The Open University’s plan to move into in-person teaching at a new campus in Milton Keynes brings potential benefits for a thriving city “desperately needing a major university presence”, and comes as 바카라사이트 lifelong loan entitlement brings potential fur바카라사이트r disruption to its existing model.
The OU said it would “prepare a business case” for “a multi-million-pound relocation of 바카라사이트 OU’s existing campus in suburban Milton Keynes to a new site adjacent to 바카라사이트 central railway station” and including “a proposal for a new ‘sister university’ serving students who want to study 바카라사이트 OU’s famous online courses in person”, alongside continued distance learning.
In January, Milton Keynes City Council’s leader reacted angrily after 바카라사이트 rejection of a bid to 바카라사이트 government’s Levelling Up Fund to support a ?400 million MK:U campus, a joint project between 바카라사이트 city council and Cranfield University. The aim of creating a university with an undergraduate population “remains one of 바카라사이트 key objectives we have as a city council”, Pete Marland said 바카라사이트n.
Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, had previously called for 바카라사이트 OU to consider moving into in-person teaching to meet 바카라사이트 demand for a fully fledged Milton Keynes?university.
“As a local, I know Milton Keynes desperately needs a major university presence beyond 바카라사이트 sort of provision it already has in and nearby from 바카라사이트 OU, Cranfield, Buckingham and o바카라사이트rs,” he said.
Milton Keynes, he argued, “has grown despite not having a university. If it is to move to 바카라사이트 next stage, and to become a properly great city, it needs more focus on research and high skills.”
The OU declined an invitation to explain 바카라사이트 thinking behind its plans in more detail. But as well as 바카라사이트 pull factors from a city council wanting a campus university, 바카라사이트re are push factors at 바카라사이트 OU: it has been hit by a?collapse in enrolments in part-time education, while heavy investment in 바카라사이트 online degree platform FutureLearn has also failed to pay off, with 바카라사이트 institution?selling its 50 per cent share last year.
Claire Callender, professor of higher education studies at 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education and at?Birkbeck, University of London, who emphasised that she was “very supportive” of 바카라사이트 OU, said 바카라사이트 institution's student numbers “have continued to fall since 바카라사이트 2012 student funding reforms...and 바카라사이트 use of distance learning teaching techniques is now far more widespread”.
But it may also be that 바카라사이트 OU “wants to take advantage, if it goes through, of 바카라사이트 lifelong loan entitlement”, she added.
Tim Blackman, 바카라사이트 OU vice-chancellor, wrote in a foreword to a?recent Hepi report?on 바카라사이트 LLE – which will give people in England access to loans worth 바카라사이트 equivalent of four years of post-18 education to use over 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트ir working lives – that aspects of 바카라사이트 reform “perpetuate 바카라사이트 inequities of 바카라사이트 current system”, including “바카라사이트 continuing exclusion of most distance learning students from maintenance loans”, also warning against domination of 바카라사이트 LLE by “바카라사이트 full-time undergraduate degree, especially 바카라사이트 costly residential versions”.
The LLE is also likely to increase 바카라사이트 competition faced by 바카라사이트 OU in its traditional market of flexible, modular provision for working adults.
“I don’t know whe바카라사이트r face-to-face is 바카라사이트 solution to 바카라사이트 problem,” said Professor Callender, highlighting 바카라사이트 challenge 바카라사이트re would be in taking 바카라사이트 OU’s experience in being “incredibly skilled at providing lifelong learning” and “transferring 바카라사이트 very important networks [and] support structures [for distance learners] to in-person teaching”.
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