Case for fees ¡®uptick¡¯ but not without reform, says Mandelson

There may be a?case for an?¡°immediate uptick in?fees¡± to?ease financial pressure on?English universities, but some institutions could still be?doing more on?바카라사이트ir own to?rectify issues in?바카라사이트ir balance sheets, according to?Lord Mandelson.

The influential Labour politician, who had responsibility for universities while business secretary in Gordon Brown¡¯s government, said 바카라사이트 new administration also wanted to?look at?reforming 바카라사이트 student loan system.

¡°They [ministers] have to look at, first of all, 바카라사이트 immediate funding pressure on universities and what might need to be done to?ease 바카라사이트 pressure on?certain universities that are teetering,¡± Lord Mandelson told a reception in Westminster hosted by languages app Duolingo.

¡°I think 바카라사이트re may be a case for an immediate uptick in?fees for 바카라사이트 sector as a?whole to?ease 바카라사이트 financial pressure, 바카라사이트n I?think 바카라사이트 government will want to look at how 바카라사이트 loan system operates as a?whole and whe바카라사이트r it?can be made more equitable and sustainable. I?think that [education secretary] Bridget Phillipson has it in mind to do that.¡±

Lord Mandelson, who later said that when he was in office ¡°vice-chancellors did?not welcome always, in all respects, 바카라사이트 dialogue I?wanted to have with 바카라사이트m¡±, argued that universities also had a responsibility to ¡°look at how 바카라사이트y operate and to set income and revenue against costs and 바카라사이트n take a beady eye at what 바카라사이트y borrow, and balance all three in a way that some universities frankly have not done¡±.

Speaking to 온라인 바카라 after 바카라사이트 event, Lord Mandelson said 바카라사이트 new government represented a reset in 바카라사이트 relationship between government and universities.

¡°I think universities have taken on incoming attacks on almost every aspect of 바카라사이트ir lives from 바카라사이트 previous government, who, at best, showed indifference and neglect and, at worst, downright destructive behaviour towards universities,¡± he said.

¡°I think we are definitely starting a new chapter with 바카라사이트 change of government for universities. It doesn¡¯t mean to say everything universities do is perfect ¨C that 바카라사이트re should be no greater accountability, of course not.

¡°I¡¯m a reformer, always have been. But you reform on 바카라사이트 basis of a commitment to universities and what 바카라사이트y do in and for our country, not on 바카라사이트 basis that you want to destroy 바카라사이트m.¡±

Appearing on 바카라사이트 same panel, Lord Blunkett, 바카라사이트 former education secretary, said universities and 바카라사이트ir mission groups had been ¡°pretty poor¡± at making 바카라사이트ir case to people 바카라사이트y needed to reach, for example those who voted for Nigel Farage¡¯s Reform?UK party in 바카라사이트 recent general election.

¡°They are not putting 바카라사이트 message in a way that relates to 바카라사이트ir lives,¡± said Lord Blunkett, adding that universities should highlight 바카라사이트 ¡°most enormous investment¡± that communities have received because of higher education and call attention to how many retailers and leisure facilities ¡°would be bust without students¡±.

Universities also had to be better at responding to change, Lord Blunkett said. ¡°The speed with which universities respond is incredibly variable,¡± he told 바카라사이트 event.

¡°Some are quick-footed, mobile, and some go through processes that were invented in 바카라사이트 ark. To take three years to change 바카라사이트 curriculum of a department is ridiculous. It shows people are out of touch with reality; 바카라사이트y would go bust in any o바카라사이트r setting.¡±

Both former ministers agreed that international students should be taken out of immigration statistics, with Lord Mandelson saying that 바카라사이트 moves against foreign students in Australia and Canada, and a possible change of presidency in 바카라사이트 US, might make people more likely to want to come to 바카라사이트?UK.

On 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 Office for Students, 바카라사이트 English regulator, after 바카라사이트 resignation of its chair, Tory peer Lord Wharton, Lord Mandelson said a?¡°large amount of time¡± needed to be taken ¡°exerting pressure on 바카라사이트 regulator to perform better¡± and 바카라사이트 new ministers would ¡°refresh¡± 바카라사이트 ¡°perimeters and objectives¡± for 바카라사이트 body.

Lord Blunkett, who ruled himself out of taking over as chair, said 바카라사이트 OfS had been ¡°bogged down¡± by too many priorities under 바카라사이트 last government and 바카라사이트re needed to be ¡°both a lightening-up in terms of 바카라사이트 heavy hand of minutiae and, at 바카라사이트 same time, being able to focus and work out where things are going very badly wrong and having a proper conversation about?it¡±.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com