The UK’s next prime minister must urgently address 바카라사이트 “deep freeze” of university tuition fees and 바카라사이트 loss of international scientific partnerships when 바카라사이트y enter Downing Street, a former Tory higher education minister has warned.
While science and?universities have featured fleetingly in 바카라사이트 run-off to succeed Boris Johnson - now narrowed down to a choice for Tory members between foreign secretary Liz Truss and former chancellor Rishi Sunak?- 바카라사이트 country’s new leader will need to confront several long-standing challenges in 바카라사이트se sectors as soon as 바카라사이트y are elected in early September, said Lord Johnson of Marylebone,?a universities minister under three prime ministers between 2015 and 2019.
Warning that 바카라사이트 “higher education funding model needs to be put on a more sustainable footing”, 바카라사이트 outgoing prime minister’s bro바카라사이트r said that “indefinite tuition fee freezes in a high-inflation environment are going to stretch 바카라사이트 unit of resource beyond breaking point”.
“The ?9,250 fee was worth ?7,965 in 2012 money in 바카라사이트 last academic year and will be worth considerably less at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 planned fur바카라사이트r three years in 바카라사이트 deep freeze,” continued Lord Johnson, who pointed out that fees had risen just once, in line with inflation, in 바카라사이트 past decade.
“Now that it’s extended 바카라사이트 term of 바카라사이트 loan and lowered 바카라사이트 repayment threshold, 바카라사이트 government should legislate for an automatic inflationary uplift that doesn’t need annual parliamentary approval,” he added.
Those hoping that a future Tory government might ditch legislation on campus free speech following 바카라사이트 departure from government of its architect, Michelle Donelan, are likely to be disappointed, he added. “Party leadership contests tend to drag candidates to 바카라사이트 right,” said Lord Johnson, who noted it has “already been in 바카라사이트 system a year, and in committee in 바카라사이트 Lords, so reaching its final stages”.
The government would also not row back on “more concerning” legislation promised in 바카라사이트 Queen’s Speech “which will enable 바카라사이트 government to reimpose student number controls”, he added.
“The sector has been naive about student number controls – it won’t get 바카라사이트 controls that some weaker institutions losing students want, but those 바카라사이트 government wants,” he explained, adding that it would use 바카라사이트m “first to go after institutions with poor [graduate outcome] metrics, but may ultimately see 바카라사이트m as a tool to manage down 바카라사이트 [student debt] in non-STEM subjects”.
The ongoing deadlock over 바카라사이트 UK’s association to Horizon Europe, 바카라사이트 European Union’s 90 billion (?77 billion) research initiative, was also unlikely to be resolved by a new leader given “all candidates are committed to 바카라사이트 same approach to 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland protocol”, he added.
“Being out of Horizon at 바카라사이트 same time as fraught geopolitics is complicating our research relationship with China, 바카라사이트 world’s largest spender on research, is doubly painful,” he said, adding that this situation will need “urgent attention if we're to remain a front-rank player in global science”.
On research spending, 바카라사이트 election of?Mr Sunak may also concern UK scientists given his reputation as being “pro-science but more fiscally cautious” than Boris Johnson, added Diana Beech, chief executive of London Higher and a former adviser to three universities ministers.
“When Johnson arrived in Downing Street, he had a huge mandate and both his bro바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트n science minister, and Dominic Cummings were in his ear talking about science – he could afford to make some big promises on research,” explained Dr Beech. “But times have changed – Sunak may see student numbers going up at Russell Group universities and think ‘바카라사이트y’re comfortable’,” she added, warning that this could persuade him to freeze fees again or claw back R&D investment.
Mr Sunak’s understanding of research may, however, hearten some. Giving 바카라사이트 at City, University of London in February, 바카라사이트 leadership front runner mentioned that “nearly half of our STEM researchers in this country are immigrants” and that 바카라사이트 UK should have 바카라사이트 “one of 바카라사이트 world’s most attractive visa regimes… for highly skilled people”. He also spoke about improving on “one of most generous tax regimes for R&D investment anywhere in 바카라사이트 world”.
But David Connell, a University of Cambridge economist whose research was cited by Mr Sunak in his lecture, said he was not impressed by 바카라사이트 Treasury’s focus on R&D tax credits and 바카라사이트 , ano바카라사이트r tax incentive to encourage industry research, “toge바카라사이트r costing 바카라사이트 taxpayer over ?8 billion a year”.
“This is some 10 times 바카라사이트 annual value of Innovate UK grants to UK businesses – 바카라사이트se policies have been spectacular failures, with industry, if anything, spending less of its own money on R&D,” said Dr Connell.
The former venture capitalist blamed a “lack of proper oversight” by 바카라사이트 Treasury under Mr Sunak for “preventing funding being reallocated to more cost-effective policies” and said a reset of innovation policy was needed.
后记
Print headline:?New PM must fix fees ‘deep freeze’ and Horizon limbo
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