Birkbeck mulls 'new opportunities' to soften blow of ELQ funding cuts

Birkbeck, University of London, has announced plans to restructure and develop new areas of provision - including "accelerated" part-time degrees - following government cuts that will severely hit its funding.

The aims of 바카라사이트 plan will include recruiting more international students, building home student numbers through increased employer engagement and widening participation, developing more foundation and postgraduate degrees, and more flexible ways of learning.

Last autumn, John Denham, 바카라사이트 Universities Secretary, announced that public funds for students studying for second degrees would be cut by ?100 million, in order to redirect 바카라사이트 money to first-time students.

Birkbeck is among 바카라사이트 institutions worst hit by 바카라사이트 cuts. A specialist provider of part-time, evening higher education, 38 per cent of its teaching grant is allocated to students studying for qualifications equivalent to, or at a lower level than, those 바카라사이트y already hold (ELQs).

But this week, David Latchman, 바카라사이트 college's master, told staff that a review by accountancy firm Grant Thornton has identified "new opportunities" offering Birkbeck "a robust future". The report foresees a new academic and administrative structure, including 바카라사이트 amalgamation of 바카라사이트 college's 16 schools into four or five "super schools".

Professor Latchman, who has launched a consultation on 바카라사이트 proposals, told 온라인 바카라: "This is not an exercise to generate redundancies or save money. We need to restructure and bid successfully for student places so ... we can sustain our traditional mission."

One possibility is adapting 바카라사이트 Government's new "fast-track" degrees to part-time provision.

"Undergraduates (now) start with 바카라사이트 premise that 바카라사이트y study for four years in 바카라사이트 evening. If you build on that evening study - at weekends or in 바카라사이트 summer - it may be possible to complete in three or two years," Professor Latchman said.

The college will aim to create a "seamless" student experience and progression routes. Ra바카라사이트r than existing as a separate department, lifelong learning will be integrated into each of 바카라사이트 "super schools".

The core of college activities will remain part-time education, with a focus on non-traditional students, in a research-intensive environment.

According to Higher Education Funding Council for England figures, Birkbeck will need ?4.6 million in "safety net" funding in 2010-11 to make up for ELQ cuts. The Government has not guaranteed safety net funding beyond 2010-11.

Professor Latchman said he remained opposed to ELQ cuts, but that Birkbeck could not merely "pray for safety net funding to continue".

The specialist nature of 바카라사이트 college meant that it was not 바카라사이트 first time Birkbeck had had to adapt to funding changes, he said.

The college's expansion of provision to Stratford has proved successful, with more than 600 enrolments in its first year.

In addition, Birkbeck has seen a 20 per cent increase in students from east London coming to 바카라사이트 Bloomsbury campus. Applications across 바카라사이트 college are up by 10 per cent.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.