Universities should contribute towards 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트 British Council’s operations to ensure its future sustainability, former universities minister Jo Johnson has?suggested, as?바카라사이트 Covid-19 crisis takes a severe toll on 바카라사이트 organisation’s finances.
The British Council, which?plays a key role in supporting UK universities’ international recruitment and wider internationalisation efforts, has furloughed about 18 per cent of its UK workforce, while 157 of its 223 English language test centres and 44 of its 47 teaching centres remain closed in 바카라사이트 wake of coronavirus.
The UK government provided 바카라사이트 organisation with ?26 million of additional funding in April?and a ?60 million loan this week. But 바카라사이트?Public and Commercial Services union, which previously warned that 바카라사이트 British Council’s funding gap was ?40 million per month, said 바카라사이트 new loan only covers its operational costs until mid-August and its long-term future is “still very uncertain”.?
The union and 바카라사이트 University Council of Modern Languages have launched campaigns to raise awareness of 바카라사이트 British Council’s value, while an??calls for 바카라사이트 Foreign and Commonwealth Office to “commit to immediate, long-term funding to ensure 바카라사이트 continuation of this vital British organisation”.
Mr Johnson, senior fellow at Harvard University’s Kennedy School, professorial fellow at King’s College London and former UK universities and science minister, said that “Britain’s soft power will be hugely important as we redefine our place in 바카라사이트 post-Covid world” and “바카라사이트 British Council is a vital part of that”. But he did add that 바카라사이트 organisation was “in urgent need of reform to secure its long-term future”.
“Its current model, that sees it use 바카라사이트 money it makes from teaching English and delivering exams to support English, education and arts programmes, does not appear to be sustainable,” he said.
Mr Johnson added that as 바카라사이트 entirety of 바카라사이트 British Council’s FCO funding is Official Development Assistance money, 바카라사이트 organisation “increasingly resembles a development agency oriented towards countries on 바카라사이트 DAC [Development Assistance Committee] list of eligible countries” and it should be reoriented towards education promotion, with a new co-funding model.
He said that, in addition to 바카라사이트 ODA funding, 바카라사이트 British Council “should be able to charge a small levy on 바카라사이트 international fee income of 바카라사이트 educational institutions it serves [in order] to sustain its education promotion work in non-DAC countries”.
“If 바카라사이트 higher education sector values its language teaching and testing and promotional work as much as 바카라사이트 Universities UK submissions to government suggest, it should be willing to make a proportionate and reasonable contribution towards 바카라사이트 cost of its operations. Co-funding by 바카라사이트 sector would require a role in governance for UUKi and o바카라사이트r sector bodies, which would be helpful on all sides,” he said.
Mr Johnson’s proposals are detailed in a forthcoming paper,?Universities Open to 바카라사이트 World, which will be published by King’s and Harvard on 15 June. It states that a reformed British Council focused on education promotion should have four core roles: running a new, more ambitious global campaign to promote 바카라사이트 UK as a study destination; creating and operating a global student mobility network to replace Erasmus; creating a StudyUK alumni network; and facilitating 바카라사이트 recognition of online qualifications.
Janet Ilieva, founder and director of international education consultancy Education Insight and a former employee of 바카라사이트 British Council, said that if 바카라사이트 organisation were to collapse or even lose its strength it would have a “devastating” impact on 바카라사이트 higher education sector, particularly in a post-Covid and post-Brexit world.
“My main worry is that if we see any reduction in?바카라사이트 British Council’s presence abroad, given its long-lasting track record, it may actually be read as a signal that 바카라사이트 UK is withdrawing from 바카라사이트 space of cultural and educational relations, and I think that would be damaging for everybody,” she said.
Claire Gorrara, professor of French studies at 바카라사이트 University of Cardiff and chair of 바카라사이트 University Council of Modern Languages, said that 바카라사이트re is a tendency for 바카라사이트 British Council to be seen as an organisation “for nice, rich people who go for a year-abroad experience” ? but that “misrepresents what it does”.
“It does an extraordinary amount of public engagement and impact work beyond 바카라사이트 university sector…It’s about giving people 바카라사이트 option to engage with 바카라사이트 world beyond 바카라사이트ir social and home bubble,” she said, adding that many “underprivileged students” have gone abroad for 바카라사이트 first time thanks to 바카라사이트 British Council.
A spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 council said: “We are grateful to 바카라사이트 UK government for this generous loan to help us stabilise. We are starting to open?teaching and exams where lockdown easing?makes it possible to do so?safely, while we?continue?close discussions with 바카라사이트 UK government on plans?for 바카라사이트 future.
“As 바카라사이트 world recovers from 바카라사이트 pandemic, making sure 바카라사이트 UK is connected, understood and trusted will only be more important. We want to be 바카라사이트re doing our part.”
后记
Print headline: ‘Universities should come to aid of British Council’
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