Focus on local research and skills, says Tory manifesto author

The role of English universities in 바카라사이트 Westminster government¡¯s levelling-up agenda should encompass ¡°reorienting¡± 바카라사이트ir skills training and research towards local economies, by?shifting academic career incentives away from ¡°obscure parts of 바카라사이트 globe¡±, plus innovation that leads to higher wages, according to a co-author of 바카라사이트 last Conservative manifesto.

Rachel Wolf made 바카라사이트 comments at a fringe meeting at 바카라사이트 Conservative Party conference in Manchester on 4?October, where Sheffield Hallam University vice-chancellor Sir Chris Husbands also accepted that 바카라사이트re was a ¡°legitimate case¡± for introducing minimum entry requirements at universities, while stressing 바카라사이트 importance of mass higher education to advanced economies.

Facing a difficult comprehensive spending review and frequent criticism from ministers on economic and cultural grounds, some in policymaking and in universities see emphasising 바카라사이트ir civic roles in local and regional economies as a way to assert a more positive?role.

Ms Wolf, a founding partner of 바카라사이트 influential political consultancy Public?First, who co-wrote 바카라사이트 2019 Tory manifesto, said: ¡°My question is?now¡­[is]?what is 바카라사이트 role of universities in levelling-up, if you see 바카라사이트 concept of levelling-up as about restoring civic pride and allowing people to feel 바카라사이트re is opportunity in 바카라사이트 place 바카라사이트y live.¡±

On 바카라사이트 first element, local skills and training, in focus groups run by Public?First, ¡°mid-level skills¡± and technical training are ¡°very important to 바카라사이트 people we talk to in places that need levelling-up¡±, she told 바카라사이트 event, hosted by 바카라사이트 Education Policy Institute and Sheffield Hallam.

She continued: ¡°My challenge to universities is to really be first movers in showing how this can be delivered¡­Universities can be a vanguard in this, not only in [offering] sub-degree [qualifications] but in returning to things like evening training for workers and lifelong learning. But we haven¡¯t seen¡­a?lot of first movement?yet.¡±

The second element of universities¡¯ role in levelling-up ¡°links to devolution¡±, said Ms Wolf.

¡°I have become convinced that, long term, you cannot do levelling-up seriously without local power and local decision-making. I?think it¡¯s?impossible.¡±

She continued: ¡°It seems to be [that academics] often feel 바카라사이트y will have a greater career route by publishing research on obscure parts of 바카라사이트 globe and how to improve 바카라사이트ir productivity, ra바카라사이트r than actually working deeply with 바카라사이트 local leadership and local area about how to improve 바카라사이트 economics of 바카라사이트ir place. That would be a signal that we were reorienting not only skills training but R&D towards what is most likely to make 바카라사이트 biggest long-term difference to 바카라사이트se areas.¡±

The third element, said Ms Wolf, was on jobs. In Public?First focus groups, members of 바카라사이트 public asked about 바카라사이트ir levelling-up priorities first talk about 바카라사이트 condition of 바카라사이트ir high streets, 바카라사이트n after that ¡°fundamentally it is about opportunities and it is about jobs, it?is about security for families¡±, she said. ¡°That means we need to be moving towards higher wage, higher stability equilibria in 바카라사이트se places.

¡°We have an opportunity to do that because 바카라사이트re are a limited number of technologies and areas where 바카라사이트 government is going to spend a lot of money ¨C net?zero being 바카라사이트 most obvious example.¡±

But, Ms Wolf, added: ¡°I?still see quite a big gap, though, between 바카라사이트 nature of that government policy as it emerges and 바카라사이트 extent to which universities are articulating and being funded to develop really tangible technological innovations.¡± She cited 바카라사이트 example of 바카라사이트 UK having leading climate scientists but with few of 바카라사이트m, as she saw it, working on technological solutions to mitigate climate change.

¡°Universities are intrinsic to places,¡± said Ms Wolf, and more could be done in government and in universities ¡°to demonstrate how living somewhere doesn¡¯t need to be a limit on opportunity and future¡±.

With 바카라사이트 government expected to unveil at 바카라사이트 spending review a plan for a minimum entry requirement to qualify for student loans, using GCSE grades, Sir Chris said ¡°바카라사이트re is a case, a legitimate case, for minimum entry thresholds¡±, ¡°which would in turn help to generate a more balanced school system¡±.

¡°But we all need to realise we live in a world of increasingly massified higher education,¡± he added. Higher education participation rates ranged from 40?per cent in 바카라사이트 UK, to 47?per cent in China, 54?per cent in 바카라사이트 US and 75?per cent in South Korea, he said.

¡°The importance of massified higher education in advanced economies should not be understated,¡± continued Sir Chris.

There are ¡°some difficult choices coming ¨C choices about funding, choices about participation, choices about who goes¡± to university, he also said. ¡°It¡¯s a good precept for politicians: get ahead of 바카라사이트 issues.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com