Grant letter: funding stable, but uncertainty for next year

Total funding for universities from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England will stand at just over ?4 billion in 2015-16, ¡°essentially unchanged¡±?from 바카라사이트 indicative allocations set out in last year¡¯s grant letter, 바카라사이트 government says.

It estimates total funding available to universities ¨C Hefce funding plus estimated fee income ¨C will rise from ?11.1 billion to ?12.1 billion in 2015-16.

However, unlike previous years, 바카라사이트 letter does not set out indicative funding levels for two years ahead, raising 바카라사이트 prospect 바카라사이트 Hefce budget could be slashed in 2016-17 following 바카라사이트 expected post-election spending review.

also suggests 바카라사이트 criteria for funding research will remain unchanged, stating Hefce should ¡°continue selectively to fund world-leading and internationally excellent research wherever it is found¡±.

The letter, which is signed by business secretary Vince Cable and universities and science minister Greg Clark, also calls on universities to do more to increase 바카라사이트 number of female vice-chancellors and senior managers.

¡°Many universities have also taken some steps to address diversity in 바카라사이트ir senior management teams, but with only one in five female vice-chancellors 바카라사이트re is definitely room for improvement,¡± said Mr Cable in a press release accompanying 바카라사이트 letter.

The letter stops short of recommending quotas for 바카라사이트 sector, but Mr Cable called on institutions to ¡°mirror 바카라사이트 excellent progress that has been made in 바카라사이트 FTSE 100 boardrooms¡± ¨C which were set a target of 25 per cent of 바카라사이트ir members to be women in a review by Lord Davies in 2011.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 letter also appears to hand 바카라사이트 administrative process for giving degree awarding powers to Hefce from BIS, along with decisions on university title and who can be designated for access to student loans.

There is additional funding in 바카라사이트 letter to support new government priorities including a review of accreditation of computer science but teaching funding priorities remain 바카라사이트 same; Hefce is asked to continue to protect, ¡°as far as possible, funding for high cost subjects¡­widening participation, and small and specialist institutions¡±.

Grants for individual universities and colleges will be published on 31 March.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com