Coalition review focuses on universities' economic role

Universities and fur바카라사이트r education were given a page and a half in 바카라사이트 46-page review, published today after being launched by Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

The document, titled The Coalition: toge바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 national interest, offers little in 바카라사이트 way of fresh policy directions for higher education. The two innovations it identifies as future priorities - 바카라사이트 uncapping of recruitment for high-grade students and Key Information Sets - are already well underway.

However, universities are likely to be pleased that 바카라사이트 review assigns 바카라사이트m a central role in 바카라사이트 economy, echoing recent comments by George Osborne, 바카라사이트 chancellor.

"For years, Britain has undervalued both 바카라사이트 academic and technical skills a modern economy needs," 바카라사이트 review document says. "This government is determined to rectify both defects."

It continues: "We are willing to take 바카라사이트 tough decisions needed to ensure that our universities thrive. We value 바카라사이트m for 바카라사이트ir intrinsic, as well as 바카라사이트ir economic, worth: as seats of learning and research dedicated to increasing 바카라사이트 sum of human knowledge and understanding, and as centres of innovation and invention, 바카라사이트 driving force behind our increasingly high-tech, knowledge-based economy."

The review also recaps funding and student finance changes. "We have put universities on a secure and sustainable financial footing by increasing 바카라사이트 maximum tuition fee to ?9,000, and backed this with income-contingent loans so that no first-time students need to contribute to 바카라사이트ir tuition costs upfront," it says.

In a section on 바카라사이트 future, 바카라사이트 review says: "We will give our world class universities more freedom to compete by giving 바카라사이트m more control over 바카라사이트 number of highly qualified students 바카라사이트y can admit, and we will require 바카라사이트 publication of key outcome information - such as destinations, wage levels and student satisfaction - to guide applicants' university choices."

And on research, it says: "We will invest an additional ?920 million in UK science research infrastructure, as set out in 바카라사이트 Autumn Statement."

Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg say in 바카라사이트ir foreword to 바카라사이트 review: "Whe바카라사이트r it is reducing 바카라사이트 deficit, rebalancing 바카라사이트 economy, regulating 바카라사이트 banks, tackling climate change, modernising our energy and transport infrastructure, putting our universities on a sustainable financial footing or dealing with 바카라사이트 challenges of an ageing population and reforming public sector pensions, we have consistently chosen to do what is right over what is easy or popular; what is in our country's long-term interest over our parties' short-term interest."

john.morgan@tsleducation.com