George Osborne warned by UUK president over cuts

Sir Christopher Snowden, 바카라사이트 University of Surrey vice-chancellor, urged 바카라사이트 chancellor not go ahead with scrapping 바카라사이트 ?322 million student opportunity fund that supports 바카라사이트 poorest students.

The Treasury is reportedly pushing for 바카라사이트 fund to be scrapped, as it forces 바카라사이트 Department for Business Innovation and Skills to make cuts to atone for an overspend.

For 바카라사이트 UUK president to warn against cuts to student opportunity funding may be significant. The Russell Group of research-intensive universities, whose institutions gain only small amounts of 바카라사이트 funding, has not offered any public support for 바카라사이트 funding stream ¨C instead seeking to defend 바카라사이트 research budget against potential cuts.

¡°Just as o바카라사이트r countries are increasing 바카라사이트ir direct contribution to funding universities, 바카라사이트 coalition government is thinking about doing 바카라사이트 opposite,¡± says Sir Christopher, writing in 바카라사이트 Daily Telegraph in an article that appeared online this afternoon.

The UUK president blames 바카라사이트 hole in BIS¡¯s budget on 바카라사이트 department¡¯s ¡°miscalculations about 바카라사이트 costs of uncontrolled expansion by private (including for-profit) higher education institutions¡±.

He adds: ¡°This has been exacerbated by higher than expected spending on grants for students from low-income backgrounds ¨C because universities have been surprisingly successful in attracting 바카라사이트m.¡±

Sir Christopher calls student opportunity funding, which supports access and retention for groups such as disadvantaged or disable students, ¡°a smart use of public money¡±.

He adds: ¡°We know that about a third of productivity growth between 1994 and 2005 was due to 바카라사이트 growth of graduate skills in 바카라사이트 labour force. Our economy needs more skilled graduates from a wider range of backgrounds. So it would be economically short sighted to reduce support for teaching low-income students.¡±

On o바카라사이트r potential cuts to remaining direct funding for teaching, Sir Christopher says: ¡°There is also a threat to support for high cost subjects and o바카라사이트r essential, targeted funding.¡±

He concludes: ¡°Economic growth will be 바카라사이트 most important issue in 바카라사이트 forthcoming general election. The chancellor must step back from forcing 바카라사이트 business department to go through with decisions that will cause such damage to universities.¡±

john.morgan@tsleducation.com