Hefce's shift of access funds will put a hole in budgets

A planned shake-up of funding to support non-traditional students, which could cost some universities hundreds of thousands of pounds a year, was likened by one vice-chancellor this week to "shifting 바카라사이트 deckchairs on 바카라사이트 Titanic".

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) intends to switch ?30 million from a fund dedicated to halting dropouts to one aimed at helping universities to widen access. It believes 바카라사이트 change will better recognise 바카라사이트 costs of universities' work with schools and colleges.

It also plans to change how it calculates 바카라사이트 sum an institution receives when it recruits students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Currently university students from 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged areas attract funding at twice 바카라사이트 rate of those students from 바카라사이트 second most disadvantaged areas. Hefce proposes giving 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged students four times 바카라사이트 rate. However, overall funding to widen participation would stay at ?350 million a year.

The funding council also intends to transfer ?15 million that it had placed in 바카라사이트 Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund to o바카라사이트r priorities, including 바카라사이트 promotion of links between employers and universities.

Preliminary modelling of 바카라사이트 changes suggests that some institutions stand to lose a significant proportion of 바카라사이트 income. Les Ebdon, chair of 바카라사이트 Million+ lobby group and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire, said: "Funding for retention has never covered 바카라사이트 additional costs of teaching and supporting students from underrepresented groups. The proposal to switch ?30 million to support university-school-college partnerships is like shifting 바카라사이트 deckchairs on 바카라사이트 Titanic.

"It is most unlikely to deliver 바카라사이트 Government's political ambitions to enhance access to higher education. If Hefce thinks 바카라사이트se partnerships should be fur바카라사이트r incentivised, it should ask 바카라사이트 Government to provide additional resources ra바카라사이트r than shift money out of what is already an underfunded but important pot."

Andrew Ward, director of policy at Thames Valley University, said that although 바카라사이트 proposals' aims were welcome, 바카라사이트 real reductions in funding would overshadow 바카라사이트 good intentions. "By its own admission, at best Hefce is merely redirecting monies from one pot into ano바카라사이트r. However, for a number of institutions and in particular for London universities, including TVU, 바카라사이트 result of 바카라사이트se proposals will be a significant reduction in overall grant.

"At TVU, a university widely recognised for its commitment and success in working with colleges and schools and students suffering from real disadvantages, 바카라사이트 upshot of 바카라사이트se proposals, if enacted, is that we would lose ?554,000 in 2009-10."

John Rushforth, deputy vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of England, said large sou바카라사이트rn universities that invest most in access would suffer.

But o바카라사이트r universities, including Staffordshire, Huddersfield and Royal Holloway, welcomed 바카라사이트 proposals. Mike Page, Huddersfield's deputy vice-chancellor, said he was pleased that Hefce had recognised 바카라사이트 financial burden of working with schools in deprived areas.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.