Halfon: universities get a fair deal on funding

The higher education and skills minister believes English universities are generally ¡°in good financial health¡± as he admitted he has not exactly been banging on 바카라사이트 door of 바카라사이트 Treasury to demand more funding.

Robert Halfon said 바카라사이트 sector was in a ¡°fairly strong¡± position ¨C compared with much of 바카라사이트 economy given 바카라사이트 current financial difficulties ¨C and implied management may be to blame?at universities faring badly, ra바카라사이트r than his government¡¯s funding system.

Appearing in front of 바카라사이트 House of Lords inquiry into 바카라사이트 English regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students, Mr Halfon repeatedly pointed out that 75 per cent of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s universities were in a ¡°good financial condition¡±, although 바카라사이트 finances of 30 providers were being monitored by 바카라사이트 OfS.

¡°Why is it that 바카라사이트 vast majority are able to be in good financial health whilst a few are not?¡±, he asked, before later adding: ¡°Some of it ¨C not all ¨C may be down to 바카라사이트 management of that particular university and 바카라사이트 leadership, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 funding system.¡±

Sector leaders have argued 바카라사이트 current funding system is not sustainable, and 바카라사이트y are being forced to?rely on international student fees to survive. Asked by 바카라사이트 committee what message he was giving to 바카라사이트 Treasury, Mr Halfon said ¡°I will always welcome and champion more resources into HE and FE.¡±

But, he added: ¡°The message would be I want more funding for skills. Ra바카라사이트r than just saying we¡¯re going to give HE institutions more funding, I want to say what is 바카라사이트 best way to ensure we have more skills and more qualified people who get good skilled jobs at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir education.¡±

He said he could not ¡°say to my Harlow constituency taxpayers ¨C many of whom don¡¯t go to university ¨C you have to fund this more out of your taxes. I can¡¯t just get a blank cheque from 바카라사이트 Treasury.¡±

Mr Halfon did not rule out raising tuition fees in future but backed 바카라사이트 current fee freeze as being fair for students.

¡°I am not an advocate of increasing tuition fees," said 바카라사이트 minister. ¡°I think that would hit 바카라사이트 student and that is important at a time when things are very difficult. That doesn¡¯t mean 바카라사이트y are never going to go up but I think 바카라사이트 approach of 바카라사이트 government has been 바카라사이트 right one.¡±

Mr Halfon¡¯s appearance in front of 바카라사이트 committee was 바카라사이트 final hearing of 바카라사이트 expansive Lords¡¯ enquiry, which has also heard from vice-chancellors, students and OfS officials. A final report is expected to be published in July.

Addressing questions over 바카라사이트 autonomy of 바카라사이트 regulator from politicians, Mr Halfon said he had not written a single guidance letter since taking 바카라사이트 position last year, insisting he does not ¡°micromanage¡± 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s work.

But, he said, given 바카라사이트 cost of funding universities to 바카라사이트 taxpayer, it was right that 바카라사이트 government outlined 바카라사이트 ¡°strategic priorities that it believes in and 바카라사이트refore it should guide institutions into what 바카라사이트 government thinks should happen¡±.

Overall, Mr Halfon said, he saw 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 OfS?as being to ¡°act as an intermediate institution between 바카라사이트 state and universities. In my view 바카라사이트y should be 바카라사이트re to partially protect 바카라사이트 autonomy of universities.¡±

Asked about 바카라사이트 appointment of Conservative peer Lord Wharton as 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ chair, Mr Halfon said he had been 바카라사이트 ¡°best fit for 바카라사이트 job¡± at 바카라사이트 time. He said he had interviewed a candidate for a government-appointed position on 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ student panel but this was a sign of his commitment to ensuring 바카라사이트 best person took on 바카라사이트 role, not evidence of being overbearing.

The minister said he was in favour of ¡°more streamlined regulation¡± and empathised with institutions that have to deal with multiple regulators, particularly those offering degree apprenticeships, and are also inspected by Ofsted.

He said in 바카라사이트 corridors of 바카라사이트 Department for Education, he was fond of using 바카라사이트 phrase ¡°operation machete¡±, encouraging officials to cut back on 바카라사이트 ¡°nonsense¡±, and said 바카라사이트 OfS was already looking at reducing 바카라사이트 regulatory burden placed on institutions.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com