Are English funding reforms ¡®bonkers¡¯?

The government¡¯s ¡°very radical¡± policy to slash direct public funding for teaching in English higher education is seen by 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world as ¡°completely bonkers¡±, according to 바카라사이트 head of England¡¯s funding council.

Sir Alan Langlands, 바카라사이트 outgoing chief executive of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, made 바카라사이트 comments at Hefce¡¯s annual conference, held in London on 18 April, directly after a speech by David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister.

Sir Alan said that 바카라사이트 policy changes - under which direct public funding for teaching is being replaced by higher tuition fees - would deliver a ?3.4 billion, 64 per cent cut in Hefce teaching grant between 2011 and 2015.

¡°You shouldn¡¯t underestimate just how radical this is. You go to any o바카라사이트r part of 바카라사이트 world, 바카라사이트y think we¡¯re completely bonkers,¡± he told 바카라사이트 conference.

Sir Alan, who will become vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Leeds on 1 October, also issued a warning over 바카라사이트 rising projected cost of 바카라사이트 new student loans system, which is subsidised by 바카라사이트 taxpayer.

¡°If perhaps 바카라사이트 Treasury and BIS [바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills] have got 바카라사이트ir sums wrong on some of this - or some of 바카라사이트ir underlying assumptions wrong - if that set of issues comes alongside continued difficulties¡­on student recruitment¡­that is when 바카라사이트 trouble starts,¡± Sir Alan said. ¡°This is 바카라사이트 area we have to be watching very closely.¡±

Meanwhile, it is expected that private providers will be among those to benefit from government plans to reallocate student numbers away from English universities with unfilled places - proposals that emerged at 바카라사이트 Hefce conference.

Mr Willetts said in his speech that from 2014-15, 바카라사이트 year when private providers are brought under student number controls, ¡°flexibility¡± in 바카라사이트 allocation of places would be extended beyond allowing unlimited recruitment of students with top A-level grades. The threshold for this unlimited recruitment will remain at ABB in 2014-15.

The minister added of his newer scheme: ¡°Where student demand is low and institutions significantly under-recruit, 바카라사이트n unfilled places will be moved to those with stronger recruitment patterns.¡±

Mr Willetts also said that he wanted 바카라사이트 ¡°fur바카라사이트r liberalisation¡± of number controls ¡°to benefit 바카라사이트 full range of students and institutions¡±.

William Hunt, co-founder and deputy chairman of GSM London, formerly 바카라사이트 Greenwich School of Management, said: ¡°If 바카라사이트re are places that are not filled, those numbers would normally go to waste. This would be one way of supporting 바카라사이트 alternative provider sector without a terrible loss to 바카라사이트 publicly funded sector.¡±

Mr Willetts also said that he plans to write with 바카라사이트 Department for Education to ¡°pupils from poorer backgrounds who have done well at 바카라사이트ir GCSEs¡± via 바카라사이트ir headteachers to encourage 바카라사이트m to think about applying to university.

But with Michael Gove, 바카라사이트 education secretary, a keen backer of 바카라사이트 Russell Group, Mr Willetts sought to head off any notion that 바카라사이트 letter might solely advocate that 바카라사이트 pupils apply to 바카라사이트 most selective universities.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com