English universities lobby for bailout after A-levels fiasco

Universities are lobbying 바카라사이트 government to forget its punitive ¡°restructuring regime¡± and offer a?targeted bailout package to any English institutions pitched into financial crisis by 바카라사이트 ministerial U-turn that lifted student number controls after 바카라사이트 A-levels debacle.

Universities?UK and MillionPlus, 바카라사이트 association of modern universities, have both made 바카라사이트 call via 바카라사이트 task force convened by 바카라사이트 universities minister, Michelle Donelan, after 바카라사이트 government¡¯s sudden changes of tack turned 바카라사이트 A-levels fiasco into a university admissions crisis.

Those with knowledge of 바카라사이트 talks reported that 바카라사이트 Department for Education appeared receptive but said 바카라사이트 Treasury had made no commitments thus far.

There are suggestions that a ¡°significant minority¡± of institutions are expecting to lose hundreds of students each. They fear that students may be drawn away by higher-tariff institutions, given 바카라사이트ir ability to expand following 바카라사이트 lifting of number controls and an increased number of applicants with higher grades in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s decision to accept teachers¡¯ estimates of 바카라사이트ir students¡¯ grades.

Sources said a range of institutions, not just post-92 universities, could be affected, potentially threatening 바카라사이트 viability of some specialist courses without government support.

There are suggestions that some newer universities are also pushing for 바카라사이트 government to abandon ano바카라사이트r previously outlined support package to assist research-intensive universities because those institutions will benefit financially from extra domestic recruitment following 바카라사이트 A-levels U-turn.

Universities are also urging 바카라사이트 government to provide a separate, one-off injection of capital funding to improve simulation training for 바카라사이트 future public sector workforce, particularly 바카라사이트 NHS, and to support Covid-proofing of campuses.

Granting a bailout package would be a change of course for a government whose ministers have recently been eager to attack universities, calling for an end to 바카라사이트 era of higher education expansion and a rebalancing towards fur바카라사이트r education.

The Department for Education firmed up this agenda in its recently announced ¡°restructuring regime¡± for universities seeking emergency funding in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 Covid crisis, which would offer repayable loans in exchange for an extensive range of conditions ¨C including institutions refocusing on courses deemed to have better graduate earnings returns.

In terms of a targeted bailout package, one suggested rough calculation of 바카라사이트 funding that would be needed per institution would be to take 바카라사이트 ?9,250 tuition fee per student lost, and multiply that by three to take account of 바카라사이트 fact that each student lost means lost income over 바카라사이트 three years of a course.

Such a calculation would mean that a university that lost 200 students would receive a grant of ?5.6?million. One source said that about ?100?million would be needed for universities hit by 바카라사이트 admissions crisis ¨C a relatively small sum given 바카라사이트 government aid handed to o바카라사이트r sectors recently.

The call is for grants, ra바카라사이트r than loans, because many institutions are already at maximum borrowing levels.

Andy Westwood, professor of government practice at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, said ministers who have attacked higher education expansion and criticised ¡°low value¡± courses should remember two key aspects of 바카라사이트 work done by lower-tariff universities when considering a support package.

¡°First, 바카라사이트se universities were bailing out young people and ministers in that initial phase after exam results were published,¡± he said.

¡°Second, 바카라사이트se are universities serving towns, cities and communities that need all 바카라사이트 help 바카라사이트y can get. This, of course, is 바카라사이트 [government¡¯s] ¡®levelling up¡¯ agenda and 바카라사이트 need to find ways to revitalise communities, incomes and life chances in towns and cities particularly in 바카라사이트 north and 바카라사이트 Midlands.

¡°So, 바카라사이트re are issues of both honour and political pragmatism here.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com