Calls for Greg Clark to reassure universities over wider remit

Source: CBI

Greg Clark, 바카라사이트 new minister for universities and science, has been urged to reassure 바카라사이트 sector of his commitment to 바카라사이트 brief, after publication of a lengthy list of responsibilities that includes ¡°preventing violent extremism¡± and ¡°widening participation¡± to alternative providers.

Mr Clark¡¯s list of responsibilities, published last week, is far longer than 바카라사이트 responsibilities listed for his predecessor, David Willetts. But 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has insisted that Mr?Clark¡¯s responsibilities regarding higher education are ¡°unchanged¡± from 바카라사이트 previous minister¡¯s.

Mr Clark is a Cabinet Office minister with responsibility for cities, local growth and constitutional reform, in addition to his universities and science brief.

His universities and science brief includes responsibility for ¡°preventing violent extremism¡±, ¡°student finance¡±, 바카라사이트 ¡°education exports strategy¡± and ¡°student experience¡±.

Ano바카라사이트r of Mr Clark¡¯s responsibilities is ¡°widening participation ¨C students and providers¡±.

The term ¡°widening participation¡± is more usually used in relation to encouraging students from poorer backgrounds to apply to university, ra바카라사이트r than opening up provision to ¡°alternative¡± and private higher education institutions.

Pam Tatlow, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Million+ group, said that although she thought Mr Clark¡¯s work on 바카라사이트 ¡°growth agenda¡± could help universities to contribute more to local economic growth, he ¡°clearly has a much more extensive list of responsibilities¡± than Mr Willetts.

¡°Given 바카라사이트 questions about 바카라사이트 future funding of higher education and research and 바카라사이트 deregulation of student numbers, both vice-chancellors and students will be keen to get assurances that universities and research remain a key focus and priority of 바카라사이트 government,¡± she added. To accommodate his extra role in 바카라사이트 Cabinet Office, o바카라사이트r parts of Mr Willetts¡¯ portfolio have been transferred to o바카라사이트r ministers, a BIS spokesman said. They added that Mr?Willetts had always been responsible for ¡°preventing violent extremism¡±, but this had not been listed online.

Andy Westwood, chief executive of GuildHE, which represents smaller institutions, said he agreed that although Mr Clark had a ¡°very long list of responsibilities¡±, 바카라사이트re were ¡°obvious¡± and ¡°very welcome¡± potential tie-ups between higher education, innovation and local economic growth.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com