University of Gloucestershire invites in for?profit firm

Source: Neil Turner

Scrutiny: v-c Stephen Marston will report back to Gloucestershire��s council

The University of Gloucestershire is considering running its business school as a joint venture with a for?profit firm, in what could be a?first for a UK university department teaching home students.

The firm thought to be in 바카라사이트 frame for 바카라사이트 joint venture is INTO, which runs pathway centres for overseas students at several universities including Gloucestershire.

Sally Hunt, general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, said 바카라사이트 UCU believed that such a move could be 바카라사이트 first time that ��a university department teaching primarily UK students�� faced having a for-profit firm take a substantial stake in its ownership. It comes as news also emerges that 바카라사이트 University of York may be looking to create a pathway centre for foreign students in a joint venture with INTO.

The developments may signal that INTO is increasing activity after selling a 25?per cent share last year to New York-based Leeds Equity Partners, which holds a stake in Education Management Corporation, 바카라사이트 second-largest US for-profit higher education firm.

Last summer, Gloucestershire��s council approved a plan to place a tender for 바카라사이트 business school venture. The university would not comment on 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 investment sought but it is thought that 바카라사이트 money will fund a new building for 바카라사이트 school.

In December, 바카라사이트 university announced that 바카라사이트 business school would be at 바카라사이트 heart of a ��Growth Hub�� for 바카라사이트 regional economy to be created by 바카라사이트 university and 바카라사이트 local enterprise partnership GFirst LEP, with ?2.7?million from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England��s Catalyst Fund.

The university, which has a historic debt of ?19?million, argues that it must raise external investment if 바카라사이트 business school is to drive regional growth. Stephen Marston, Gloucestershire��s vice-chancellor and a former director general for higher education funding and reform at 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, will report back to 바카라사이트 university��s council for a final decision. Hefce has told 바카라사이트 university that it must maintain at least a 51?per cent stake in 바카라사이트 joint venture, one source said.

A Gloucestershire spokesman said: ��The joint venture��we are considering is very much a partnership, but 바카라사이트 quality and standards of 바카라사이트 academic teaching and 바카라사이트 university��s awards will always remain a core responsibility of 바카라사이트 university.��

Some staff are worried about what a joint venture with a private provider might mean for pay, pensions and conditions. Ms Hunt said that Gloucestershire was ��ignoring 바카라사이트 lessons�� of for-profit higher education scandals in 바카라사이트 US and ��putting its reputation on 바카라사이트 line, not to mention significant equity��.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com