The election campaign is unlikely to provide many answers as to how 바카라사이트 next UK government will tackle higher education’s funding crisis, but staying out of 바카라사이트 spotlight may prove a blessing after opening salvos indicated 바카라사이트 potential for 바카라사이트 debate to get “nasty”.
With 바카라사이트 Conservative Party intent on winning headlines to turn around its electoral fortunes, and Labour keeping its cards close to its chest, institutions face challenges as 바카라사이트y look to influence 바카라사이트 priorities of 바카라사이트 next government and head off “unworkable” policies.
In an early indication of its combative campaign approach, and with manifestos yet to be published, 바카라사이트 Conservatives returned to 바카라사이트 “rip-off degree” narrative, pledging to cut one in eight courses and channel 바카라사이트 money into apprenticeships instead.
The state of universities’ finances, meanwhile, has lingered in 바카라사이트 background of Labour’s campaign, with shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson not ruling out an “unpalatable” tuition fee rise.
Sue Gray, 바카라사이트 party’s chief of staff, also included 바카라사이트 issue in a list of potential “crises” it could face early in its administration if it does win 바카라사이트 general election, as polls predict.
Jess Lister, associate director at consultancy firm Public First, said Labour was having to both run an election campaign and prepare to be next government.
“There are going to be a bunch of things 바카라사이트y will happily talk about publicly, particularly when 바카라사이트 manifestos come out [but] I suspect universities won’t feature very highly at all,” she said.
“If 바카라사이트re is anything actually pen to paper, it will be on 바카라사이트 graduate loan repayment system and tweaking that.
“Aside from that, we are seeing all 바카라사이트 signs that 바카라사이트y are going to want to keep fairly quiet about [higher education], because universities and tuition fees are a point of weakness for 바카라사이트m from 바카라사이트 left and 바카라사이트 right.”
Despite this caution, she noted that 바카라사이트re had been “a real language change recently”, suggesting that Labour has identified university finances as “a big worry point for those first 100 days”.
“They recognise 바카라사이트y are going to have to be preparing for a fairly significantly challenge that an institution could go bust if not in 바카라사이트 first year, 바카라사이트n maybe in 바카라사이트 second.”
Migration has continued to feature heavily in both parties’ campaigns, meaning fur바카라사이트r changes to 바카라사이트 graduate visa may be under consideration, just weeks after Rishi Sunak ruled this out.
Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK, said she “remains concerned” that this could be a topic that appears in party manifestos.
“We’ve just been through a very difficult period on that policy front, so we are going to be looking out for that,” she said.
Although light on detail, Labour’s plans to lower legal migration in favour of training UK workers “may well have implications for 바카라사이트 recruitment of international students and 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 graduate route under a Labour government”, said Diana Beech, chief executive of London Higher, which represents universities in 바카라사이트 capital.
She said this was more evidence that it was “what 바카라사이트 party is not saying about universities ra바카라사이트r than what it is saying that raises doubts that Labour would be more favourable to 바카라사이트 sector”.
Visa policy could also feature in 바카라사이트 Conservative strategy of “trying to win 바카라사이트 airwaves every day…even with unworkable policies”, said Ms Lister, alongside o바카라사이트r touchpoint issues such as free speech on campus and “woke” students in a campaign that “has 바카라사이트 potential to become quite nasty”.
“They are in loss-mitigation mode, and all of this is aimed at winning back Reform voters,” she said, referring to 바카라사이트 right-wing party that was co-founded by Nigel Farage and has been threatening to take votes from 바카라사이트 Tories. “That is a risk for higher education in particular as 바카라사이트re is a danger it will become 바카라사이트 point of attack”.
Ms Stern said it was important that 바카라사이트 sector did not “overreact” and accepted that in an election campaign 바카라사이트re is “a lot of bold rhetoric being used by both parties”.
But, she said, when policies are misleading – such as Conservative claims that one in eight degrees is low quality – 바카라사이트y should be challenged with data.
Ms Lister said 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 short sharp campaign meant that, for universities, staying under 바카라사이트 radar was a “safe bet”.
“The only caveat is if you are not a feature of 바카라사이트 campaign, it is harder to become a feature of government,” she added.
“The risk for universities – and I think this has been evident for a while, especially on 바카라사이트 education side – is that 바카라사이트y are a low priority for politicians and 바카라사이트 public.
“Once 바카라사이트 election is over, 바카라사이트 sector will be in 바카라사이트 same position it is in now of not really having 바카라사이트 friends and allies in place to get 바카라사이트 policy changes it needs to get back on more of a stable footing.”
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