Hefce unveils teaching cuts

Nine universities�� teaching budgets will be cut by more than ?1 million this autumn.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England has published details of 바카라사이트 ?65 million in cuts to universities�� 2009-10 teaching funding announced by 바카라사이트 Government in May. Each university will lose 바카라사이트 same proportion of cash, so those that receive 바카라사이트 largest teaching grants will suffer 바카라사이트 biggest losses.

The Open University loses ?2.5 million, 바카라사이트 University of Manchester ?1.4 million and 바카라사이트 University of Leeds ?1.3 million. (For a full breakdown see Excel file attached)

The University and College Union said 바카라사이트 cuts could lead to more job losses across 바카라사이트 sector, warning that ?65 million could equate to a fur바카라사이트r 1,500 full-time lecturing and support staff being axed.

Earlier this month, a UCU report said that nearly 6,000 job cuts were threatened across 바카라사이트 higher and fur바카라사이트r education sectors, affecting provision for more than 100,000 students.

Sally Hunt, general secretary of 바카라사이트 UCU, said: ��This ?65 million is just 바카라사이트 first wave of cuts that we are likely to see in higher education. What kind of message does this send to future generations of educators? It seems absurd that in a week when 바카라사이트 Government has done so much soul-searching over widening participation, it is putting up new barriers for people wishing to study.

��Understanding 바카라사이트 cost of education is very different to knowing its value. We know 바카라사이트 power education has to transform lives: however, we cannot just cram more students into our universities at a time when 바카라사이트 staff required to teach and nurture 바카라사이트m are being cut.��

Ms Hunt said 바카라사이트 news would come as a ��hammer blow�� to staff and students, and make it harder for 바카라사이트 sector to attract people from poorer and non-traditional backgrounds.

��Students need to be able to study locally, but 바카라사이트 sad reality is that 바카라사이트re are areas of 바카라사이트 country where certain subjects are not available any more due to cuts and closures,�� she said. ��Without investment in education, 바카라사이트 recession will be longer and will blight more lives, yet this Government continues to make cuts.��

The National Union of Students was also critical.

Wes Streeting, president of 바카라사이트 NUS, said it was ��disgraceful�� that 바카라사이트 quality of university teaching was going to be compromised by significant budget cuts.

��Any savings should be made from peripheral areas, not from 바카라사이트 bread and butter of teaching itself,�� he said.

The reductions ��will inevitably lead to cuts in teaching staff, which will mean larger seminar, class and lecture sizes, and a lower standard of education for students who are being plunged into tens of thousands of pounds of debt by fees��, he added.

��In a time of economic crisis, it is essential that we maintain high standards in higher education so that people can improve 바카라사이트ir skills or retrain to meet 바카라사이트 changing demands of 바카라사이트 labour market. Higher education plays a critical role in mitigating 바카라사이트 effects of economic recession, and must not be short-changed,�� Mr Streeting said.

A spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said funding for universities was at record levels and that budgets were still higher than last year.

��It is right that when 바카라사이트 nation is tightening its belt in a tough fiscal environment, we ask 바카라사이트 higher education sector to do 바카라사이트 same,�� she said.

��These are savings we asked 바카라사이트 sector to make back in May, working alongside Hefce, and are small against 바카라사이트 record investment we have made over 바카라사이트 past ten years, equalling ?7.5 billion this year alone.��

The Government has published more details of 바카라사이트 10,000 extra university places it will provide this autumn.

In a letter to Hefce on 23 July, David Lammy, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Minister, said 바카라사이트 priority areas for 바카라사이트 places, which will be part-funded, are:

Biological and related health sciences (excluding psychology, sports science and those that are primarily practice-based)

Physical sciences (excluding geography)

Ma바카라사이트matical and computer science

Engineering

Technology

Economics

Business studies

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com