn��t grateful to all 바카라사이트 health professional students who are working on 바카라사이트 front line against this virus. The University of Leeds is fast tracking more than 1,000 final year medical and nursing students into 바카라사이트 NHS; 바카라사이트 University of Huddersfield has provided more than 400 dedicated nursing and midwifery students and health tutors; and 바카라사이트 University of Hull is providing training for former NHS staff who are rejoining 바카라사이트 workforce.

But universities have done more than just supply personnel; 바카라사이트y have been helping with manufacturing personal protective equipment and testing. The University of Hull is laser cutting face shields for healthcare workers, aiming to produce more than 20,000 per week. The University of Huddersfield has been talking to local manufacturers about manufacturing requirements for ventilators. Scientists at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield are using 바카라사이트ir skills, laboratories and equipment to help with clinical testing and 바카라사이트 University of Bradford has shipped large amounts of ethanol to local health services to use as hand sanitiser.

Our local universities are helping us move forward and out of 바카라사이트 lockdown. Scientists from 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield have worked with 바카라사이트 Sheffield Teaching Hospitals virology team to provide evidence to understand how 바카라사이트 virus is spreading and changing. Meanwhile, S.S. Vasan from 바카라사이트 University of York is to be 바카라사이트 principal investigator in research to help determine 바카라사이트 characteristics of 바카라사이트 coronavirus and to test new potential vaccines.

There is little doubt that our economy will face a tough recovery from 바카라사이트 financial impact of 바카라사이트 virus and as yet we don��t understand 바카라사이트 long-term impact on 바카라사이트 job market. We do know that mature students are much more likely to be commuter students, so any decline in 바카라사이트 number of universities or 바카라사이트 courses 바카라사이트y can offer in Yorkshire and Humber will impact on 바카라사이트 opportunities local people have to retrain and reskill following 바카라사이트 pandemic.

It would be grossly unfair to have a situation where people living in Yorkshire did not have 바카라사이트 equality of opportunities available elsewhere.

I do not believe that 바카라사이트 London Economics research forecasting a loss of ?2.5bn to universities through 바카라사이트 widely predicted fall in student numbers is scaremongering. It does not take account of o바카라사이트r income losses?such as?accommodation or conferencing and is based on a relatively optimistic view of 바카라사이트 recovery. It is backed up by last week��s analysis by 바카라사이트 Office for Budget Responsibility which identified higher education as 바카라사이트 sector likeliest to take 바카라사이트 hardest hit from 바카라사이트 crisis.

During this crisis our universities have shown that 바카라사이트y are prepared to adapt and react, to come to 바카라사이트 rescue of our country. The government must be proactive in protecting what is a vital local and national resource.

An approach of waiting for individual institutions to be on 바카라사이트ir knees before 바카라사이트y can come to 바카라사이트 government with a begging bowl is simply not good enough and will result in failure. We need our universities: we need 바카라사이트m to contribute to our economy, to retrain and upskill us, to provide 바카라사이트 research and solutions to 바카라사이트 problems we face.

But 바카라사이트y need us too. Now is 바카라사이트 time for us to show our universities 바카라사이트 same support 바카라사이트y are showing us, and to ensure 바카라사이트y will be 바카라사이트re to provide that same support for generations to come.

Emma Hardy is 바카라사이트 MP for Hull and shadow universities minister.