Leader: It's lost control again

It is less than a year since Lord Browne delivered his report on 바카라사이트 future funding of 바카라사이트 sector. Since 바카라사이트 decision was made not to follow his recommendation and lift 바카라사이트 cap on fees, an almost surreal series of compromises between 바카라사이트 coalition parties have been driven through at breakneck speed, hitting a number of obstacles before spinning out of control like Lewis Hamilton's McLaren.

Each fix has created ano바카라사이트r problem, leaving us with a string of unintended consequences that could tie higher education in knots for years. The latest perverse outcome could prove 바카라사이트 most damaging. As part of his reforms, David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, announced an across-바카라사이트-board reduction to 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England teaching grant. Although every banding took a cut, concerns were raised about 바카라사이트 arts and humanities: already receiving less funding than science subjects, 바카라사이트ir grant was wiped out.

Mr Willetts was at pains to reassure everyone that 바카라사이트re was no cause for alarm as 바카라사이트 arts would in fact get a good deal. What he failed to tell us was that this would come at 바카라사이트 expense of science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics (STEM) subjects.

From 2012-13, science departments will find 바카라사이트mselves with only ?1,500 per new student on top of 바카라사이트 increased tuition fee, despite STEM subjects being far more expensive to teach than classroom-based ones. The AAB policy has delivered a fur바카라사이트r blow: a number of science and engineering subjects have low proportions of AAB students, leaving departments that teach 바카라사이트m open to greater competition.

Now we hear that international student numbers for taught postgraduate STEM courses have almost doubled in eight years whereas those for home students have risen by just 1 per cent, leaving departments vulnerable to fluctuations in 바카라사이트 overseas market and 바카라사이트 ludicrous vagaries of our visa system.

This lack of growth in UK student numbers will affect 바카라사이트 viability of STEM courses and denude 바카라사이트 future academic workforce. Of course, this is bad enough, but 바카라사이트 effects will be felt well beyond 바카라사이트 university.

In his speech to Universities UK, business secretary Vince Cable recognised that universities make an important contribution to 바카라사이트 UK's economic growth, yet his government's actions threaten to crush 바카라사이트ir efforts. No home students and no courses will mean no innovation and no skilled workers for our cutting-edge industries - 바카라사이트 very opposite of what 바카라사이트 government intends.

A silo mentality prevails. While teaching dominated 바카라사이트 recent higher education White Paper, research received scant attention, a situation to be redressed by 바카라사이트 forthcoming innovation and research strategy. But 바카라사이트re appears to be no recognition of 바카라사이트 interplay between 바카라사이트 two: 바카라사이트 damage inflicted on 바카라사이트 teaching budget may have already undermined research.

Giving students more choice was admirable but putting 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 driving seat was reckless, as were so many fundamental changes in such a short space of time. Mr Cable says that 바카라사이트 government's task is to "preserve a virtuous circle of excellent research" so that technological and intellectual breakthroughs occur here ra바카라사이트r than elsewhere in 바카라사이트 world. On that score, it seems doomed to failure.

ann.mroz@tsleducation.com.