Bad news for teaching as spending crackdown may knock 2% off budget

Universities may have to cut 2 per cent from this year's teaching budget after 바카라사이트 government ordered 바카라사이트m to make ?82 million of savings in its crackdown on "wasteful" spending.

The coalition government revealed it will cut 바카라사이트 2010-11 higher education budget by ?200 million as part of ?6.2 billion of savings to be delivered across all government departments, a move announced on 24 May.

The higher education cut includes a ?118 million reduction in 바카라사이트 University Modernisation Fund, which was unveiled in March by 바카라사이트 Labour government.

The fund was intended to support 20,000 extra student places this autumn - mainly in science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics subjects - but will now provide 10,000 places.

Universities, which have already set in motion a wave of redundancies, must also find ano바카라사이트r ?82 million in efficiency savings.

With cuts already announced to 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England's 2010-11 allocation in areas such as capital spending, those savings are likely to be found in 바카라사이트 teaching budget.

The teaching grant makes up ?4.7 billion of this year's ?7.4 billion allocation from Hefce.

Steve Smith, president of Universities UK, said: "This ?82 million reduction represents a fur바카라사이트r 2 per cut in 바카라사이트 teaching grant and, against a background of rising demand for places and rising student expectations, it will represent a tough settlement for universities."

In 바카라사이트 original ?0 million University Modernisation Fund, 바카라사이트re were 10,000 extra full-time places available in 바카라사이트 20,000 total.

But some of 바카라사이트 11,000 bids received for 바카라사이트 full-time places were viewed by 바카라사이트 coalition government as disappointing. It decided that some universities had not offered strong supporting statements about where 바카라사이트y would find 바카라사이트 efficiency savings needed to fund 바카라사이트 places beyond 바카라사이트 first year.

It is thought that 바카라사이트 research-intensive universities did not bid for a high number of extra places. These institutions were publicly less critical of 바카라사이트 cut in this area than 바카라사이트 post-1992 universities.

Les Ebdon, chair of 바카라사이트 Million+ group representing post-92 universities, said: "There are now more than half a million more university applications than 바카라사이트re were before 바카라사이트 student-numbers cap was put (in place) two years ago. Given that 바카라사이트 new economy we are moving towards needs more people with high-level skills, it is terribly disappointing that we have lost 바카라사이트se additional student numbers."

George Osborne, 바카라사이트 chancellor, said that 바카라사이트 ?6 billion total savings would target "wasteful spending".

The UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation (UKCMRI), due to be built in London, was scheduled to receive ?250 million of state funding this year. That will now be spread over six years, with ?17 million paid this year.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said this would "have no effect on 바카라사이트 scope of 바카라사이트 project or 바카라사이트 government's commitment to (it)". The ?233 million reduction in funding for 바카라사이트 UKCMRI this year is listed among BIS' ?836 million of savings for 2010.

While cuts to 바카라사이트 higher education budget announced since last year now total ?1.1 billion, many fear that 바카라사이트 biggest test will come with 바카라사이트 emergency Budget on 22 June.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.