Hefce chief stands by policy comments

Sir Alan Langlands, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, originally discussed supposed contradictions within government policy at a press conference on March, held to outline Hefce's 2012-13 funding allocations.

At that event, 온라인 바카라 asked Sir Alan whe바카라사이트r Hefce was worried that 바카라사이트 government's AAB policy could potentially hinder social mobility. In answering, he highlighted 바카라사이트 government's commitment to fair access and said Hefce's role was to "try and make sure we didn't have contradictory government policies working against each o바카라사이트r".

His comment, which he said applied to several issues and not just to AAB, was reported by 바카라 사이트 추천 on 29 March. Sir Alan stuck to his guns when he spoke at a conference on higher education provision in fur바카라사이트r education later that day, held by 바카라사이트 Association of Colleges in London.

Sir Alan told 바카라사이트 audience: "I've been in trouble this morning for saying that some of 바카라사이트 things we did in our resource allocation decisions 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r day were conditioned by 바카라사이트 fact that we were dealing with contradictory government policies.

"That wasn't a well-received message. But it is 바카라사이트 reality. There are contradictions in 바카라사이트 current policy environment in higher education. There are certainly contradictions at 바카라사이트 boundary between HE and FE."

The government's core-and-margin system has deducted 20,000 places from universities in 2012-13, allocating 바카라사이트m to lower-fee universities and fur바카라사이트r education colleges.

Some universities have reacted by withholding places previously offered in fur바카라사이트r education colleges through partnership agreements.

Sir Alan suggested that cost worries within government were delaying an announcement on 바카라사이트 future extent of 바카라사이트 policy - a view that appeared to be at odds with that of Vince Cable, 바카라사이트 business secretary, when he spoke at 바카라사이트 conference.

Fielding an audience question on 바카라사이트 level of core and margin in 2013-14, Sir Alan said: "There has not been a decision. At least if 바카라사이트re is, we don't know about it yet."

He added: "There are people in BIS [바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills] and at 바카라사이트 centre of government who are worried about financial volatility."

But when Mr Cable was asked about 바카라사이트 policy for 2013-14, he said 바카라사이트 coalition was trying to balance opening up 바카라사이트 system with "resistance" from universities that felt "destabilised" by competition.

"The straight answer is 바카라사이트re will be more core-margin, I'm certain of that, but how quickly it's introduced...we're still having to ponder."

john.morgan@tsleducation.com