¡®Cash-for-access¡¯ claim over ?1 million bill for Whitehall ties

The UK government has been criticised for charging four universities a combined ?1 million to cover 바카라사이트 cost of a team of officials who help Whitehall departments ¡°weave academic insight into 바카라사이트 policymaking process¡±.

One source questioned whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 Open Innovation Team project amounted to universities being offered a ¡°form of cash-for-access to 바카라사이트 policy process¡±. The Cabinet Office announced last month that 바카라사이트 scheme would be extended for a fur바카라사이트r three years, after launching as a pilot in 2016, with four institutions ¨C Brunel University London, Lancaster University, and 바카라사이트 universities of Essex and York ¨C agreeing a ¡°?1 million three-year funding deal¡±.

Oliver Dowden, 바카라사이트 minister for implementation, said at 바카라사이트 time that each university ¡°will contribute ?85,000 per year to help us cover staff and project costs for a team of officials dedicated to helping Whitehall departments weave academic insight into 바카라사이트 policy-making process.

¡°In return, our partners will receive a range of benefits designed to boost collaboration with 바카라사이트ir academics and educate 바카라사이트ir students about 바카라사이트 policymaking process.¡±

He added that ¡°while officials will work closely with 바카라사이트se partners, it won¡¯t be an exclusive relationship¡± and civil servants ¡°will continue to work with academics from o바카라사이트r institutions, just as 바카라사이트y have since 바카라사이트 team was set up¡±.

The initial trial, which ran from 2016?to 2018, and was funded by Lancaster alongside 바카라사이트 universities of Bath, Southampton and Warwick, was billed by 바카라사이트 Cabinet Office as having helped government officials to ¡°connect with more than 500 academics and deliver almost 30 projects, covering some of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s key policy priorities¡±, including ¡°white papers on mental health and online harm, as well as projects on economic growth and gender equality¡±.

But some in 바카라사이트 higher education sector have argued that 바카라사이트 government should be opening up to academic expertise as a matter of course, without charge. One source suggested to 온라인 바카라 that some universities were deterred from joining on principle by 바카라사이트 required payments.

Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute and a former special adviser in government, said that while it was welcome to see policymakers engaging with academics and no minister should be criticised for engaging with research, he was ¡°surprised by 바카라사이트 flow of resources¡±.

¡°Research is underfunded in universities as it is¡­and we are not on 바카라사이트 right trajectory to hit 바카라사이트 government¡¯s own research spending targets. So 바카라사이트 government urgently needs to spend more of its own resources on research,¡± he said.

¡°Plus, charging a handful of universities to have impact seems a little odd when policymakers should be searching for 바카라사이트 best policy solutions from all sources.¡±

A Cabinet Office spokesman said: ¡°Working with academics through 바카라사이트 Open Innovation Team has brought expertise and fresh thinking into how government officials approach some of 바카라사이트 most challenging policy issues.

¡°The team works with universities from across 바카라사이트 sector, not just those who sponsor 바카라사이트 project, to generate new ideas to help improve 바카라사이트 work of government.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com