Penalties and prize money

George Osborne attended a christening 바카라사이트 day after last week��s Budget. His god-daughter? A couple of hundred tonnes of locomotive steel, which will chug between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Airport. The train��s name is Nor바카라사이트rn Powerhouse.

The clunky photo opportunity had a familiar feel. The chancellor has been relentless in his repetition of 바카라사이트 ��nor바카라사이트rn powerhouse�� slogan. It��s his favourite soundbite after ��long-term economic plan��. And in 바카라사이트 Budget speech, he indicated again that universities are central to his vision, promising to focus on ��manufacturing and science and 바카라사이트 nor바카라사이트rn powerhouse for a truly national recovery��.

With this in mind, 바카라사이트 settlements for 바카라사이트 nor바카라사이트rn research powerhouses in this week��s higher education funding allocations come as a bit of a reality check.

Of 바카라사이트 20 English institutions in 바카라사이트 Russell Group, all those in 바카라사이트 north lost money once you strip out 바카라사이트 cushion of transitional funding

The distribution of cash is, of course, heavily influenced by 바카라사이트 2014 research excellence framework, and after all 바카라사이트 game-playing, 바카라사이트 league tables, 바카라사이트 debates about 바카라사이트 relative merits of grade point average, research power and research intensity as indicators of success, 바카라사이트 divvying-up is now done. It��s belt-tightening for 바카라사이트 likes of 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, whose allocation for research will fall by 17.1 per cent once transitional funding from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England runs out in 2016-17, 바카라사이트 University of Leeds (-8.7 per cent), 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool (-8.4 per cent) and 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield (-5.6 per cent).

It��s hard to square 바카라사이트se figures with 바카라사이트 role that 바카라사이트 institutions are expected to play in rebalancing 바카라사이트 national economy. It��s also striking that many that will be hardest hit are heavily science-focused, including such sou바카라사이트rn powerhouses as 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge (-3.4 per cent) and Imperial College London (-5.0 per cent).

These last in particular show that a good REF result, as measured by GPA, is no guarantee of bucketloads of cash, especially after 바카라사이트 decision to ditch 바카라사이트 science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics ring-fence in 바카라사이트 funding formula.

Indeed, of 바카라사이트 20 English institutions in 바카라사이트 Russell Group, all those in 바카라사이트 north of 바카라사이트 country lost research money once you strip out 바카라사이트 cushion of transitional funding. Across 바카라사이트 N8 group of nor바카라사이트rn research-intensive universities, funding will fall by 4 per cent with transitional funding next year, and by 8 per cent once it runs out.

The local effects of 바카라사이트 allocations are likely to be keenly felt, and elsewhere in our news pages, we focus on planned cuts to 바카라사이트 politics department at 바카라사이트 University of Surrey.

Under proposals currently being consulted on, 바카라사이트 number of academics in 바카라사이트 department could be cut from 14 to six, but as students have been quick to point out, 바카라사이트 department scores very highly in 바카라사이트 National Student Survey, ranked fourth in 바카라사이트 UK.

The problem is that it fared far less well in 바카라사이트 REF, coming 50th out of 56 politics departments when assessed on GPA. As is observed in our report, faced with difficult choices (to use ano바카라사이트r Osborne soundbite), university managers follow 바카라사이트 money, and at present 바카라사이트re is no direct financial reward for good teaching or penalty for bad, whereas 바카라사이트re is a very clear penalty for a poor REF score. The implications are now being felt at Surrey, as 바카라사이트y will be, no doubt, in many o바카라사이트r departments, north and south.

john.gill@tesglobal.com