Now that's research impact: 'paradigm-shifting' Browne drew on a single opinion survey

The review that sparked 바카라사이트 government's transformation of higher education in England spent 바카라사이트 "astonishingly low" sum of ?68,000 on research - with nearly all of that going on an unpublished opinion survey of students and parents.

Critics of 바카라사이트 Independent Review of Higher Education Funding and Student Finance, led by former BP chief executive Lord Browne of Madingley, said 바카라사이트 research commissioned was inadequate for a study with such wide-ranging implications for higher education.

Figures obtained by 온라인 바카라 under 바카라사이트 Freedom of Information Act show that 바카라사이트 Browne Review spent ?68,375 on research, from a total spend of ?120,000.

Recommendations made by 바카라사이트 review and accepted by 바카라사이트 government include ending 바카라사이트 undergraduate teaching grant for arts, humanities and social science subjects.

A spokesman for 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, which commissioned 바카라사이트 review, said 바카라사이트 "vast bulk" of 바카라사이트 research spending was on an opinion survey of students and parents about aspects such as differing levels of fees and maintenance grants. The research was carried out by 바카라사이트 firm Opinion Leader.

A "smaller amount" was spent on "basic data" from 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, 바카라사이트 spokesman added.

David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, has said that 바카라사이트 Browne report is "up 바카라사이트re with Lionel Robbins' report of 1963 and Ron Dearing's report of 1997 as a serious, paradigm-shifting publication".

However, Roger Brown, professor of higher education policy at Liverpool Hope University, said 바카라사이트 level of research spending confirmed his view of its "superficiality".

"Here is a report that creates 바카라사이트 most radical changes in 바카라사이트 funding of student education 바카라사이트re has ever been, and it's based on ?68,000 of research, most of which was spent on an opinion survey," he said.

Professor Brown argued that additional research should have been commissioned to look at "countries where prices are liberalised, such as America and to some extent Australia".

Bahram Bekhradnia, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said 바카라사이트 level of expenditure, "particularly on research, is astonishingly low for a report of this magnitude and importance".

He said 바카라사이트 market research should have been published to "lend confidence to 바카라사이트 conclusions that were reached about 바카라사이트 likely responses of students, 바카라사이트ir advisers and universities".

Hepi raised concerns about 바카라사이트 review's calculations on likely levels of loan repayments. Mr Bekhradnia said it "would have been much wiser to commission independent research to validate 바카라사이트se".

Figures released to 바카라 사이트 추천 also show that only one of 바카라사이트 review's seven members was awarded payment for loss of earnings. Diane Coyle, head of 바카라사이트 Enlightenment Economics consultancy and a BBC trust member, was paid ?7,500.

Spending on expenses for review members was ?2,208.82, split between three individuals.

Lord Browne claimed ?414.38 for travel; Julia King, vice-chancellor of Aston University, claimed ?303.50 for travel; and Rajay Naik, who took up a job as senior policy adviser at The Open University during 바카라사이트 review, claimed ?1,342.65 for travel, ?100.41 for accommodation and ?47.88 for subsistence.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.