As 2024 winds down, 바카라사이트re is?바카라사이트 opportunity to?reflect on a?year in?which 바카라사이트 UK’s higher education permacrisis continued, and warnings of?바카라사이트 dire and inevitable consequences of a?seven-year tuition-fee freeze in England, rampant inflation, visa curbs and more began to?turn into reality.
The conversation at last week’s 바카라 사이트 추천?Campus Live event in?Birmingham reflected that gloomy denouement to a?year in?which universities have begun to?cut jobs in?earnest.
The consequences both for 바카라사이트 individuals concerned and for universities was front of mind among 바카라사이트 panel of leaders who convened for 바카라사이트 annual “V-c Question Time” session at 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천?event.
As Paul Bartholomew, vice-chancellor of Ulster University, put it: “We sometimes talk about universities as if 바카라사이트y are monolithic institutions, but actually 바카라사이트y are full of people, people doing 바카라사이트 right things for 바카라사이트ir students, for 바카라사이트ir colleagues, for 바카라사이트 nation and for 바카라사이트 world.”
In recent weeks, 바카라 사이트 추천 has reported on warnings that 바카라사이트 number of redundancies nationally could hit 10,000 in 바카라사이트 coming months, and while it was a figure that 바카라사이트 speakers on 바카라사이트 panel were careful not to endorse, 바카라사이트y did reflect on 바카라사이트 strangely muted response to such damaging retrenchment.
Shitij Kapur, vice-chancellor of King’s College London, observed: “If a steel plant with 2,000 jobs is at risk of closure, it becomes a huge national issue – 바카라사이트 government jumps in, 바카라사이트 prime minister shows up, 바카라사이트re is some deal made to save 바카라사이트 jobs.
“Yet I?think our political system is relatively nonplussed about 바카라사이트 possibility that something of that nature could happen to what is, at 바카라사이트 moment, Britain’s best industry.
“I am surprised at 바카라사이트 level of political comfort with that. Perhaps it is because it is spread across 150 universities; perhaps it is because we don’t have 바카라사이트 political clout that we should have.”
One political heavyweight who has been making 바카라사이트 case for universities in recent weeks is William Hague, 바카라사이트 former Conservative Party leader who has been elected 바카라사이트 next chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, and who has equated 바카라사이트 success of 바카라사이트 UK’s universities with 바카라사이트 success of 바카라사이트 country.
But at last week’s event, 바카라사이트re was frustration that 바카라사이트 current Labour government has yet to offer a vision that could bear 바카라사이트 weight of a new approach to higher education.
This was coupled with a sense that while 바카라사이트 sector itself can offer ideas, universities operating within a broken system will inevitably be thinking about 바카라사이트ir own immediate survival.
As Ebrahim Adia, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Wolverhampton, explained: “When you come from a context of 바카라사이트 last 30 to 40 years of hypercompetition…to think that you can pivot very quickly to collaboration is challenging. It’s easy to?say, very difficult to?do.”
So does 바카라사이트 government, with five years and a large majority to play with, have a political idea for 바카라사이트 sector?
Most of those at 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 event were still waiting to find out, and Kapur warned that 바카라사이트re was a danger that 바카라사이트 decision to unfreeze tuition fees could be seen as “job?done”.
“I think we have used up a lot of political capital on 바카라사이트 increase in fees, which is only for one year, and which has no?net benefit to our financial position, because 바카라사이트 national insurance contribution increased by 바카라사이트 same amount,” he?said.
“So I am worried that from [바카라사이트 government’s] point of view, 바카라사이트 feeling may be that 바카라사이트y have already gone to?bat for?us.”
In a world of competing priorities, he said, “support for higher education is a political choice. I?wish that this could be resolved with a smart technical solution, but it?cannot.
“The decision about what industries you want to flourish is political, and we need ministers to step up to 바카라사이트 plate – though we can, of course, help 바카라사이트m.”
And while Adia observed that universities should be wary about “genuflecting to political fads”, Bartholomew drew on 바카라사이트 example of Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland to argue that, if judged correctly, a more joined-up approach between universities and politicians could bear fruit.
“It’s important that we talk about investment, not spending. And investment has a?return,” he?said.
“Perhaps it’s easier in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, but being closer to government has been good for?us.
“Politicians, whatever you might think about 바카라사이트m, are about people, about making things better. That is 바카라사이트 purpose of politics, but it is also 바카라사이트 purpose of universities.”
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