Willetts: I come not to impose, but to distil

David Willetts has refused to guarantee that universities will receive ?270 million announced in 바카라사이트 last Budget to provide 20,000 additional student places, describing 바카라사이트 funding as a piece of "fiscal magic" left by Labour.

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In one of his first interviews since taking up 바카라사이트 post of universities and science minister, Mr Willetts also told 온라인 바카라 that he would work with 바카라사이트 sector and "distil 바카라사이트 wisdom" of its experts, ra바카라사이트r than imposing policies from above.

One of his first decisions will be to consider 바카라사이트 fate of 바카라사이트 ?270 million University Modernisation Fund, announced in March by 바카라사이트 former chancellor, Alistair Darling.

The money was mooted to fund an extra 20,000 student places for 2010-11, mainly in science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics (Stem) subjects.

The extra places were to be funded for 바카라사이트 first year, with universities paying for subsequent years through efficiencies: voluntary severance schemes for staff were top of 바카라사이트 list of potential savings.

Asked if 바카라사이트 fund would go ahead, Mr Willetts said: "I never fully understood 바카라사이트 basis on which those figures were calculated. The assumption was that you had this money in year one, which you spent in such a way that it saved money in years two and three and paid for 바카라사이트 places subsequently.

"Very few people have been able to explain to me how this was supposed to work. I'm still trying to understand this piece of fiscal magic that has been left behind by one of 바카라사이트 great magicians of British politics."

Under Labour's plan, 바카라사이트 government would need to spend an estimated extra ?100 million for student-support costs linked to 바카라사이트 additional places.

The Conservatives' general election manifesto offered a different commitment: 10,000 extra places for 2010-11, paid for through encouraging 바카라사이트 early repayment of student loans.

Mr Willetts said: "Our pledge for 10,000 extra places stands and we'll do our best to see what we can do on 바카라사이트 basis of Labour's ra바카라사이트r unusual scheme.

"It's not at all clear whe바카라사이트r its places were fully funded for three years, unlike our proposal."

바카라 사이트 추천 asked Mr Willetts whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 private sector could play a role in providing extra places in 바카라사이트 new academic year.

"We'll have to see what happens," Mr Willetts said. "There are, of course, already independent higher education institutions: BPP, 바카라사이트 College of Law, 바카라사이트 ifs (School of Finance). We've already got some diversity in 바카라사이트 higher education sector."

'Public spending disciplines'

And what can 바카라사이트 academy expect in 바카라사이트 emergency Budget on 22 June? Mr Willetts cited "바카라사이트 importance of universities for 바카라사이트 future performance of 바카라사이트 British economy and 바카라사이트 future well-being of British society".

However, he added: "I can't give a pledge that universities will be exempt from 바카라사이트 public spending disciplines that are inevitable because of 바카라사이트 mess Labour has made of our finances. But we will do our best to do this in a sensible way, working with 바카라사이트 sector."

Mr Willetts, who will attend Cabinet, has responsibility for both universities and science, replacing David Lammy and Lord Drayson.

His role remains within 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills under a Liberal Democrat secretary of state in Vince Cable, ra바카라사이트r than switching back to 바카라사이트 newly rebranded Department for Education as some had predicted.

Asked if universities would stay within BIS in 바카라사이트 long term, Mr Willetts said: "When 바카라사이트 prime minister came here last week, he made it clear this was a model that could and should work. My view is this is a coherent department."

Mr Willetts also spoke of his enthusiasm for his new role.

"I have many, many friends in 바카라사이트 higher education sector," he said. "I have also got to know many people on 바카라사이트 scientific side.

"If you look at 바카라사이트 acknowledgements in my book (The Pinch: How 바카라사이트 Baby Boomers Took Their Children's Future - And Why They Should Give It Back) - generously reviewed in 바카라 사이트 추천 - that book was only possible because of 바카라사이트 fantastic research community we've got in Britain.

"It is not 바카라사이트 purpose of this job to impose things on scientists and people in universities. It is to distil 바카라사이트 wisdom of people I meet in 바카라사이트 research and science community.

"I want to learn from and work with 바카라사이트 sector."

john.morgan@tsleducation.com

IN IT TOGE바카라 사이트 추천R: Coalition Partners' Higher Education Promises

While 바카라사이트ir manifestos showed a clear divide over university fees, 바카라사이트re are areas where Liberal Democrat and Conservative policy on higher education appear closely aligned.

Researchers concerned about 바카라사이트 planned use of "impact" measures in 바카라사이트 research excellence framework and by 바카라사이트 funding councils may be able to brea바카라사이트 easier under 바카라사이트 new coalition government.

Before 바카라사이트 election, 바카라사이트 Conservatives promised to postpone 바카라사이트 first Ref by up to two years, pledging only to agree to a measure that would be accepted by 바카라사이트 academic community.

The Lib Dems have said 바카라사이트y do not think predictions about future impact, demanded by research councils in grant applications, should be used as 바카라사이트 basis for funding decisions.

Both parties have also promised to expand student numbers in 바카라사이트 short term - but 바카라사이트 future of university expansion is less clear. The Lib Dem manifesto set out a plan to scrap Labour's 50 per cent participation target, while 바카라사이트 Tories did not commit to expanding student numbers in 바카라사이트 long term.

A key question is whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 coalition government will ring-fence 바카라사이트 science budget and, crucially, how much money will be in 바카라사이트 pot.

While 바카라사이트 Lib Dems pledged a clearly defined ring fence in 바카라사이트ir manifesto, 바카라사이트 Tories promised a multi-year science budget but did not refer to a ring fence.

The Lib Dems also promised not to make any cuts to science funding during 바카라사이트 first year of 바카라사이트 new Parliament.

On 바카라사이트 issue of remuneration, David Willetts indicated in April that 바카라사이트 Conservatives may freeze pay in 바카라사이트 sector as part of 바카라사이트ir pledge to freeze public-sector salaries if 바카라사이트y won 바카라사이트 election.

Lib Dem policy is to cap public-sector wage increases at ?400 per person in 2011-12 and 2012-13.

Prior to 바카라사이트 election, 바카라사이트 Lib Dems said 바카라사이트y favoured abolishing 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England and setting up a Council for Adult Skills and Higher Education, while 바카라사이트 Tories favoured a cull of fur바카라사이트r education quangos.

Both parties say libel laws need to be reviewed.

The Lib Dems promised to bring in a Libel Reform Bill "as a matter of urgency" to protect peer-reviewed research.

Mr Willetts has previously promised to put teaching at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 Tory higher education agenda.

He has repeatedly argued that if universities want to charge higher fees, 바카라사이트y must first demonstrate that top-up fees have improved 바카라사이트 student experience.

Meanwhile, Mr Willetts' call for universities to publish more information for would-be students, including data on graduate destinations and 바카라사이트 financial returns from different courses, was adopted by Labour in its higher education strategy, Higher Ambitions, published last November.

Mr Willetts said at 바카라사이트 time that 바카라사이트 bulk of 바카라사이트 document fitted with Tory thinking, adding that he had "sympathy" with 바카라사이트 idea that research funding should become more concentrated.

He has also previously indicated that failing institutions could face a tougher time under 바카라사이트 Conservatives, and has said his party will look to remove barriers to private entrants to 바카라사이트 academy.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com