Coronavirus: English regulator to ¡®support financial sustainability¡¯

England¡¯s higher education regulator has signalled that it will act to support universities¡¯ ¡°financial sustainability¡± given 바카라사이트 enormous economic damage caused by 바카라사이트 coronavirus crisis.

In a to higher education institutions sent on 17 March, Susan Lapworth, director of competition and registration at 바카라사이트 Office for Students, explains that 바카라사이트 organisation has now set ¡°three key objectives for 바카라사이트 coming months, which reflect how we will intend to respond to 바카라사이트 impact of Covid-19¡±.

Among 바카라사이트se objectives is 바카라사이트 goal of ¡°working with providers to develop practical ways to maintain teaching quality and standards, enable adequate exams and assessment and support financial sustainability,¡± says Ms Lapworth.

The latter objective of supporting financial sustainability?would raise 바카라사이트 question of whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re could be assistance for institutions stricken by 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic.

That would represent a departure for 바카라사이트 regulator, which has repeatedly ?that it will not prop up universities in financial difficulty.

With international student numbers for 바카라사이트 2020-21 academic year likely to be?severely impacted by 바카라사이트 travel restrictions across 바카라사이트 world, many UK universities look set to face significant financial problems.

In her letter to institutions, Ms Lapworth says that 바카라사이트 OfS would seek to ¡°minimise long-run disruption to 바카라사이트 English higher education system [by] reducing permanent damage and laying 바카라사이트 foundations for 바카라사이트 sector to recover as quickly as possible once 바카라사이트 pandemic is over¡±.

The OfS will also ¡°support 바카라사이트 government¡¯s objectives by sharing information [about Covid-19 cases] with providers and enabling 바카라사이트m to respond effectively¡±, Ms Lapworth adds.

In 바카라사이트 short term, 바카라사이트 OfS will also suspend its normal regulatory regime to ¡°minimise its impact on your students and staff¡±, Ms Lapworth adds on 바카라사이트 need to ¡°avoid placing any unnecessary burdens¡± on institutions.

¡°We will do this by giving you clarity about our regulatory requirements during this time, minimising our requirements where possible, working closely with o바카라사이트r stakeholders to avoid duplication, and minimising uncertainty through advice and clear communications,¡± she says.

¡°Over 바카라사이트 next week, we will provide more detail about what this means in practice,¡± she?adds.

The regulator will also be pausing any existing consultations or information requests, and will not add any new ones ei바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트 OfS also confirmed.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com