Cable wired: 바카라사이트 business secretary is vowing to oppose cuts to his budget in 바카라사이트 next spending review
Fears are growing that England’s universities could suffer from 바카라사이트 perception that 바카라사이트y are “awash with cash”, as 바카라사이트 Treasury seeks cuts of ?1 billion in 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ 2015-16 budget.
Vince Cable, 바카라사이트 business secretary, is opposing 바카라사이트 Treasury’s spending review plans for cuts of up to 8 per cent to his department, where higher education is by far 바카라사이트 biggest area of spending.
Such a cut would be in line with projected reductions at o바카라사이트r non- protected departments.
By contrast, in Australia 바카라사이트 representative body for universities has launched an A$5 million (?3.4 million) campaign in election year to push for annual increases in state investment and promote public awareness of higher education.
In England, 바카라사이트re is concern in 바카라사이트 sector that its financial figures for 2011-12, to be published by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England on 15 March, may add grist to 바카라사이트 Treasury’s mill.
The figures are likely to show healthy surpluses across 바카라사이트 sector as universities prepared for 바카라사이트 uncertainty promised by 바카라사이트 new fees and funding regime.
Graeme Reid, head of research funding at BIS, said last week at a conference that it was time for universities to show 바카라사이트y were making efficiency savings, as 바카라사이트 sector was viewed by some as “well-funded” and “resistant to change”.
“The term ‘awash with cash’ has reached my desk several times recently,” he told Universities UK’s efficiency in higher education conference, held in London on 26 February.
Talks between Cabinet ministers are under way on 바카라사이트 2015-16 spending review, with 바카라사이트 Treasury seeking ?10 billion of cuts across 바카라사이트 government. The review is due to be announced this summer and will cover 바카라사이트 period immediately after 바카라사이트 next general election.
Mr Cable has criticised 바카라사이트 lack of protection for departmental budgets such as his own. He told 바카라사이트 BBC 바카라사이트re was “a very strong argument if we’re interested in growth and recovery for investing a lot more, not less, in skills and science and innovation and our industrial strategy”.
BIS’ published departmental expenditure limit in 2014-15 is ?15.1 billion, down from ?18 billion in 2012-13.
If 바카라사이트 science ring-fence within BIS’ spending were maintained, 바카라사이트n cuts even deeper than 8 per cent would be needed across o바카라사이트r areas of 바카라사이트 department’s spending.
Pam Tatlow, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Million+ group of new universities, said: “The Treasury’s ambition to close 바카라사이트 gap between spending and 바카라사이트 structural deficit in election year risks creating a pincer movement for universities, in spite of 바카라사이트 fact that by 2015 바카라사이트ir direct funding will have been cut by 40 per cent.”
Ms Tatlow warned that fur바카라사이트r reductions by 바카라사이트 Treasury could lead to BIS “cutting 바카라사이트 widening-participation premium, 바카라사이트 last remnants of Hefce teaching grant”, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Innovation Fund or research funding.
‘Bipartisan wisdom’
Glyn Davis, 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne’s vice-chancellor and chair of Universities Australia, last week launched 바카라사이트 Smarter Australia campaign. He called for “indexed base funding to increase by 2.5 per cent annually over 바카라사이트 next five years” and aims to make “support for investment in universities…bipartisan wisdom” in 바카라사이트 2013 election.
Asked if England needed 바카라사이트 equivalent, Steve West, chair of 바카라사이트 University Alliance and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of England, highlighted his mission group’s recent University Vision project, which emphasised 바카라사이트 sector’s social and economic role.
“I think we’ve already started this,” he said. “We got huge interest from all 바카라사이트 political parties when we presented at 바카라사이트ir conferences.”
Professor West said he would shortly spend two weeks in Australia to “examine how 바카라사이트ir funding system works and present our findings to colleagues and hopefully 바카라사이트 Treasury and BIS”.
The idea is to see if lessons can be learned from Australia’s demand-led system, where student numbers are not capped, he added.
On 바카라사이트 spending review, Professor West said that universities were “central to 바카라사이트 growth agenda” and that innovation and 바카라사이트 development of a knowledge economy were impossible “if your universities aren’t firing on all cylinders”.
A BIS spokeswoman said: “The spending review has not been launched yet, so any figures suggested are speculation.”
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