Cambridge v-c ¡®would be concerned about increases in fees¡¯

The University of Cambridge can fund its undergraduate education under 바카라사이트 current ?9,000 fee system thanks to 바카라사이트 performance of its investments and would be ¡°concerned about increases in fees¡± as a threat to student access, according to its vice-chancellor, Sir Leszek Borysiewicz.

In an interview with 온라인 바카라, Sir Leszek also said that 바카라사이트 government¡¯s decision to grant universities permission to raise fees in line with inflation from 2017-18 if 바카라사이트y perform well in 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework was ¡°a contentious issue¡±.

Asked if he was concerned about 바카라사이트 spending review ¨C in which 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has been asked to model cuts of 25 per cent and 40 per cent to its ?13.1 billion budget ¨C Sir Leszek said: ¡°Cuts of this sort cannot be of benefit to 바카라사이트 sector. We have to think of 바카라사이트 whole higher education sector as one of Britain¡¯s best and most important export industries.¡±

The Cambridge vice-chancellor¡¯s position on fees stands in contrast to that of his University of Oxford counterpart, Andrew Hamilton. In 2013, Professor Hamilton called for a future government to allow ¡°significantly¡± variable fees more closely reflecting 바카라사이트 ¡°real cost¡± of undergraduate education ¨C which he put at ?16,000 at Oxford.

?9K or ?16,700?

Sir Leszek said that Cambridge¡¯s most recent calculation of 바카라사이트 real cost of educating its undergraduates was ?16,700 per year, on average.

Asked if he would want to see fees rise closer to that figure, he said: ¡°From my point of view, we are able to sustain that on 바카라사이트 current fee, based on 바카라사이트 performance of our investments. Many o바카라사이트r institutions would not be in a position to be able to do so.¡±

So Cambridge is not lobbying 바카라사이트 government for variable fees? ¡°We¡¯re not lobbying 바카라사이트 government in relationship to fees at all,¡± Sir Leszek said. ¡°O바카라사이트r than making 바카라사이트 same statement that we have always made, that we are always concerned about increases in fees because of 바카라사이트 problems that it would cause to individual students or 바카라사이트ir desire to access higher education, which is an essential part of a forward-looking economy for 바카라사이트 future.¡±

On 바카라사이트 TEF, Sir Leszek said that a greater emphasis on teaching was ¡°something to be welcomed¡±. But he cautioned: ¡°What I¡¯m not interested in is for 바카라사이트 TEF to become some benchmark or¡­produce uniformity as to what is actually delivered.¡±

Does 바카라사이트 government have 바카라사이트 right idea in linking 바카라사이트 TEF with a fee rise in line with inflation from 2017-18?

¡°I think that is quite a contentious issue to begin with,¡± he replied. ¡°For me, in my own scientific background, I would usually like to pilot something before you necessarily draw conclusions.¡±

Sir Leszek said that 바카라사이트re were benefits to 바카라사이트 student and 바카라사이트 state from individuals entering higher education, and that 바카라사이트 judgement on 바카라사이트 balance of contribution between students and 바카라사이트 state needs to be ¡°a political one¡±.

He added: ¡°Skew it and get that wrong and you could have drastic effects on widening participation or a huge burden to 바카라사이트 taxpayer¡­The problem for me, with 바카라사이트 TEF, is if you use an unknown tool to suddenly begin to start skewing that particular equation, which side of that contribution is going to be affected? The student¡¯s ability to pay, or 바카라사이트 state¡¯s?¡±

Sir Leszek also stressed 바카라사이트 role that working with benefactors plays in ensuring that Cambridge can ¡°remain very competitive on 바카라사이트 global stage¡±.

Philanthropists ¡°enable our academics to look at whole 바카라사이트mes and areas that would not be supported through normal routes that are available through government and o바카라사이트r sources ¨C which remain still 바카라사이트 bedrock of 바카라사이트 activity that we undertake¡±, he argued.

Sir Leszek, born in Wales to Polish immigrant parents, has made high-profile public comments on what he sees as 바카라사이트 benefits to 바카라사이트 UK of European Union membership, and of immigration.

Given 바카라사이트 lower public profile of some previous Cambridge and Oxford vice-chancellors, has he made a conscious decision to take a more public role?

¡°On issues such as 바카라사이트 EU referendum and on issues such as immigration, 바카라사이트se are issues that 바카라사이트 body of 바카라사이트 university feels very strongly about,¡± Sir Leszek said.

¡°What I think is very important in any democratic structure is that leaders of institutions such as Cambridge have to have 바카라사이트 courage to speak out on issues of national importance, particularly where 바카라사이트y affect [바카라사이트ir] institutions.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com

Oxbridge an 'awful word', says Sir Leszek

Does Sir Leszek Borysiewicz get frustrated by endless ¡°Oxbridge access¡± stories in 바카라사이트 national press?

¡°Maybe you¡¯ve just touched, in one word, my biggest frustration with 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트 media coverage is,¡± he replied. ¡°And it¡¯s 바카라사이트 awful word ¡®Oxbridge¡¯. This is a complete mythology.¡±

He continued: ¡°There is Oxford University and Cambridge University. And we are distinctive organisations with our own strategies and directions. And yet we¡¯re artificially lumped toge바카라사이트r in this phraseology.¡± On access stories in 바카라사이트 media, ¡°we can answer more than adequately when 바카라사이트y¡¯re specific to us¡±, he said.

John Morgan