Hefce chief stands down from post

There are concerns that leading England¡¯s funding council is a diminished job after suggestions that Sir Alan Langlands may be leaving 바카라사이트 role because of its shrinking importance under 바카라사이트 new fees and funding system.

Sir Alan will step down as chief executive of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England on 30 September to become vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Leeds, it was announced on 25 March.

His departure comes at an important time for Hefce, which 바카라사이트 government has tasked with becoming 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s chief regulator and ¡°student champion¡± under its fees and funding reforms.

There are suggestions that Sir Alan felt that 바카라사이트 Hefce role was no longer 바카라사이트 job he took on in April 2009.

Since 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트 coalition government has opted to abolish Hefce-allocated teaching grant in 바카라사이트 majority of subjects, replacing it with tuition fee funding routed via 바카라사이트 Student Loans Company.

At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 government¡¯s failure to introduce a higher education bill means that Hefce has not been given extra powers to underpin its new regulatory role.

A major concern for 바카라사이트 funding council is that once 바카라사이트 remaining ¡°old regime¡± students have left 바카라사이트 system, it will have no funding levers - and thus scant authority - over institutions that no longer receive teaching grant and win little research funding.

To cover for 바카라사이트 lack of legislation, Hefce has also been tasked with undertaking extra work to come up with regulatory fixes - such as considering ways to attach new conditions to SLC funding.

Andy Westwood, chief executive of GuildHE, said that Sir Alan was being asked to take on extra burdens because of Hefce¡¯s ¡°evolving role and 바카라사이트 lack of legislation¡±.

The salary for 바카라사이트 post as head of 바카라사이트 quango has been frozen for 바카라사이트 past three years at ?230,000, below what most senior vice-chancellors would deem to be a high salary.

These factors have raised concerns that 바카라사이트 Hefce post may no longer be attractive to 바카라사이트 heavy hitters who traditionally have occupied 바카라사이트 position: Sir Alan, for example, is a former chief executive of 바카라사이트 NHS in England.

David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, will appoint his successor based on 바카라사이트 advice of Hefce, which will run 바카라사이트 recruitment process.

The post is scheduled to be advertised in May.

If Mr Willetts is seeking a figure to spearhead Hefce¡¯s transition into a consumer champion, an appointment from a business or consumer affairs background could be an option.

But Mr Westwood argued that while Michael Gove, 바카라사이트 education secretary, has ensured that 바카라사이트 heads of quangos and agencies linked to 바카라사이트 Department for Education have been ¡°replaced with similar world-view candidates¡±, this was unlikely to be 바카라사이트 style of ministers at 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

¡°I¡¯d still assume that most applicants will come from inside higher education,¡± he said, adding that 바카라사이트 published job description would ¡°set out 바카라사이트 vision¡± of ministers.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com