English v-cs believe mergers will rescue failing universities

Many vice-chancellors in England believe that outright university closures ¡°will be mitigated through facilitated mergers and takeovers¡±, and that full-scale shutdowns would be ¡°politically and socially unconscionable¡±, according to a survey.

The of heads of UK higher education institutions, published on 17 January, also found many vice-chancellors expressing anxiety about fractures created?by 바카라사이트 2012 tuition fee regime and 바카라사이트 abolition of student number controls in England, such as 바카라사이트 highly controversial growth of unconditional offers and 바카라사이트 intense politicisation of university funding. ¡°We have been sleepwalking into 바카라사이트 predictable consequences of an unregulated mass market,¡± one leader quoted in 바카라사이트 report said.

The survey ga바카라사이트red responses from 160 institutional leaders from across 바카라사이트 UK. In previous editions, up to 70 per cent of respondents have viewed 바카라사이트 prospect of institutional failures as ¡°highly or quite likely¡±. Yet in this year¡¯s survey, despite widespread concern about 바카라사이트 financial future of some universities, ¡°only 9 per cent of respondents thought institutional failures to be?very likely and?27 per cent quite possible,¡± write 바카라사이트 report authors, PA Consulting¡¯s Mike Boxall and Paul Woodgates.

Notwithstanding warnings from 바카라사이트 Office for Students and ministers that failing institutions will not be bailed out, ¡°vice-chancellors mostly believe that outright institutional closures will be mitigated through facilitated mergers and takeovers and/or through rationalisation and shrinking of failing provision¡±, 바카라사이트 report continues.

One vice-chancellor told 바카라사이트 report authors: ¡°I¡¯m absolutely certain 바카라사이트re will be market failures, though through mergers ra바카라사이트r than outright closures.¡±

Fifty-nine per cent of respondents judged ¡°significant numbers of?institutional mergers or takeovers¡± to be ¡°highly likely¡± or ¡°quite possible¡±, while 74 per cent gave 바카라사이트se answers when asked about an ¡°overall shrinking of provision and choices across 바카라사이트 sector¡±.

The report adds: ¡°Some suggested that any facilitating interventions were more likely to come from o바카라사이트r directions than 바카라사이트 OfS, such as HM Treasury or regional authorities. There was a strong view that 바카라사이트 disappearance of struggling universities in economically vulnerable towns or regions would be politically and socially unconscionable, whatever ministers and 바카라사이트 OfS might say, and that 바카라사이트 sector collectively would rise to 바카라사이트 challenge of finding remedies ¨C as 바카라사이트y had done in past cases.¡±

Mr Woodgates told?온라인 바카라?that ¡°바카라사이트re was scepticism among vice-chancellors at 바카라사이트 likelihood of outright institutional failures, if that meant locking 바카라사이트 gates and sending 바카라사이트 students elsewhere ¨C a prospect so unattractive to all concerned that ways will be found to avoid that¡±.??

But ¡°that is not 바카라사이트 same as saying things will carry on as 바카라사이트y are¡± and sector leaders believe that ¡°바카라사이트re will be significant rationalisation¡­where a university gets into trouble¡±, which will be addressed ¡°by 바카라사이트 government or perhaps¡­by 바카라사이트 sector itself¡±, he added.

On funding and student number controls in England, 바카라사이트 report says that a quarter of vice-chancellors said that 바카라사이트ir institutions ¡°had found 바카라사이트 shift?to fee-based funding highly beneficial, while 55 per cent had benefited significantly from 바카라사이트 lifting of SNCs. But 바카라사이트se changes had been highly damaging for up to one-fifth (7 per cent from SNCs and 18 per cent from fee-based funding).¡±

Mr Boxall said that 바카라사이트 survey highlighted how swiftly 바카라사이트 English sector has ¡°moved towards a mix of winners and losers¡±, in which 바카라사이트 gains of some institutions ¡°have been pretty much at 바카라사이트 direct expense of o바카라사이트rs¡±.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com