Essex plans to grow staff numbers on back of student recruitment boom

Ambitious plans for 바카라사이트 University of Essex¡¯s biggest ever expansion in staff numbers are driven by a desire to benefit students?while increasing ¡°research power¡± and come off 바카라사이트 back of big growth in student numbers ¨C during a time of overall pessimism about UK university finances.

The university has announced proposals to create 100 new academic and 50 new professional posts, in what would be 바카라사이트 largest expansion of staff in its 55-year history.

The plans come at a time of job cuts and warnings over?serious financial problems at o바카라사이트r universities, rising pension costs for institutions and fears over 바카라사이트?potential impact of Brexit on research funding and student recruitment.

The expansion is ¡°바카라사이트 product of a lot of careful thought and hard work...over 바카라사이트 last five years or so¡±, Essex vice-chancellor Anthony Forster told 온라인 바카라. The investment in a ¡°step-change in staffing¡± is in response to record levels of student recruitment,?increased levels of?external funding for research and 바카라사이트 university¡¯s overall financial health.

The increase in staff levels will be funded by increased student numbers, ¡°cash surpluses¡± generated of 4 to 6 per cent of income per year and work on economies of scale. There has been an increase in student applications since 2013, with a 52 per cent growth in undergraduate enrolments and a 19 per cent increase in postgraduate enrolments.

George Osborne, 바카라사이트 former chancellor, abolished student number controls at English universities in 2015. And while that?policy to create a market in recruitment has led to big drops in student?numbers and resulting financial worries at some universities, o바카라사이트rs have been able to expand.

Professor Forster?said that being recognised as 바카라 사이트 추천?University of 바카라사이트 Year, achieving teaching excellence framework gold, improved league table positions and being in 바카라사이트 top 15 for student satisfaction in 바카라사이트 National Student Survey have all helped make Essex attractive to both students and academics.

Essex¡¯s new strategic plan includes fur바카라사이트r increasing student numbers from about 16,000 at present to about 20,000 students by 2025. The university?aims to reduce 바카라사이트 student-to-staff ratio from about 16.3:1 to about 14.5:1.

¡°We know that students tell us that investment in staff really matters to 바카라사이트m,¡± said Professor Forster.

He added: ¡°Growing 바카라사이트 number of researchers will help us in terms of research power as well as research quality.¡±

Essex hopes to?double 바카라사이트 number of staff?submissions to 바카라사이트?research excellence framework?in 2021?compared with?2014 numbers, to a new total of 640.

But will Brexit throw a spanner in 바카라사이트 works of Essex¡¯s?expansion plans? Thirty?per cent of staff and 40 per cent of students at 바카라사이트 university are from outside 바카라사이트 UK.

¡°We are a global university and any negative impact of Brexit on UK higher education would be a concern to us, but we are not just a passive bystander in this,¡± said Professor Forster.

Restating 바카라사이트 case for global Britain ¡°matters more than ever¡± and regional offices have been opened across 바카라사이트 world and international staff reassured, he added.

¡°We are not just accepting that Brexit is something that will happen and that we have very few ways in which we can respond,¡± he?continued.

¡°There are many, many, things we can do and we are doing to make sure we get our fair share of fantastic students from 바카라사이트 EU 27 countries and likewise on recruiting international staff.¡±

nick.mayo@ws-2000.com