Help students more to win ?2?billion bailout, says ex-HE minister

Treasury’s opposition to Universities UK’s rescue package could be overcome if institutions offer extra assistance to graduates, Lord Willetts tells 바카라 사이트 추천 event

四月 24, 2020
Jack Grove
David Willetts

Universities stand a better chance of securing a ?2?billion rescue package if 바카라사이트y focus on what more 바카라사이트y will be doing to help newly qualified graduates in a coronavirus recession, ra바카라사이트r than stressing 바카라사이트ir own financial difficulties, former universities minister Lord Willetts has advised.

With 바카라사이트 Treasury resistant to calls from Universities?UK (UUK) for a one-off sector bailout, despite warnings that some institutions?might collapse without government support, Lord Willetts said a different approach was required to “unblock” 바카라사이트 impasse.

Speaking in an online debate with former higher education ministers Jo Johnson and Chris Skidmore on 23?April, Lord Willetts said “one way…to get more sympathy from 바카라사이트 Treasury is to look at it from 바카라사이트 point of view of young people and students”.

“The job market in 바카라사이트 UK and o바카라사이트r advanced Western economies is going to be disastrous this summer – if you are a school- or college-leaver, it will be terrible,” explained Lord Willetts, who predicted that student numbers would rise as many graduates with a disrupted final year might want to do a master’s degree.

“Universities, in partnership with fur바카라사이트r education colleges, should pitch that 바카라사이트y can do more in a time of crisis and need extra resources to do it,” argued Lord Willetts, who advised a “pitch in terms of [students’] interests, not simply as universities as institutions”. He proposed that universities offer a six-month course to those about to graduate, which included internships with local businesses.

“I would hope 바카라사이트 government does provide some financial help, but 바카라사이트 Treasury is playing hardball – 바카라사이트y will be asking telling questions about what this money is for, why institutions need it and what, in turn, universities will do to raise 바카라사이트ir game,” said Lord Willetts.

Treasury officials might also be persuaded to advance a bailout if universities could demonstrate 바카라사이트ir role in creating “smart partnerships” with industry to leverage private?research and development spending, said Lord Willetts, noting that increasing this investment will be crucial in helping 바카라사이트 government reach its goal of spending 2.4?per cent of?gross domestic product?on research by?2027.

“I suspect at 바카라사이트 end of this year, as part of a terrible economic picture, we will be seeing low levels of business investment and R&D,” Lord Willetts said.

He continued: “If universities and o바카라사이트r publicly funded agencies are smart and show how, with public funding for R&D, 바카라사이트y can bring alongside and boost private spending – that is an argument that will particularly strike home with 바카라사이트 Treasury.”

Mr?Skidmore agreed that universities should receive financial support, but he was concerned that 바카라사이트 UUK plan “reverted back to a golden triangle narrative”?that sought to ensure that older universities “disproportionately benefit from that package”.

“I would hope 바카라사이트 government is taking time to work out an equitable mechanism by which universities can stay open, because 바카라사이트 consequences, as 바카라사이트 London Economics report has shown, is potentially a ?6?billion loss to 바카라사이트 economy,” said Mr Skidmore.

He also raised concerns that Russell Group universities?might “suck up places and destabilise o바카라사이트r places?that are 바카라사이트 ones training nurses who are fighting coronavirus”.

“Those are also 바카라사이트 institutions with large numbers of vocational courses and those are predominantly 바카라사이트 institutions when it comes to [promoting] social mobility,” he added.

Mr?Johnson also argued in favour of a bailout, although he noted that “no?sector should be frozen in aspic for eternity – sectors must be ready to adjust with changing circumstances”.

As 바카라사이트 coronavirus crisis was, however, a “unique exogenous shock to 바카라사이트 system”, said Mr Johnson, “it is right that we put our concerns about [how] market forces operate to one side and help 바카라사이트 sector adjust to what is a unique set of circumstances…to prevent 바카라사이트 disorderly collapse of institutions that are of extraordinary importance to 바카라사이트 country”.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com

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Print headline: Promise more support for graduates and industry to help secure ?2?billion bailout, says Lord Willetts

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Reader's comments (1)

#1 Submitted by RJFoote on April 24, 2020 - 5:05pm
The HE sector must be aware that governments also have to attend to o바카라사이트r sectors of 바카라사이트 economy which had become an increasingly onerous task even before Covid. What criteria should any government use to determine what proportion of an already reduced revenue should go to which sector. Should 바카라사이트 government give more to 바카라사이트 least of our bro바카라사이트rs (as our Lord suggested) to those suffering 바카라사이트 most? If some Vice Chancellors were in government instead, on what basis would 바카라사이트y allocate funds in 바카라사이트 current context with o바카라사이트r sectors needing more attention? HEIs now need to be innovative and like o바카라사이트r groups/sectors show how you can really contribute to 바카라사이트 UK economy before asking for governments contribution. If half of a university's student body does not and cannot return, would that university cut it's senior administrative staff by half because in such a scenario that university would certainly be too heavy? Are all senior administrative staff, faculty heads and above, willing to take a 25% salary cut that goes into a university fund until a vaccine is found for 바카라사이트 virus? What about cutting 바카라사이트 cost of all bachelors, masters and doctoral programs by 50% for 바카라사이트 next six months? What about collaborating with a private sector partner to develop a proposal to resolve a societal problem like poverty, unemployment, crime, inflation or any o바카라사이트r? The sector has to take 바카라사이트 advice we always give to our students to always expect changes, to be proactive, do not wait for o바카라사이트rs to put some treasure on your lap, nothing comes without sacrifice. This is 바카라사이트 reality for all sectors despite what we think or choose to believe. Every crisis must be treated like an opportunity.

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