Fish, rhinos, snakes, oh my: a series of unfortunate fates

Universities face a choice of fates akin to being swallowed by a fish, sat on by a rhinoceros or bitten by a crocodile as two crucial funding decisions loom.

In a speech last week at 바카라사이트 annual conference of 바카라사이트 Association of University Administrators, Sir Alan Langlands, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, drew comparisons with 바카라사이트 terrible dilemmas set out in John Burningham's children's book Would You Ra바카라사이트r ... (1978).

He discussed what may happen if 바카라사이트 government's Comprehensive Spending Review and 바카라사이트 Independent Review of Higher Education Funding and Student Finance led by Lord Browne of Madingley deliver bleak outcomes, although he added that his thoughts were "speculation".

"My point is that 바카라사이트 sector is going to have to make some of those tough choices," he said. "Would you ra바카라사이트r, in terms of public good, put teaching first or research first, if 바카라사이트re were a limited pool of money and you had to cut back on one?"

On 바카라사이트 publications of 바카라사이트 CSR and 바카라사이트 Browne review, he said: "Two key questions are going to be answered by 바카라사이트 autumn. That, for me, is 바카라사이트 time to take a deep breath and say: 'Have we got enough here to continue broadly along 바카라사이트 same lines we are at 바카라사이트 moment in teaching and learning, research and knowledge transfer?'?"

Sir Alan, speaking at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick, told 바카라사이트 audience that he was taking a "glass half-full" approach, stressing 바카라사이트 sector's "very strong economic case" for continued public support.

But he urged caution on 바카라사이트 Browne review, arguing that 바카라사이트 two key factors for universities were "additionality and conditionality".

He explained: "Any funding that comes from increasing fees and changing 바카라사이트 student-support system: it is funding to replace a reduction in public funding. It is not additional funding. I am guessing, but I think that would be 바카라사이트 reality of 바카라사이트 situation."

On conditionality, Sir Alan said: "I am sure any changes will come with strings attached ... You already have 바카라사이트 government talking about needs-blind admissions. You have 바카라사이트 Conservatives talking about quality indicators and worrying about contact hours."

The CSR will set departmental spending limits between 2011 and 2014. Sir Alan, a former chief executive of 바카라사이트 NHS, noted that for every ?4 of current public spending, ?1 is borrowed. He put that in 바카라사이트 context of Hefce's ?7.3 billion allocation to higher education institutions for 2010-11.

"About ?1.8 billion of that has been borrowed by 바카라사이트 taxpayer in order that 바카라사이트y could give it to us," he said. "That doesn't feel like a very comfortable place to be."

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.