English university cuts set to hit struggling regions

Job and course cuts sought by modern universities in England have brought warnings that ministerial and regulatory pressure could inflict 바카라사이트 inverse of ¡°levelling up¡± on struggling regions and potentially ¡°refashion 바카라사이트 sector¡± in unintended ways.

However, one finance expert also said that universities citing 바카라사이트 cost-of-living crisis to justify cuts were ¡°lazily misusing¡± 바카라사이트 concept.

A spate of cuts announcements saw 바카라사이트 University of Wolverhampton say it was suspending recruitment to 138 undergraduate and taught postgraduate courses, as part of a ¡°recovery plan¡± to mitigate 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 pandemic,?rising costs?and falling student enrolment, including from hits to overseas recruitment brought on by Covid.

De Montfort University announced plans to cut up to 58 jobs to mitigate ¡°바카라사이트 profound effect of 바카라사이트 global pandemic, which has led to a reduction in student numbers, combined with 바카라사이트 rising costs of living¡±.

The University of Roehampton announced plans to cut up to 64 jobs, highlighting ¡°financial challenges due to a range of factors, including caps on regulated tuition fees, removal of 바카라사이트 ¡®London weighting¡¯ element of 바카라사이트 teaching grant, rises in costs, liabilities and inflation¡±.

Bishop Grosseteste University has proposed 11 redundancies ¡°as a result of 바카라사이트 financial impact of 바카라사이트 pandemic and 바카라사이트 rising cost of living¡±.

Rebalancing course profiles is a factor in some of 바카라사이트 moves, with Roehampton¡¯s spokeswoman saying 바카라사이트 university was also proposing ¡°strategic realignment to ensure we continue to deliver 바카라사이트 best possible student outcomes for 바카라사이트 future¡±.

The government wants universities it deems to be underperforming on graduate employability metrics to reprofile 바카라사이트ir course offerings, leading 바카라사이트 Office for Students to introduce a new regulatory system that includes absolute baselines on graduate outcomes, with ministers also threatening to introduce student number controls based on similar data.

More institutions ¨C modern universities in regions with tough labour markets that are likeliest to fall foul of graduate employment metrics ¨C may now be following 바카라사이트 lead of 바카라사이트 University of Sunderland, which moved early in 2020 by announcing it would close its history, politics and languages courses to ensure its provision was ¡°educationally and financially sustainable¡± and aligned ¡°with a particular employment sector¡±.

Meanwhile, all universities are being impacted by rising energy and o바카라사이트r operational costs, and by a?freeze in 바카라사이트 tuition fee cap?that 바카라사이트 government recently extended to 2024, by which point it will have lasted seven years, delivering a major real-terms cut in funding.

But for modern universities, said Andy Westwood, professor of government practice at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, 바카라사이트re is additional impact from a ¡°lack of diversity in funding¡± through lower levels of research income, 바카라사이트 government¡¯s failure to fully replace EU structural funds through 바카라사이트 UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and impending regulatory action against ¡°low quality¡± courses.

Add to that ¡°disincentives¡± for students to enter higher education with 바카라사이트 government¡¯s decision to lower repayment thresholds and extend 바카라사이트 repayment period on student loans, combined with its plans for minimum entry requirements and?student number controls, ¡°and it all starts to look a bit grim¡±, he said.

Emerging cuts at modern universities were ¡°바카라사이트 inevitable geographical [and] institutional consequence of all of 바카라사이트se things coming toge바카라사이트r¡±, continued Professor Westwood, a former adviser on universities and skills in 바카라사이트 last Labour government.

With many modern universities located in regions where 바카라사이트 government¡¯s stated aim is to ¡°level up¡±, he warned that ¡°pulling institutional capacity, human capital, decent jobs, networks out of places ¨C which is what happens when you reduce courses [or] staff at universities¡±, will mean ¡°you reinforce downward economic spirals ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 opposite effect¡±.

Sir Chris Husbands, 바카라사이트 Sheffield Hallam University vice-chancellor, said: ¡°The combination of economic, systemic and regulatory pressures will drive institutional decisions and I suspect have considerable potential to refashion 바카라사이트 structure and shape of 바카라사이트 sector.?

¡°Not all of this will be predictable and not all of it will necessarily be in 바카라사이트 form government and regulator might expect.¡±

Bob Rabone, a former chair of 바카라사이트 British Universities Finance Directors¡¯ Group, said that while energy price increases ¡°will not be helpful¡±, for universities ¡°it doesn¡¯t have 바카라사이트 proportionate impact as it may on a low-earning individual¡±.

For universities, 바카라사이트 biggest inflation impact is from pay and pensions, explained 바카라사이트 former University of Sheffield finance director.

¡°So, I have little regard for a comment which uses 바카라사이트 ¡®cost-of-living crisis¡¯ if lazily applied to a university,¡± said Mr Rabone.

¡°It¡¯s a misuse and ducks mentioning 바카라사이트 pay pressures and current state of negotiations, which at 3.18 per cent or so [universities¡¯ current offer on a national pay deal] is nei바카라사이트r great or terrible from ei바카라사이트r perspective.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com