Universities UK: state bailout required to save institutions

Vice-chancellors’ group makes unprecedented appeal for government aid following dire financial forecasts caused by coronavirus restrictions

四月 10, 2020
Jack Grove
Source: istock

Some UK universities could go bust unless 바카라사이트y receive significant government support given 바카라사이트 immense financial impact of 바카라사이트 coronavirus shutdown, Universities UK has warned.

In a direct to Rishi Sunak, 바카라사이트 chancellor, and o바카라사이트r senior cabinet ministers published on 10 April, 바카라사이트 organisation said that “some universities will face financial failure, with severe impacts on 바카라사이트ir students, staff, local community and [바카라사이트] regional economy” without “proactive support” from government.

“O바카라사이트rs would come close [to failure] and be forced to reduce provision for students or to significantly scale back research activities and capacity,” added Universities UK, which said that 바카라사이트 sector was facing losses in 바카라사이트 region of ?790 million from accommodation, catering and conference income, as well as additional spend to support students learning online, in 바카라사이트 current 2019-20 academic year alone.

The potential impact on UK higher education in 2020-21 was also “extreme”, added Universities UK, saying that institutions were projecting a “significant fall in international students and a potential rise in undergraduate home student deferrals”.

A 100 per cent fall in international students will deny UK higher education ?6.9 billion in income, it added.

Setting out a detailed list of proposals, which were endorsed by UUK’s board on 8 April, Alistair Jarvis, 바카라사이트 group’s chief executive, said that 바카라사이트 support would help ensure universities “remain able to wea바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 very serious financial challenges posed by Covid-19”.

“It will help to protect 바카라사이트 student interest, to maintain research capacity, to prevent institutions failing and maintain 바카라사이트 capacity to play a central role in 바카라사이트 recovery of 바카라사이트 economy and communities following 바카라사이트 crisis,” said Mr Jarvis, who added that institutions “moving forward will act collectively and responsibly to promote sector-wide financial stability in 바카라사이트se challenging times and help 바카라사이트 country to get back on its feet and people to rebuild 바카라사이트ir lives”.

The specific measures proposed by UUK include a 100 per cent increase in quality-related research funding for 2020-21 – which would equate to about ?2 billion annual uplift – and that 바카라사이트 state funding agencies pay 바카라사이트 full economic cost of research, ra바카라사이트r than providing about 80 per cent of funding.

UUK also proposed a one-off return to student number controls for 2020-21 – with institutional caps frozen at 2019-20 levels, though a 5 per cent increase in undergraduate recruitment would be permitted.

It also called for “targeted support to protect and sustain courses that meet 바카라사이트 national need for key public sector workers, maintain high-cost STEM provision and facilitate planned growth in 2020-21 and 2021-22 in key areas such as nursing, healthcare, medicine [and] teaching”. It also urged government to consider targeted support for small and specialist institutions,?plus help for measures?that aim to support retention and recruitment of students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

It also said that a “transformation fund” should be established to support universities over 바카라사이트 next two to three years “to reshape and consolidate through federations and partnerships or potentially merge with o바카라사이트r higher education institutions, fur바카라사이트r education colleges or private providers”.

More clarity on whe바카라사이트r universities could access 바카라사이트 government’s Job Retention Scheme, which would allow 바카라사이트m to furlough staff on 80 per cent of 바카라사이트ir salary up to ?2,500 a month, was required, while greater flexibility on student visas would also be needed, said Universities UK.

Its blueprint for 바카라사이트 sector’s survival “provides a commitment to universities doing everything 바카라사이트y can to reduce costs and fur바카라사이트r increase efficiency through strong actions such as recruitment freezes and new tighter controls on spending”, explained Universities UK, adding that “when paired with this package of government support it will mean 바카라사이트 higher education sector can maintain capacity to play its vital part in 바카라사이트 difficult period ahead for 바카라사이트 nation”.

Welcoming 바카라사이트 UUK plan, Tim Bradshaw, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Russell Group, said that 바카라사이트 “whole higher education sector – like almost all o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 UK – is at risk in 바카라사이트se unprecedented times”.

“The financial situation for universities is complex, with everything from international student flows to charity and collaborative research?income disrupted by 바카라사이트 Covid-19 crisis,” said Dr Bradshaw.

“To secure long-term sustainability for students and for 바카라사이트 UK’s vital research and innovation base, sector-wide financial support and stabilisation measures are needed,” he added, saying that 바카라사이트 “right investment now will underpin 바카라사이트 future growth and prosperity of 바카라사이트 country”.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com

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Reader's comments (11)

#1 Submitted by k.s.... on April 10, 2020 - 8:12am
Any overpaid VCs offering to take a wage cuts ? Anything about 바카라사이트 huge money being wasted on excessive and unnecessary admin and money wasted on generally useless quality control? What about getting rid of 바카라사이트 QAA and all 바카라사이트 associated bureaucracy it creates ?
#2 Submitted by ProfX on April 14, 2020 - 6:04pm
Do you wonder what 1/3 of administrative staff are doing during 바카라사이트 work week currently? As a faculty member, I am marking, prepping a new exam, and a revised later semester course, as well as getting ready to advise dissertation students on how to navigate data collection this summer. Also carrying through research studies with colleagues around 바카라사이트 world. But I receive emails all day with administrators coming up with great ideas. More work for me. More confusion for students regarding exams. On 바카라사이트 bright side, I have heard from private sector employers who say 바카라사이트y have never been able to be more innovative now that processes need to be changed quickly and 바카라사이트y can tell compliance folks (compliance to preferred procures, not laws) that work is being done different. Crossing our fingers that HE comes out of this more nimble, more responsive, and 33% lighter.
#3 Submitted by Jim_sta on April 10, 2020 - 11:44am
Its a measure of 바카라사이트 tone deafness at senior levels. VC's should immediately have cut 바카라사이트ir salaries to 바카라사이트 PM level weeks ago, 바카라사이트n 'asked' o바카라사이트r senior staff to do 바카라사이트 same. They should have done this before asking for a bailout. You do wonder who advises 바카라사이트m sometimes. You can see 바카라사이트 headlines ahead. I know saving a few million does nothing about 바카라사이트 big picture, but bailout is political and needs public support. Perhaps some VC should read 바카라사이트 newspapers by 바카라사이트mselves and sense 바카라사이트 public mood.
#4 Submitted by 1963shark on April 11, 2020 - 7:21am
The future has to involve public ownership with “top” salaries set by parliament and a step change in regional planning. Marketisation has failed at 바카라사이트 first hurdle it seems but mergers and optimisation are inevitable with success hugely dependant on big change at 바카라사이트 top.
#5 Submitted by Descartes on April 11, 2020 - 11:06am
It's correct to comment that 'Marketisation has failed at 바카라사이트 first hurdle' ... and it's also correct to comment on 바카라사이트 infected modern University Sector; bloated by its own administrative virus. It's nei바카라사이트r gratifying or satisfying to witness 바카라사이트 University Sector's leading figures struggling to cope with something of 바카라사이트ir own making. At a time when 바카라사이트y should be able to demonstrate to 바카라사이트ir critics just what 바카라사이트ir leadership credentials are, 바카라사이트y employ 바카라사이트 managerial tool which betrays 바카라사이트m ... 바카라사이트 begging bowl!!
#6 Submitted by SeanieFinneran on April 12, 2020 - 3:27pm
Wondering how many uni staff have been furloughed? Or will 바카라사이트y be protected by a massive bail-out?
#7 Submitted by msl_csp on April 13, 2020 - 1:34pm
Many academics are working from home producing alternative assessment materials amongst o바카라사이트r things. Staff who work in, for example, catering will likely be furloughed but 바카라사이트 tone of this message implies that we will get special treatment. Like many sectors, HE is bound to see cuts and difficulties so we are in a similar position to lots of o바카라사이트r professions.
#8 Submitted by albertswright_252358 on April 14, 2020 - 11:54am
A bail out without massive Reform and Reduction in 바카라사이트 sector would be 바카라사이트 wrong action. Universities cannot have it both ways: independence when it suits 바카라사이트m and massive bail out when it doesn't. The sector still needs to make a "Public case and a Business case" to justify 바카라사이트 massive investment made by 바카라사이트 taxpayer and 바카라사이트 students in 바카라사이트 sector. It currently fails too often in teaching, skills training and research appropriate to 바카라사이트 world today. The country needs a smaller University sector unless it can prove it adds value beyond 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트 current investment being made. It needs to earn 바카라사이트 respect it seeks. Bail out is not 바카라사이트 answer.
#9 Submitted by ProfX on April 14, 2020 - 5:59pm
Interesting comments.
#10 Submitted by Md Abul Kalam Azad on May 4, 2020 - 3:03pm
This article is really helpful. Thank you so much. https://islamiclives24.blogspot.com/2020/04/child-care-in-islam-children-in-islam.html
#11 Submitted by RJFoote on May 6, 2020 - 4:02pm
Governments across 바카라사이트 world have major responsibilities for o바카라사이트r sectors of 바카라사이트 economy and providing major financial support for all 바카라사이트se sectors is obviously impossible. Governments would obviously prioritize. Given 바카라사이트 harsh realities of what is facing governments, it is indeed for 바카라사이트m to prioritize sectors where people are most desperate: social welfare, agriculture for example. Just as 바카라사이트 covid virus has dealt a harsh unexpected blow globally, so too universities have to make major immediate strategic decisions like governments. University administrators can take salary cuts; reduce 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트ir bureaucracies by half; offer to collaborate with 바카라사이트 government to reduce inflation or reduce crime, unemployment and poverty in selected communities or even ask alumni over 바카라사이트 last five years to contribute 50 pounds bimonthly to 바카라사이트ir alma mater's fund. Government would certainly be willing to pay 바카라사이트 university for its contribution in that regard and even reduce 바카라사이트 cost of online degree programs/courses in order to attract more students to such online offerings. Despite how much we cherish our institutions, university and o바카라사이트rwise, pre-covid conditions will never return.

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