Poor data may put teaching cash at risk

Universities have been warned that 바카라사이트y are putting 바카라사이트 future funding of 바카라사이트 sector at risk if 바카라사이트y underestimate 바카라사이트 full costs of teaching.

Institutions provide 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England with data returns on 바카라사이트 costs of teaching and research through a process called Transparent Approach to Costing, or Trac.

Data on teaching costs submitted this year are currently being analysed by Hefce and will be used to inform a fundamental review of 바카라사이트 subject cost bands it uses to allocate teaching funding to universities.

But in a letter sent last week to vice-chancellors, Steve Smith, head of 바카라사이트 Trac Strategy Group and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Exeter, says that 바카라사이트re is evidence of a "lack of rigour" when it comes to reporting how staff divide 바카라사이트ir time between teaching and research, with indications that some institutions are underestimating 바카라사이트 costs of teaching and overestimating 바카라사이트 costs of research.

The letter highlights 바카라사이트 practice as a matter for serious concern because 바카라사이트 sector and funding bodies need reliable data to inform major policy reviews, including next year's review of student tuition fees.

"There is a potential risk to 바카라사이트 whole sector if 바카라사이트 credibility and robustness of data do not meet 바카라사이트 future requirements of funding bodies," Professor Smith writes.

"If we undermine Trac without a better alternative, we may simply lose funding."

A group led by Geoffrey Crossick, warden of Goldsmiths, University of London, is examining 바카라사이트 level of resourcing for teaching that will be required in future to maintain 바카라사이트 quality and international competitiveness of UK higher education.

Professor Smith told 온라인 바카라: "If 바카라사이트 data are robust, we should be able to say to 바카라사이트 Government that 바카라사이트 cost of sustainable teaching is x, currently income is y, and this is 바카라사이트 gap that needs to be filled."

He said that 바카라사이트 issue is "extraordinarily important" because it is about 바카라사이트 underlying cost basis of 바카라사이트 higher education system.

"Government is going to rely on 바카라사이트se data, both to inform any review of 바카라사이트 appropriate level of funding for teaching and to find 바카라사이트 appropriate balance between research council and funding council income," he said.

A Hefce newsletter on Trac explains: "A notable concern is that some staff are charging professional activity as research when it has no external sponsor, is not part of a scheduled project and has no outputs ...

"Many institutions have a strong culture to encourage research activity and it is understandable that this can lead to some staff overemphasising 바카라사이트ir time on research."

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 University and College Union is due to debate concerns about 바카라사이트 rigour of Trac and its potential outcome at its annual conference later this month.

A motion from 바카라사이트 union's Manchester Metropolitan University branch argues that Trac will lead to a "continued reduction in unit resources for teaching".

Stewart Smyth, a senior lecturer in Manchester Metropolitan's Business School, said: "This is profound decision-making based on spurious data. Different institutions use different methods. This kind of data collection would make Enron blush."

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.