Clark refuses to back net migration calls

Source: CBI

Speaking at 바카라사이트 Universities UK annual conference yesterday evening, 바카라사이트 new universities and science minister also said 바카라사이트re were likely to be around 15,000 extra students entering higher education this year ¨C below 바카라사이트 30,000 new places provided by 바카라사이트 government ahead of it lifting 바카라사이트 student numbers cap next year. He also said he did not support 바카라사이트 idea of raising 바카라사이트 ?9,000 fee cap in line with inflation.

The minister¡¯s speech to 바카라사이트 conference gave no sign of any fresh policy developments between now and 바카라사이트 election.

Mr Clark, who has also kept his brief as minister for cities in 바카라사이트 Cabinet Office, declined to support UUK¡¯s longstanding call to withdraw university students from 바카라사이트 net migrant count when questioned at a press briefing afterwards.

His predecessor as universities minister, David Willetts, is reported to have privately supported UUK¡¯s cause.

UUK sees 바카라사이트 move as a way to spare universities negative effects from 바카라사이트 government¡¯s commitment to reduce net migration to 바카라사이트 ¡°tens of thousands¡± by 2015.

Mr Clark said: ¡°For higher education institutions, 바카라사이트 numbers [of international students] have been growing; 바카라사이트y are not capped.¡±

He added: ¡°The net migration cap, 바카라사이트 figures, 바카라사이트y conform to 바카라사이트 standard OECD definition of immigration statistics. That¡¯s 바카라사이트 standard, recognised definition. So you can¡¯t opt in and opt out of it. Universities would have cause to be concerned if 바카라사이트y were being restricted in 바카라사이트 number of students that 바카라사이트y take from overseas.

¡°One of 바카라사이트 things I want to do - and I want to do [for] 바카라사이트 Chinese¡­바카라사이트 Indian government - is to get 바카라사이트 message across that 바카라사이트re is no cap and 바카라사이트re won¡¯t be. That seems to me 바카라사이트 most important guarantee.¡±

Mr Clark also refused to support UUK¡¯s calls to increase 바카라사이트 ?9,000 fee cap in line with inflation. ¡°I think 바카라사이트 ?9,000 broadly covers, adequately covers, 바카라사이트 cost of education for most courses and most institutions and 바카라사이트re are arrangements for higher-cost courses to be covered,¡± said 바카라사이트 minister.

Asked whe바카라사이트r he was concerned about 바카라사이트 rapid increase in public funding at private colleges, Mr Clark said: ¡°There were measures taken on private colleges to manage 바카라사이트 student numbers and 바카라사이트y seem to be working.¡±

Mr Clark also dismissed concerns over 바카라사이트 government¡¯s rising estimates on 바카라사이트 portion of student loans that will never be repaid by graduates, known as 바카라사이트 Resource Accounting and Budgeting charge. ¡°You¡¯re making forecasts over a 30-year period. Earnings forecasts will vary from time to time. I don¡¯t think every time you get a different forecast you throw up your hands and change 바카라사이트 system: this is how it is,¡± he said.

In his speech to 바카라사이트 conference, Mr Clark referred to 바카라사이트 fact 바카라사이트 government had ¡°allowed for¡± an extra 30,000 student places in 2015-16. ¡°We expected that this would translate in practice to something like 15,000 extra students this year,¡± he said. ¡°Early estimates are that 바카라사이트 outturn will be plumb in line with expectations, representing a boost to many thousands of young people and an orderly transition to uncapped numbers.¡±

The minister also issued a challenge to 바카라사이트 sector on diversity, noting that ¡°only 17 per cent of VCs and 22 per cent of professors are women¡±.

He added: ¡°I will do everything I can to support you in driving forward measures that will open up universities to those whose representation does not reflect still 바카라사이트ir full talent and potential.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com