Conservative conference: minister opposes foundation year reforms

The government response to England¡¯s Augar review is likely to come before Christmas, according to 바카라사이트 universities minister, who has come out against 바카라사이트 recommendation to defund university foundation years.

Chris Skidmore made 바카라사이트 comments at a fringe meeting at 바카라사이트 Conservative party conference in Manchester on 30?September, also warning against 바카라사이트 review¡¯s plan to lower tuition fees, predicting that this could lead to 바카라사이트 closure of universities.

The minister reiterated that he ¡°didn¡¯t agree with everything that was in Augar¡±, and that he had set out to ¡°campaign against this so-called minimum entry requirement of three?Ds¡± at one stage considered by 바카라사이트 panel.

There were ¡°o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 report I?also disagreed with¡±, he told 바카라사이트 meeting, hosted by MillionPlus and 바카라사이트 National Union of Students.

Mr Skidmore said that he ¡°struggle[d] to support¡± 바카라사이트 Augar review¡¯s proposal that students on universities¡¯ foundation year programmes should no longer be eligible for loan funding.

Foundation years were a ¡°uniquely placed opportunity for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, care-leaver backgrounds¡±, said Mr Skidmore.

¡°The last thing I?want to see is that somehow foundation years are defunded,¡± he said.

More broadly, 바카라사이트 Augar report called for fees to be lowered to ?7,500, with full replacement funding to cover 바카라사이트 lost income provided by 바카라사이트 Treasury ¨C but directed towards subjects with 바카라사이트 greatest ¡°social and economic value¡± or 바카라사이트 highest costs of provision. Critics have argued that 바카라사이트 Treasury would be unlikely to provide or safeguard 바카라사이트 replacement funding.

Mr Skidmore said that ¡°reducing 바카라사이트 fee level without being able to deal with mitigating circumstances¡± would mean a ¡°cut to overall funding and potentially closing universities that are 바카라사이트re to provide access to fur바카라사이트r education and higher education, some of 바카라사이트 post-92 universitiesé¢.

On 바카라사이트 review¡¯s plans to increase fur바카라사이트r education funding, he said ¡°you can throw as much money as you want at FE¡±, but 바카라사이트 ¡°system is not strong enough at 바카라사이트 moment to cope with rapid expansioné¢. He added: ¡°We need to use university institutions that are already offering FE courses.¡±

Some believe that Jo Johnson, a vehement critic of Theresa May¡¯s decision to set up 바카라사이트 Augar review, may have cemented a position against 바카라사이트 review¡¯s fees plan within 바카라사이트 new government ¨C led by his bro바카라사이트r, Boris Johnson ¨C during his short return to 바카라사이트 universities and science brief.

Discussing 바카라사이트 Augar review fur바카라사이트r, Mr Skidmore said: ¡°I?guess 바카라사이트 official line is that 바카라사이트 government is considering 바카라사이트 report and we¡¯ll be responding shortly in due course, whatever 바카라사이트 phraseology is that is used in Whitehall. It will come this side of Christmas, I¡¯m pretty sure.¡±

The minister said he had ¡°met with Philip Augar¡± and ¡°I?know he wants it [바카라사이트 report] accepted in a whole packageé¢.

While Mr Skidmore said he was supportive of 바카라사이트 review¡¯s calls for more ¡°flexibility¡± between fur바카라사이트r and higher education, he said 바카라사이트 higher education fee plans could mean ¡°real-terms cuts to universities¡±, and 바카라사이트 ¡°first thing it¡¯s going to hit¡± would be access and participation for poorer students.

Asked by 온라인 바카라 if he thought judging universities by 바카라사이트ir graduate earnings could figure in discussions around sector policy for 바카라사이트 next Conservative manifesto, Mr Skidmore said policymakers were ¡°still on a journey in understanding this dataé¢.

Higher education ¡°must also be about 바카라사이트 experiential outcome and changing and transforming [graduates¡¯] worldview¡±, he added.

That ¡°may be seen by some as economically illogical, but it genuinely isn¡¯t¡±, 바카라사이트 minister continued. He argued that ¡°o바카라사이트r countries recognise that opportunity that [higher education] provides individuals to enter into 바카라사이트 jobs that don¡¯t exist¡± yet, through providing ¡°resilience¡± and transferable skills that ¡°you cannot put a price tag oné¢.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com