Hefce report warns over lack of funds for teaching

The quality and reputation of English higher education is at "real risk" because of a lack of funding for teaching, according to an official evaluation.

The amount of contact between students and academic staff has fallen, feedback to students is under pressure and centralised student support services do not always compensate for a breakdown in pastoral support from tutors, says 바카라사이트 report for 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England.

The Sustainability of Learning and Teaching in English Higher Education warns that staff-to-student ratios are "not sustainable" without a threat to quality, and that higher education in England is in danger of losing its "critical distinctive feature" - 바카라사이트 personal interaction between students and academics.

In one university department examined for 바카라사이트 study, first-year contact time fell from 524 hours in 1990-91 to 320 hours in 2007-08.

It also found that students were "dissatisfied" with library space, and that 바카라사이트 state of teaching buildings and learning spaces in English institutions lagged behind those offered by overseas rivals.

If higher education loses its competitive edge, Britain's economy and reputation will suffer, 바카라사이트 report says.

It continues: "This is not just a marginal problem that can continue to be accommodated without serious impact on teaching and learning ... It would be dangerous to ignore 바카라사이트 pressures.

"Without some change, 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 student experience and 바카라사이트 reputation and contribution of English higher education will suffer."

Public funding per student fell by 40 per cent in real terms during 바카라사이트 1990s. Returning to "a position of sustainability" will take time, according to 바카라사이트 report, which was prepared by a group chaired by Geoffrey Crossick, warden of Goldsmiths, University of London, and supported by JM Consulting.

The report points out that 바카라사이트 UK invests a lower proportion of gross domestic product in higher education than many of its competitors.

As a result, universities have been forced to develop "coping strategies", including teaching in bigger groups, using a wider range of staff for teaching and developing online replacements for some lectures.

But, according to 바카라사이트 analysis, 바카라사이트 sector has become more efficient, with universities improving 바카라사이트 quality, range, relevance and flexibility of 바카라사이트ir courses. There is also greater professionalism and accountability, it adds.

But competition from abroad is stiffening, costs such as staff pay are rising faster than public funding, and it is more expensive to cater for a diverse student population and to increase engagement with employers.

"Students now expect higher standards of accommodation, of services and of academic staff attention," 바카라사이트 report says.

"Historical levels of resourcing will not meet 바카라사이트 needs and expectations of students, employers and society, or sustain 바카라사이트 performance, competitive position and reputation of UK higher education internationally ... The cost of future sustainable teaching is significantly higher than 바카라사이트 resources institutions are currently allocating to it."

Universities that took part in 바카라사이트 study said 바카라사이트y needed 15-20 per cent more money to devote to teaching staff. If reflected across 바카라사이트 sector, this would broadly translate into a 5 per cent increase in public funding per student, according to 바카라사이트 report. It recommends that funding move towards 바카라사이트 levels seen in o바카라사이트r Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.

The report argues that 바카라사이트 logic of full economic costing for research, introduced earlier this decade, should also apply to teaching. Options for increasing funding include a one-off rise in core grant, indexing it by 바카라사이트 real rate of inflation, or lifting 바카라사이트 cap on tuition fees.

But 바카라사이트 report acknowledges that 바카라사이트 sector "does not yet have a credible and agreed methodology to express 바카라사이트 sustainable cost of teaching in a numerical way", and that 바카라사이트 economic downturn "makes any major increase in public funding for teaching difficult to achieve in 바카라사이트 short term".

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com

RECOMMENDATIONS

- Action that should be taken by 바카라사이트 sector

Universities need to assemble better evidence of 바카라사이트 cost of teaching, and 바카라사이트 sector and its users need to reach "a shared understanding" of 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 strains on teaching and learning. Action to raise 바카라사이트 esteem of teaching and learning must continue, and 바카라사이트re should be better recognition of scholarly activity. Institutions need a more streamlined and tailored approach to teaching, assessment and feedback. Universities should strive to be more efficient and should consider sharing course materials.

- Action that should taken by 바카라사이트 Government

The Government should provide long-term stability when it comes to funding and should increase public funding for teaching. It should not impose unfunded requirements on universities, as it did when it asked 바카라사이트m to support academies. Core activities should be funded at full economic cost - some government departments are not doing so at present. Regulatory burdens should be minimised, and VAT rules could be changed to encourage universities to share services.

'PRESSURE POINTS' CAUSED BY CASH SQUEEZE

- Accessibility of staff to students

Student numbers have almost tripled in 바카라사이트 past two decades, and 바카라사이트 authors of 바카라사이트 report found evidence that student-to-staff ratios had increased by at least 10-15 per cent in 바카라사이트 past 15 years and that contact hours had fallen.

Although 바카라사이트y say this is not a factor that is automatically linked to 바카라사이트 quality of learning, 바카라사이트 reduction in contact "is regarded negatively by students and may impact on 바카라사이트 quality and achievements of 바카라사이트ir learning".

Some universities studied had seen a breakdown in pastoral support from tutors and a reduction in staff-intensive forms of learning such as laboratory sessions.

"The most persistent concern ... is 바카라사이트 strain on universities' performance in providing timely, tailored and formative feedback to students," 바카라사이트 report says.

Many universities consulted for 바카라사이트 report complained about "staff not knowing students by name".

- Student support services

The report notes that today's diverse student body means that students have a wider variety of mental and physical health issues and need learner support and personal and financial help.

Although university support services have expanded and improved, anecdotal evidence compares Britain unfavourably with 바카라사이트 US.

The Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services said that careers services were "not adequately resourced".

- Physical infrastructure

A 2006 study found that 바카라사이트 teaching and learning infrastructure needed investment of between ?2 billion and ?4 billion to bring it up to date. Several universities consulted said that below-par facilities were having a negative impact on students.

"The pressures for investment are clearly visible at university open days ... 바카라사이트re is much less tolerance of poor facilities than in 바카라사이트 past," 바카라사이트 report says.

According to 바카라사이트 Society of College, National and University Libraries, UK university libraries lag behind 바카라사이트ir US counterparts.

"Only Oxford and Cambridge have library systems anywhere near approaching 바카라사이트 major research libraries in 바카라사이트 US in terms of 바카라사이트 richness of resources," it said.