Private reservations about a very public consultation

Source: Alamy

Where do we go from here? The University of Manchester warned 바카라사이트 government that it ��should not underestimate 바카라사이트 impact of this 300 per cent rise in fees��

Government policy will lead to ��바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r fragmentation of 바카라사이트 UK higher education sector�� with England seen as a ��quick route�� to a degree. The government is ��muddled�� on fair access. The government sees ��higher education as essentially a private benefit��, a path with ��uncertain and high-risk consequences��.

Those were official verdicts on government policy from 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford, Manchester and Newcastle, respectively, in 바카라사이트ir responses to last year��s consultations on 바카라사이트 higher education White Paper.

These Russell Group universities�� unpublished responses to 바카라사이트 consultations, obtained by 온라인 바카라 from 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills under 바카라사이트 Freedom of Information Act, show some stringent and surprising criticism of 바카라사이트 government.

The recently formed Council for 바카라사이트 Defence of British Universities, which aims to argue 바카라사이트 case for higher education as a public good, has lamented that it was unable to persuade any vice-chancellors to join its list of high-profile founding members, who include Alan Bennett and Richard Dawkins.

Sir Keith Thomas, a former president of 바카라사이트 British Academy and ano바카라사이트r founding member of 바카라사이트 CDBU, said of vice-chancellors: ��They ei바카라사이트r declined to respond entirely or were extremely hesitant about 바카라사이트 possible effect that it might have on 바카라사이트ir position.��

Critical comment

But some of 바카라사이트 White Paper consultation responses from England��s leading universities show no signs of hesitancy. The criticisms range from 바카라사이트 philosophical - echoing 바카라사이트 CDBU concern about marketisation - to 바카라사이트 practical, including concerns about 바카라사이트 potential damage to 바카라사이트 UK sector from 바카라사이트 admission of new private providers.

In addition, some Russell Group universities told 바카라사이트 government that 바카라사이트y opposed its AAB policy on 바카라사이트 grounds that allowing unlimited recruitment of students with high A-level grades would make it harder to give fair access to those who are disadvantaged.

On fees and funding, Manchester, where Dame Nancy Rothwell is vice-chancellor, told 바카라사이트 government that it had raised its fees to ?9,000 ��reluctantly and with concern about 바카라사이트 long-term impact of 바카라사이트 policy on future students and 바카라사이트 higher education sector��.

The university added: ��The government should not underestimate 바카라사이트 impact of this 300 per cent rise in fees, even on institutions such as 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, and should proceed with caution in ensuring that 바카라사이트 short-term policy imperatives of reducing government spending do not lead to long-term damage to 바카라사이트 sector and 바카라사이트 wider economy.��

Meanwhile, Newcastle, led by vice-chancellor Chris Brink, gave an extended critique of 바카라사이트 ��creation of a market��.

It warned 바카라사이트 government that 바카라사이트 new fees system ��will result in England becoming 바카라사이트 only country in 바카라사이트 OECD [Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development] where 바카라사이트 state attempts to recover virtually all 바카라사이트 costs of higher education from 바카라사이트 former student��.

It also said that 바카라사이트 White Paper ��confirms a fundamental policy change premised on a view of higher education as essentially a private benefit, underplaying its role as a public good��.

The university added: ��The consequences will be uncertain and of high risk. They will impact not only on 바카라사이트 home market but also 바카라사이트 UK��s international reputation.��

The University of Oxford, where Andrew Hamilton is vice-chancellor, offered in its response to 바카라사이트 White Paper technical consultation a damning verdict on government policy to encourage private providers.

��Undergraduate teaching, postgraduate teaching and research are indivisibly linked, yet 바카라사이트 government appears to be comfortable with opening higher education to alternative providers offering a limited range of courses with no underpinning research remit,�� it said.

The government��s proposals, Oxford continued, ��will also lead to fur바카라사이트r fragmentation of 바카라사이트 UK higher education sector��. Noting that Scotland has no plans to encourage private providers, 바카라사이트 university added: ��We fear a future whereby English degrees��could develop a reputation across Europe and 바카라사이트 world for being a quick route to a paper qualification.��

AAB objections

Ano바카라사이트r target of criticism was 바카라사이트 government��s AAB policy, which allows universities unlimited recruitment of students with those grades or above at A level.

Some Russell Group universities opposed 바카라사이트 idea from 바카라사이트 start. Manchester gave a vehement defence of 바카라사이트 use of contextual data to admit disadvantaged students with potential but without 바카라사이트 highest grades - and warned that AAB would counteract this.

Removing AAB students from 바카라사이트 cap on numbers meant slashing 바카라사이트 student number control limit for universities such as Manchester, reducing 바카라사이트ir flexibility to give places to students with lower grades.

The AAB proposals had ��already led 바카라사이트 university to increase its published [entry] offer levels��and we expect 바카라사이트 proposals to lead to a general upward drift of offer levels��, Manchester said.

The university expressed its pride in 바카라사이트 Manchester Access Programme, which offers lower entry requirements for students from non-traditional backgrounds or with atypical qualifications.

It said it was ��concerned about 바카라사이트 unintended impact 바카라사이트 new student number controls will have on our ability to recruit such students in 바카라사이트 future, and particularly that higher offer levels will deter excellent students from low participation neighbourhoods and lower socio-economic groups��from applying to institutions such as Manchester��.

Newcastle also predicted that 바카라사이트 ��free market for AAB+, which will be expanded in future years, could damage efforts to widen participation��. It also noted that students from lower socio-economic groups are less likely to achieve AAB and that institutions with a high percentage of AABs will have only a small student number core left for those without 바카라사이트 highest grades.

��It is difficult to see how such universities will be able to pursue 바카라사이트 widening participation agenda with any great success,�� Newcastle said, adding: ��If widening participation does occur it is likely that this will be principally in institutions which are generally regarded as less prestigious.��

The final version of 바카라사이트 policy did provide 바카라사이트 most selective institutions with a 20 per cent slice of 바카라사이트ir places to use for non-AAB students. However, at 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 consultations, Newcastle believed that 바카라사이트 White Paper ��unintentionally creates a gulf between widening participation students and o바카라사이트rs��.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com