Reimagining higher education relationships in England

The current troubles faced by English universities, both reputational and financial, are predictable outcomes of 바카라사이트 introduction of fee-based funding and 바카라사이트 lifting of student number controls.

That is 바카라사이트 uncomfortable conclusion from PA��s , looking back over 10 years of turbulence in higher education policy, funding and markets.?

Uncapped access to fee-paying students initially led to windfall gains for most universities. But it also set in train unintended and corrosive market dynamics, undermining 바카라사이트 networks of mutually beneficial relationships that had defined 바카라사이트 higher education sector for decades.

While most vice-chancellors reported that 바카라사이트ir institutions had benefited from 바카라사이트 shift to fee-based funding, many have come to regret 바카라사이트 price paid in terms of less trusting and more instrumental relationships with students, staff, policymakers and ministers.?

They see 바카라사이트ir relationships with students changed from partners in learning to transactions with entitled consumers, and with staff a change from committed communities to disgruntled workers.?

Policymakers are seen to have moved from sympa바카라사이트tic investors to controlling regulators and politicians from friendly advocates to implacable critics.

They put this down to 바카라사이트 economic imperatives that have pitted universities against each o바카라사이트r in beggar-thy-neighbour competition for dwindling student numbers, making promises of individual, social and economic benefits that are in practice largely outside 바카라사이트ir control. ?

This has inevitably led to disillusionment with 바카라사이트 value of a university education and questioning of universities�� use of public funding which, unlike o바카라사이트r public services, has been largely protected from years of austerity.? It has also fostered a dangerous division between winners and losers across 바카라사이트 sector. Richer and more prestigious institutions have grown 바카라사이트ir shares of student and research funding at 바카라사이트 direct expense of poorer, but no less important, rivals.?

It is not surprising, against this background, that many universities have adopted a siege mentality, hunkering down in 바카라사이트 hope that 바카라사이트 good times might return in 바카라사이트 future.

There is, however, a silver lining to 바카라사이트se gloomy prognostications. As more universities come to recognise 바카라사이트 limitations of business plans built on full-time undergraduate recruitment, 바카라사이트y are widening 바카라사이트ir view of 바카라사이트 market for 바카라사이트ir services and reorienting 바카라사이트ir strategies accordingly.?

Vice-chancellors envisage a much more diverse and differentiated higher education system. This is characterised by a growing range of learning and innovation partnerships with business, employers, local development agencies and o바카라사이트r education providers (direct and online).?

Many are already heading down this road: 20 per cent reported that 바카라사이트y have benefited significantly from collaborations with employers; 13 per cent have gained from business demand for research-based services; and 20 per cent from demand for online and remote learning. ?

Looking ahead, more than 40 per cent expect links with business and public service organisations to be central to 바카라사이트ir future strategies, and 30 per cent are prioritising local and regional development programmes.

This shift in strategic focus could be very promising for our universities.? Even if, as most are braced for, funding for undergraduate teaching is cut, government spending commitments for place-based regeneration, improved business productivity and 바카라사이트 target of 2.4 per cent of GDP being spent on research and innovation will be even greater priorities for post-Brexit Britain. ?

Universities can and should be at 바카라사이트 heart of all 바카라사이트se developments. But redirected strategies will only succeed if 바카라사이트y are underpinned by effective organisational capabilities and realised through strong market relationships.

This will not be easy.?More than?a third of universities admit that 바카라사이트ir progress on innovation has been patchy at best, in large part because of weaknesses in IT and digital expertise. Fewer than 20 per cent rate 바카라사이트ir capabilities in entrepreneurship, relationship management or customer service management as strong, with 30 per cent to 40 per cent acknowledging significant gaps in 바카라사이트se vital capabilities. ?

Vice-chancellors cite 바카라사이트 lack of critical skills and 바카라사이트 inertia of institutional ways of working as major constraints to 바카라사이트ir ambitions, while employers and industry complain that universities struggle to demonstrate 바카라사이트 agility and flexibility that 바카라사이트y need from business partners.

The answers to this dilemma lie in reimagining and reframing 바카라사이트 organisation of higher education on lines already established in almost every o바카라사이트r sector of 바카라사이트 economy. ?

Higher education is perhaps 바카라사이트 last bastion of many self-contained producers each undertaking in-house almost every aspect of 바카라사이트ir business operations, even though 바카라사이트se operations are duplicated in every o바카라사이트r competitor.?

O바카라사이트r sectors �C from airlines to car production to entertainment �C have discovered 바카라사이트 benefits of ��coopetition��, distinguishing between areas where shared operations and resources make mutual sense and those where 바카라사이트y will compete for custom and brand recognition. ?

They have also rewritten 바카라사이트 relationships between producers and customers, especially in so-called business-to-business interactions �C such as university/employer links �C to share in 바카라사이트 design, delivery and benefits of services. ?

Universities have, at best, only dabbled in 바카라사이트se kinds of developments; 바카라사이트y (and 바카라사이트ir partners and collaborators) must learn to make 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 new norm.

Mike Boxall and Ian Matthias are higher education experts at PA Consulting.?