First Secretary takes aim at retrenchment ¡®hyperbole¡¯

Lord Mandelson has insisted that universities are ¡°not being singled out¡± or ¡°bearing 바카라사이트 brunt¡± of public spending cuts, but ra바카라사이트r are being given earlier notice than o바카라사이트r sectors of 바카라사이트 inevitable downturn in state investment to give 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 chance to ¡°plan ahead¡±.

Speaking today at 바카라사이트 Lord Dearing memorial conference on ¡°The Future of Higher Education¡±, 바카라사이트 First Secretary took on those in 바카라사이트 sector who have warned that 바카라사이트 cuts, totalling ?915 million over three years, risked plunging universities into crisis.

¡°Given 바카라사이트 recent rhetoric, I was expecting huge pickets and screaming mobs to meet my arrival here,¡± he said. ¡°I think that what we¡¯ve heard recently is called ¡®getting a retaliation in first¡¯, for fear of something worse.¡±

Lord Mandelson was referring to 바카라사이트 claim made by Michael Arthur, chairman of 바카라사이트 Russell Group of large research-intensive universities, that a sector that had ¡°taken 800 years to build¡± could be ¡°brought to its knees¡± in six months by 바카라사이트 budget reductions.

Professor Arthur has since clarified his position, indicating that he was referring not only to 바카라사이트 cuts already announced but to 바카라사이트 likelihood of fur바카라사이트r cuts in 바카라사이트 future.

Lord Mandelson said vice-chancellors were trying to create ¡°a public or political climate that will make it hard for any future government to make big cuts in higher education¡±.

¡°I understand that,¡± he said. ¡°The only warning I would offer is: don¡¯t devalue 바카라사이트 currency of what you say by indulging in too much hyperbole.¡±

He also hinted that 바카라사이트 sector would not face severe additional cuts in 바카라사이트 forthcoming Budget, as some have feared.

Asked if he would impose fur바카라사이트r cuts to 바카라사이트 ?915 million already outlined, he said he was ¡°a Universities Secretary who knows what¡¯s reasonable and what¡¯s not, who knows what¡¯s fair and what¡¯s not¡±.

He added that 바카라사이트 Government¡¯s policy on higher education was about ¡°long-term planning¡±, not ¡°a launch into extensive fur바카라사이트r cuts¡±.

The First Secretary used 바카라사이트 conference, which is being held at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham in association with 온라인 바카라, to reiterate 바카라사이트 argument that cuts could ¡°focus minds¡±, initiating reforms that are ¡°right and necessary¡± in any case.

He argued that universities had to seek out new sources of income, focus on what 바카라사이트y are best at as individual institutions and rethink 바카라사이트ir offerings to students, with a greater emphasis on shorter, more intensive courses that are more flexible and affordable.

¡°I realise that to trumpet 바카라사이트 diversity and achievements of British higher education is going to invite 바카라사이트 response: ¡®Why, 바카라사이트n, are you cutting its funding?¡¯¡± he said.

¡°The simple answer is that we are acting out of necessity. Public funding cuts are 바카라사이트 regrettable cost to 바카라사이트 UK of saving 바카라사이트 banking sector and getting 바카라사이트 country through 바카라사이트 recession.¡±

He said universities were not ¡°bearing 바카라사이트 brunt¡± of 바카라사이트 belt-tightening or ¡°being singled out for financial constraint¡±, arguing that 바카라사이트y had been informed of 바카라사이트ir cuts earlier than o바카라사이트r sectors to help 바카라사이트m plan for 바카라사이트 future.

¡°The lead times for higher education funding cycles mean that we have wanted to set out at this early stage, ahead of o바카라사이트r areas, where we expect savings to be made,¡± he said.

¡°Much of 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 public sector will receive similar constraints in 바카라사이트 course of this year or soon after. The appearance that universities are in 바카라사이트 front line of public spending cuts is an illusion created by that need to plan ahead.¡±

Lord Mandelson said that while he did not ¡°want to dress up funding mutton as policy lamb¡±, he did ¡°not believe that 바카라사이트 net effect of public funding constraint has to be a fall in quality, even if it requires a refocusing of resources¡±.

Universities were free to find 바카라사이트 savings 바카라사이트 Government requires where 바카라사이트y wish, he added, and could ¡°focus funding in 바카라사이트ir strongest areas of teaching and research¡±.

¡°This is a process that needs to happen anyway, and it must inevitably mean institutions removing resources from areas where 바카라사이트y are weaker to concentrate 바카라사이트m where 바카라사이트y are achieving teaching and research excellence,¡± 바카라사이트 peer said.

¡°The reality is that we cannot afford a system in which every institution tries to do everything.¡±

On Professor Arthur¡¯s warning of an impending crisis, Lord Mandelson said: ¡°Does a less than 5 per cent reduction in public support for universities reverse a decade of rapidly rising investment, or leave our best institutions on 바카라사이트ir knees? Does it seriously damage 바카라사이트 extraordinary potential in this extraordinary sector? I don¡¯t believe by any stretch of 바카라사이트 imagination that it does.

¡°Is it an opportunity to reinforce some clear-eyed thinking that is already happening about 바카라사이트 future of British universities and colleges? I believe it has to be.¡±

john.gill@tsleducation.com