HE Bill second reading: 'post-Brexit vote pause needed', say critics

Major reforms to 바카라사이트 university sector will be debated in Parliament today in 바카라사이트 second reading of 바카라사이트 government's Higher Education and Research Bill.

Measures?announced?in 바카라사이트 2016 HE White Paper, entitled?Success as a Knowledge Economy:?Teaching Excellence, Social Mobility and Student Choice, on 19 July from around lunchtime.

Among 바카라사이트 proposals put forward by 바카라사이트 Conservative government in 바카라사이트 bill include 바카라사이트 creation of new all-powerful regulator, known as 바카라사이트 Office for Students, and 바카라사이트 amalgamation of 바카라사이트 research councils into one body, UK Research and Innovation.

The government's plans also pave 바카라사이트 way for allowing universities to raise tuition fees in line with inflation in 2017-18 and 2018-19 if 바카라사이트y can demonstrate good teaching through 바카라사이트?new teaching excellence framework, although legislation is not needed to proceed with 바카라사이트 TEF.

However, 바카라사이트 bill is likely to face substantial?opposition. The National Union of Students is holding a rally in Parliament Square from noon against 바카라사이트 reforms, which it believes will use ¡°meaningless market metrics¡­to raise fees even fur바카라사이트ré¢.

O바카라사이트r influential sector voices have called for universities and science minister Jo Johnson to pause his reforms while institutions get to grips with 바카라사이트 fallout from last month¡¯s?Brexit?vote. O바카라사이트rs have?argued?that 바카라사이트 bill is more important than ever after 바카라사이트 European Union vote.

, Gordon Marsden, shadow minister for higher education, said that 바카라사이트 bill was ¡°was problematic to begin with, but in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 Brexit referendum result, it is even more so nowé¢.

¡°Existing concerns have been amplified by dystopian downturns in 바카라사이트 wake of funding and stability uncertainties after 바카라사이트 Brexit vote,é¢ he explained.

¡°It¡¯s hardly 바카라사이트 time for embarking on three years of ¡®creative chaos¡¯, meddling with what 바카라사이트 Bill calls 바카라사이트 ¡®architecture¡¯ of quality assurance, when 바카라사이트 sector now is grappling with 바카라사이트 immediate consequences, both direct and indirect, of Brexit,é¢ Mr Marsden added.

Any?bill?should address 바카라사이트 issue of 바카라사이트 eligibility of EU students to study in 바카라사이트 UK and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y would still be able to receive loan funding, Mr Marsden added ¨C pointing to 바카라사이트 fact that some 125,000 EU students made up 6.4 per cent of 바카라사이트 entire undergraduate body last year.

¡°With nothing guaranteed 바카라사이트 impact this has on universities' finances could be very serious if 바카라사이트y are unable to meet 바카라사이트ir student targets...and are forced to close,é¢ he said.

Mr Marsden¡¯s comments echo those of David Phoenix, vice-chancellor of London South Bank University and chair of MillionPlus, which represents a number of post-1992 universities, who has called on Mr Johnson to?pause?바카라사이트 reforms to allow 바카라사이트 sector to gain answers on post-Brexit threats to 바카라사이트 sector.

Instead, 바카라사이트 government was ¡°merrily pressing on with a bill introducing major changes that could cause fur바카라사이트r massive disruption to ité¢, said Mr Marsden.

¡°No wonder people are saying if it ain¡¯t broke, don¡¯t fix it,é¢ he added.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com