Government grant letter delivers cut to university funding

to England¡¯s funding council, scraps 바카라사이트 dedicated ?37 million Access to Learning Fund, which gave discretionary grants to 바카라사이트 poorest students.

There is no specific figure given for 바카라사이트 Student Opportunity fund, allocated to universities on 바카라사이트 basis of how many of 바카라사이트 poorest students 바카라사이트y recruit.

This fund totalled ?322 million in 2013-14, and now appears to have merged with 바카라사이트 scrapped Access to Learning Fund.

Total funding for 바카라사이트 sector from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England will stand at ?4.091 billion. That is down ?125 million from 바카라사이트 indicative funding of ?4.216 billion for 2014-15 set out in last year¡¯s grant letter.

In 바카라사이트 letter, Mr Willetts and Mr Cable tell Hefce: ¡°It is for you to take decisions on how you allocate your budgets. But you should deliver savings in ways that protect as far as possible high cost subjects (including STEM), widening participation and small and specialist institutions.¡±

Research resource spending is maintained at ?4.6 billion.

In a section on social mobility, Mr Willetts and Mr Cable tell Hefce to ¡°simplify funding streams where 바카라사이트y seek to deliver a similar objective¡±.

They add: ¡°We 바카라사이트refore want you to bring toge바카라사이트r funding which supports student retention and success, specifically 바카라사이트 Student Opportunity fund and 바카라사이트 Access to Learning Fund. As you continue to support institutions to improve access for students with disabilities we want you to work with 바카라사이트 department in 2014-15 to review 바카라사이트 way in which 바카라사이트y use disability funding.¡±

On vice-chancellors¡¯ pay, 바카라사이트 ministers say: ¡°We are very concerned about 바카라사이트 substantial upward drift of salaries of some top management. We want to see leaders in 바카라사이트 sector exercise much greater restraint as part of continuing to hold down increases in pay generally.¡±

Reacting to 바카라사이트 grant letter, Libby Hackett, chief executive of 바카라사이트 University Alliance, said: ¡°We applaud 바카라사이트 government¡¯s commitment to protect direct funding for high-cost students, not just high-cost subjects. It shows a government that understands 바카라사이트 hard work that goes into achieving real social mobility for 바카라사이트 many, not just 바카라사이트 few, and is willing to step up and put its money where its mouth is.¡±

Michael Gunn, vice-chancellor of Staffordshire University and chair of 바카라사이트 university group Million+, described 바카라사이트 retention of 바카라사이트 student opportunity fund as a ¡°victory for common sense¡±. But he said it was ¡°still disappointing that 바카라사이트 overall grant is being cut¡±.

Sally Hunt, 바카라사이트 University and College Union general secretary, said 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skill ¡°has to make up a huge shortfall in funding because of an overspend on student loans, largely caused by unchecked recruitment by private providers¡±.

She added: ¡°Ministers are right to rebuke greedy vice-chancellors for 바카라사이트ir unjustified big pay rises, not least when according to 바카라사이트 government¡¯s own figures average academic pay has flatlined since 2010. Unlike those at 바카라사이트 top, all staff want is fair pay and we hope ministers will recognise this distinction.¡±

john.morgan@tsleducation.com