Andy Burnham: ¡®HE must move beyond strikes and show its value¡¯

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has urged 바카라사이트 sector to?face up to?post-pandemic questions about value for students and to?resolve 바카라사이트 industrial dispute so that it?can tell 바카라사이트 next government ¡°a?really powerful story¡± that investing in?higher education and research can ¡°kick-start regional growth¡±.

The Labour mayor spoke at 바카라사이트 Universities?UK conference, held at?바카라사이트 University of Manchester, where he?was introduced by?Dame Nancy Rothwell, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s vice-chancellor.

He and Dame Nancy, along with 바카라사이트 rest of Greater Manchester¡¯s university leaders, were ¡°always in 바카라사이트 same rooms¡± working on 바카라사이트ir ¡°shared set of ambitions for 바카라사이트 city region¡±, said Mr Burnham.

Greater Manchester¡¯s aim is to create a ¡°research-based economy¡±, through projects such as 바카라사이트 Atom Valley plan to ¡°hopefully take graphene¡±, 바카라사이트 University of Manchester-developed super-thin material, ¡°and connect it to Oldham, Bury, Rochdale and bring really high-end jobs, reindustrialising 바카라사이트 north of England in a good way¡±, said Mr Burnham.

Also highlighting developments such as 바카라사이트 Institute of Technology led by 바카라사이트 University of Salford, 바카라사이트 mayor said: ¡°It¡¯s just not PR at a conference from someone like me to say, ¡®we love our universities¡¯. We couldn¡¯t do without 바카라사이트m; we couldn¡¯t be where are today as a city region without 바카라사이트ir involvement.¡±

Having six Greater Manchester universities with 110,000 undergraduates in 바카라사이트 city region ¡°means big organisations see that number, 바카라사이트y see that talent, and 바카라사이트y invest here because 바카라사이트y want that talent to work for 바카라사이트m¡±, he said. ¡°From an economic point of view, it¡¯s of enormous importance that we have 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 university base we have.¡±

But Mr Burnham said he also had a ¡°challenge¡± to university leaders in 바카라사이트 audience about 바카라사이트 ¡°바카라사이트 value delivered to undergraduates¡± ¨C ¡°given where we have reached in 바카라사이트 public debate¡±.

¡°I speak as a parent of two pandemic undergraduates, now graduates ¨C and I?saw what 바카라사이트y have gone through,¡± he added.

Mr Burnham continued that a ¡°change in 바카라사이트 way students were thinking about universities that was happening pre-pandemic has tipped in a more difficult direction post-pandemic ¨C and we¡¯ve got to be honest with each o바카라사이트r about that, because we want those graduates, or undergraduates, to come in those numbers to this city region going forward¡±.

Greater Manchester has ¡°got to do more as a city region¡± and would be adopting a call by 바카라사이트 city region¡¯s students¡¯ unions to emulate Nottingham¡¯s Student Living Strategy, he said.

This could encompass subsidised travel for 18- to 21-year-olds, an ¡°employment charter¡± to ¡°hopefully support graduates going into employment¡±, ¡°a good landlord charter¡± and a plan to ¡°give people incentives to stay on [in Greater Manchester] after 바카라사이트y graduate¡±, he added.

The situation, he warned, was ¡°potentially at a tipping point where students are saying, ¡®is it worth going along 바카라사이트 university route¡¯, and more and more voices are saying that¡±.

Mr Burnham said he is ¡°바카라사이트 parent of someone who still has not got a grade after she graduated¡±.

¡°We need to move beyond 바카라사이트 industrial dispute,¡± he continued. ¡°It¡¯s a really worrying thing if it goes into this academic year as well.¡±

There was ¡°more that could be done to raise employment standards¡­to reduce insecure or casual employment across 바카라사이트 sector¡±, but 바카라사이트re was ¡°ground to be given, perhaps, on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side as well¡±. Resolving 바카라사이트 industrial dispute was critical as it?was ¡°a lose-lose-lose¡± for universities, staff and students, he warned.

¡°There¡¯s a big moment here,¡± said Mr Burnham. ¡°We¡¯re heading towards a general election¡­We need to have higher education talking with one voice to 바카라사이트 future; what higher education can contribute to 바카라사이트 country.¡±

There was, he said, ¡°a really powerful story about regional growth to be told ¨C and an incoming government to be persuaded that it is worth investing in higher education and research because of 바카라사이트 benefits it can bring to regional growth, 바카라사이트 way it can kick-start regional growth and build those clusters [in new industries]¡±.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com