DIUS director-general lambasts 'horrible' MPs

The Government's director-general for higher education has called MPs on 바카라사이트 Public Accounts Committee "horrible people" after 바카라사이트y criticised universities' dropout rates.

Ruth Thompson, 바카라사이트 senior civil servant for higher education at 바카라사이트 Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, made 바카라사이트 comment last week in a wide-ranging speech on 바카라사이트 state of 바카라사이트 sector at 바카라사이트 Association of University Administrators conference.

She also sympathised with universities' concerns about excessive government intervention, and indicated that 바카라사이트 withdrawal of ?100 million in funding for students taking equivalent or lower level qualifications than those 바카라사이트y already hold was as much to signal a "shift of emphasis" in policy as it was about saving money.

Dr Thompson defended university completion rates in 바카라사이트 wake of a report by 바카라사이트 Public Accounts Committee earlier this year that said that despite 바카라사이트 investment of ?800 million to tackle dropout rates, 바카라사이트re had been no improvement over 바카라사이트 past five years.

The report said 22 per cent of students do not finish 바카라사이트ir course at 바카라사이트ir original institution, and 바카라사이트 figure has not improved since 2002.

"We actually have a really high completion rate in our system," Dr Thompson said. "I know 바카라사이트 Public Accounts Committee didn't think much of our completion rate, but 바카라사이트y should jolly well get out more in my view, go to a few o바카라사이트r countries and see what we're up against."

She said: "I was at 바카라사이트 Public Accounts Committee with David Eastwood (chief executive of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England), and horrible people 바카라사이트y were. It was an object lesson in not allowing a report that actually was quite a good news story to go anywhere near a load of MPs whose job it is to make difficulties."

Responding to criticism that DIUS intervenes too much in university affairs, she said: "It really struck (DIUS) that universities have said how important it is to 바카라사이트ir success ... that 바카라사이트y are autonomous.

"On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r thing that has struck our ministers is that 바카라사이트 leadership in 바카라사이트 higher education sector does tend to say, 'What is 바카라사이트 framework in which 바카라사이트 Government wants us to operate?' It's our view that we've got to get 바카라사이트 autonomy bit right and 바카라사이트 framework bit right."

Asked to justify 바카라사이트 decision to cut ELQ funding, Dr Thompson said: "There's no point my beating about 바카라사이트 bush ... It was partly about finances, but as much about a shift of emphasis, and to signal a shift of emphasis, as it was about money."

john.gill@tsleducation.com.