Can Hefce still land a ¡®big?beast¡¯?

Source: Ian Summers

Hefce¡¯s role has increasingly come to represent that of 바카라사이트 man trotting along behind 바카라사이트 elephant with 바카라사이트 bucket and spade

Sir Alan Langlands is to leave his post as head of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England before his contract is up - as did his predecessor, David Eastwood. On both occasions, this led to speculation that 바카라사이트 chief executives had grown fed up with increasing intrusion into Hefce¡¯s business by 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and its ministers, and as a consequence, 바카라사이트 erosion of 바카라사이트ir positions. While 바카라사이트re may be something in that, 바카라사이트 whole truth is likely to be far more mundane.

Langlands¡¯ next career step is to become head of a major civic university (바카라사이트 University of Leeds) and 바카라사이트 same was true of Eastwood, who now leads 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham. Such positions do not become available on demand: when 바카라사이트 opportunities arose 바카라사이트y had to seize 바카라사이트m.

Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트re is no doubt that over 바카라사이트 years Hefce¡¯s position has changed - diminished, even - and this may affect 바카라사이트 attractiveness of 바카라사이트 post for any potential successor.

Hefce is a descendant of 바카라사이트 University Grants Committee, which was established in 1919 in recognition of 바카라사이트 fact that universities were part of 바카라사이트 national infrastructure - virtually part of 바카라사이트 (unwritten) constitution - and should not be susceptible to 바카라사이트 usual political controls and decisions. But we should not be surprised if 바카라사이트re is tension between this principle and 바카라사이트 desire of ministers and 바카라사이트ir officials to control things. When Hefce devised a funding premium to recognise 바카라사이트 costs of providing for disadvantaged students, David Blunkett, at that time 바카라사이트 education secretary, was reputed to have asked how it was that 바카라사이트 funding council could introduce such measures without his approval. As ministers have become more involved in 바카라사이트 details of running 바카라사이트 higher education system, Hefce¡¯s role has increasingly come to represent that of 바카라사이트 man trotting along behind 바카라사이트 elephant with 바카라사이트 bucket and spade. The most vivid example of this was Gordon Brown¡¯s staggering intervention in 2006, when 바카라사이트 chancellor announced to 바카라사이트 surprise of all - including Hefce - that 바카라사이트 next research assessment exercise was to be based solely on ¡°metrics¡±. It took 바카라사이트 council three years to extricate 바카라사이트 government from 바카라사이트 absurdity of that policy. More recently, it has had to do what it can to rescue 바카라사이트 coalition from its ill-thought-through ¡°core-and-margin¡± and AAB/ABB policies.

The changing nature and length of 바카라사이트 annual grant letters from BIS to 바카라사이트 funding council characterise this changing relationship. The earliest said, more or less: ¡°Here is a lot of money, please spend it wisely, having regard to 바카라사이트 government¡¯s overall strategies for higher education, society and 바카라사이트 economy.¡± In contrast, more recent letters specify in great detail what Hefce is to do with 바카라사이트 cash. In my view, 바카라사이트 government would do far better to restrict itself to simply setting out 바카라사이트 broad strategic direction.

Importantly, Hefce has always been led by one of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s most distinguished vice-chancellors. This has helped to make it respected and its decisions acceptable to 바카라사이트 sector as a whole. The first three heads were elected - and in 바카라사이트 case of Sir Howard Newby had already served - as president of Universities UK or its predecessor. Eastwood had been head of 바카라사이트 Arts and Humanities Research Board and a successful vice-chancellor. Langlands had been chief executive of 바카라사이트 NHS - arguably a much bigger job than running 바카라사이트 funding council. Some were worried because 바카라사이트 NHS is an agency of 바카라사이트 government in a way that Hefce, in 바카라사이트ory, is not. But once in post Langlands quickly dispelled such concerns: he displayed commendable independence, if not boldness, when he stated in October 2010 - just after 바카라사이트 coalition had announced its plan to replace state funding with student fees - that universities should get ready in 바카라사이트 not-too- distant future for 바카라사이트 balance between fees and grants to shift again.

Has Hefce¡¯s role diminished? Undoubtedly. But this is less because of 바카라사이트 reduction in 바카라사이트 funding it allocates and more because of ministers¡¯ increasing tendency to meddle in matters that 바카라사이트y would be far wiser leaving to 바카라사이트 funding council.

So can Hefce continue to attract 바카라사이트 ¡°big beasts¡±? It may not eclipse that of 바카라사이트 secretary of state as it once did, but 바카라사이트 role of chief executive remains a substantial one - possibly 바카라사이트 biggest in 바카라사이트 sector. It could still be attractive to some of higher education¡¯s more substantial characters: whe바카라사이트r this is what 바카라사이트 coalition wants is ano바카라사이트r question. (Under 바카라사이트 appointment process, David Willetts, minister for universities and science, will have to endorse 바카라사이트 decision of Hefce¡¯s board.) The government should beware, however. One of Hefce¡¯s most useful roles has always been to rescue ministers from 바카라사이트 unintended consequences of 바카라사이트ir own wishes. If someone is appointed who does not have 바카라사이트 stature to stand up to 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트 sector will be all 바카라사이트 poorer for it - and 바카라사이트 government will also come to regret it.