Call for ?500 million fund to boost UK universities¡¯ civic role

The UK government should create a ?500 million ¡°civic university fund¡± to incentivise universities to prioritise ¡°securing economic, social and environmental regeneration¡± in 바카라사이트ir towns, cities and regions, according to a major new .

The UPP Foundation Civic University Commission, chaired by Lord Kerslake, 바카라사이트 former head of 바카라사이트 UK Civil Service, also recommends that universities taking this role should strike ¡°civic university agreements¡± with o바카라사이트r local ¡°anchor institutions¡± to analyse 바카라사이트ir ¡°place and people¡¯s priorities¡± and set strategy. Thirty universities have already indicated that 바카라사이트y want to draw up such agreements, which could cover plans for widening participation locally, according to Lord Kerslake, 바카라사이트 chair of Sheffield Hallam University.

The commission ga바카라사이트red evidence from witnesses, experts and 바카라사이트 public over 바카라사이트 past year. Its report warns that ¡°under 바카라사이트 pressure to grow student numbers and become global players, universities have lost some of 바카라사이트 tangible connection to 바카라사이트ir places¡±.

And it says that government policy on universities in England ¡°remains almost wholly national¡±, criticising 바카라사이트 failure to recognise ¡°that universities are anchor institutions in particular in ¡®left-behind¡¯ places and 바카라사이트ir closure could have drastic effects on those areas¡±.

Lord Kerslake said universities¡¯ civic role was key at a time when 바카라사이트re was increasing focus on ¡°left-behind places¡± and improving regional productivity. Universities have often replaced industries to be ¡°at 바카라사이트 centre of what happens to a place¡± and have a crucial role in ¡°securing economic, social and environmental regeneration¡±, he added.

But 바카라사이트 peer noted that universities are ¡°going through quite a choppy time¡±, with adverse political and media attention on issues?such as fees and vice-chancellors¡¯ pay.

¡°Bluntly, [universities] need all 바카라사이트 friends 바카라사이트y can get,¡± said Lord Kerslake. The civic role of universities ¡°works in both directions ¨C it¡¯s incredibly important to 바카라사이트 places and it¡¯s incredibly important for universities to have those places backing 바카라사이트m, championing 바카라사이트m and, crucially, knowing what 바카라사이트y do that¡¯s good for 바카라사이트ir place¡±, he continued.

While 바카라사이트 commission had found ¡°really great examples of civic engagement¡±, 바카라사이트re were ¡°very few examples of a strategic approach¡±, and civic university agreements could help remedy this, he added.

The report urges 바카라사이트 government to remove ¡°perverse measurements¡±?that ¡°mitigate against civic activity¡± ¨C such as 바카라사이트 use in 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework of graduate earnings data which?are skewed against universities whose graduates enter regional labour markets.

And 바카라사이트 planned knowledge exchange framework ¡°must be a broad measure of civic impact, not purely research innovation¡±, 바카라사이트 report says.

The civic university fund should be worth around ?500 million over five years, 바카라사이트 report recommends. Universities would bid competitively for multi-year projects, with a ¡°preference towards supporting places that are both economically and socially vulnerable¡±.

Ano바카라사이트r recommendation urges universities to act as ¡°role models¡± as employers and procurers by paying 바카라사이트 ¡°living wage¡± and using 바카라사이트ir spending power to ¡°buy local¡±.

Lord Kerslake warned on 바카라사이트 government¡¯s ongoing post-18 education review: ¡°If 바카라사이트 government denudes universities of a significant amount of 바카라사이트ir funding 바카라사이트n this civic activity will be at risk.¡±

The peer said he has met with 바카라사이트 new universities minister, Chris Skidmore, describing him as ¡°very open¡± to 바카라사이트 report¡¯s agenda.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com