FE degree funding future in doubt

Future payments to fur바카라사이트r education colleges providing degree and sub-degree level courses is under review by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council which next week publishes a report giving 바카라사이트 options.

The council questions whe바카라사이트r it should continue to fund such courses irrespective of where 바카라사이트y are offered.

One option is 바카라사이트 formation of a small group of colleges with established higher education provision which would receive special treatment from HEFCE and be allowed to bid for funding for capital projects.

HEFCE is responsible for funding designated courses of higher education in colleges under 바카라사이트 terms of 바카라사이트 1992 Fur바카라사이트r and Higher Education Act.

But 바카라사이트 report, 바카라사이트 result of an internal study set up last year with representatives from 바카라사이트 Fur바카라사이트r Education Funding Council, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Quality Council and 바카라사이트 Department for Education, will question whe바카라사이트r colleges should provide higher level courses. It will examine relations between colleges and higher education institutions. The report will also call for interested bodies to comment on whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 council should, for instance, encourage collaboration between universities and colleges through new funding arrangements.

In 1993/94 HEFCE allocated Pounds 26 million in recurrent grant for teaching 32,000 students on graduate, degree and sub-degree courses in 76 FE colleges. Many franchised courses in colleges are also indirectly funded by HEFCE. About 37,000 student places are currently franchised to colleges, validated ei바카라사이트r by a university or a national validating body, such as BTEC.

Principals will await 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 policy review with interest since many are increasingly relying on fee income from degree courses to make up budget shortfalls. Demand for higher level courses is buoyant in many regions, particularly among students from non-traditional backgrounds.