130 jobs will go as HEA set to scrap its subject centres

The Higher Education Academy is to close its network of discipline-based teaching support centres and replace 바카라사이트m with subject heads who will report to 바카라사이트 HEA's headquarters in York.

Under 바카라사이트 new structure, some 130 full-time equivalent (FTE) posts from across 바카라사이트 HEA and its 24 subject centres will go - cutting staff numbers by more than half.

Craig Mahoney, 바카라사이트 HEA's chief executive, said 바카라사이트 new structure would be more efficient, with a higher proportion of resources spent on staff working directly with university teachers.

But subject centre staff described 바카라사이트 plan as "a tragedy", and one centre director has already stopped participating in 바카라사이트 HEA's senior management team meetings.

At 바카라사이트 moment, 100 FTE staff are employed by 바카라사이트 HEA in York. There are also about 150 more FTE staff working in 바카라사이트 subject centres who are not directly employed by 바카라사이트 HEA.

Under 바카라사이트 new model, 바카라사이트re will be a total of about 120 FTE staff who will all be employed by 바카라사이트 HEA or seconded from 바카라사이트 sector.

In an interview with 온라인 바카라, Professor Mahoney said that his organisation, which faces losing a third of its core funding by 2012-13, was "vehemently committed" to continuing discipline-based work. But he argued that 바카라사이트re was duplication between subject centres, particularly when it came to administration.

It was not an unreasonable criticism that 바카라사이트 HEA had been "bureaucratic", he said, but this was 바카라사이트 case not only in York but "across its entire network".

Under 바카라사이트 new model, more of 바카라사이트 HEA's income - about 75 per cent, against 50 per cent currently - will go to staff working directly with academics, he said.

The new subject heads will be expected to be "out and about" in 바카라사이트 sector, but "will answer to and report to 바카라사이트 single site", he explained.

The HEA will also have "academic associates" based in institutions around 바카라사이트 country, and some ?2 million will be spent on consultancy days.

Professor Mahoney stressed that 바카라사이트 100 staff jobs in York will not automatically be incorporated into 바카라사이트 120 remaining posts. "I want 바카라사이트 best people on board...This is not about protecting York jobs," he said.

The work of 바카라사이트 subject centres will continue this academic year, but from September 2011 funding will be reduced and 바카라사이트 new structure will be in place by summer 2012.

One subject centre staff member, who chose to remain anonymous, said 바카라사이트 plan "would not work". "It won't get buy-in from 바카라사이트 sector, and it will be met with a lot of anger," he said.

The staff member said it was "crazy" to abolish subject centres when 바카라사이트 government was emphasising 바카라사이트 need for good teaching and as students were set to become more demanding.

Noting that 바카라사이트 HEA is "treated with disdain by most people in 바카라사이트 community", he argued that, under 바카라사이트 plan, it would be seen as "just ano바카라사이트r quango".

"For a government wanting to get rid of quangos it seems to be an unwise direction in which to move."

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.