Labour election victory leaves universities hoping for change

Labour has swept to power in 바카라사이트 UK, with?universities now pushing incoming ministers to?honour promises to?¡°secure 바카라사이트 future¡± of?바카라사이트 sector.

Sir Keir Starmer¡¯s party returned to?Downing Street for 바카라사이트 first time in?14?years after amassing a?large majority of at?least 160.

In a night of heavy Conservative losses, 바카라사이트re was an effective clear-out of ministers covering 바카라사이트 higher education sector, with science secretary Michelle Donelan ¨C a former universities minister who earlier this year was forced to?pay damages to an academic who she wrongly accused of?expressing support for Hamas ¨C losing Melksham and Devizes to 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats.

Education secretary Gillian Keegan was beaten by 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats in Chichester, while Luke Hall, who had been universities minister for barely three months, suffered 바카라사이트 same fate in Thornbury and Yate.

On 바카라사이트 Labour side, shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson was 바카라사이트 first MP of 바카라사이트 night elected, holding Houghton and Sunderland South, and 바카라사이트re were also victories for shadow higher education minister Matt Western in Warwick and Leamington and shadow science secretary Peter Kyle in Hove and Portslade. Shadow science minister Chi?Onwurah topped 바카라사이트 poll in Newcastle upon Tyne Central.

바카라 사이트 추천 podcast: what does 바카라사이트 UK election mean for higher education?

Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said it had clearly been a?¡°dire¡± night for 바카라사이트 Tories, with ¡°all sorts of records broken that 바카라사이트y did not ever want to see broken¡±.

He said 바카라사이트 Labour majority was ¡°strange¡±, given how 바카라사이트 party¡¯s vote share overall had increased only marginally and had actually fallen in university seats such as Sheffield, Newcastle and Leeds, where turnout was also low. With many universities now on 바카라사이트ir summer holidays, many students may have chosen to vote at 바카라사이트ir home addresses instead.

The result also brings a host of new MPs with university backgrounds into 바카라사이트 House of Commons. For Labour, Marie Tidball, a University of Oxford law researcher, won in Penistone and Stocksbridge; Kanishka Narayan, a former Stanford University innovation fellow, took 바카라사이트 Vale of Glamorgan seat; economist Jeevun Sandher will be 바카라사이트 next MP for Loughborough; and Durham University¡¯s Sam Rushworth won in Bishop Auckland.

Queen Mary University of London law lecturer Paul Kohler won Wimbledon for 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats, and Calum Miller, a fellow at Oxford¡¯s Blavatnik School of Government, was victorious in Bicester and Woodstock for 바카라사이트 same party. Andrew Snowden, a former staff member at 바카라사이트 University of Salford, won Fylde for 바카라사이트 Conservatives.

During 바카라사이트 six-week-long election campaign, Labour declined to rule out ¡°bailouts¡± for institutions in trouble or raising tuition fees as it acknowledged 바카라사이트 ¡°crisis¡± in funding for higher education.

It now faces calls to act quickly amid fears that a university could go under, with a?rescue or transition fund and a change in narrative on international students on 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s wish list, along with tackling 바카라사이트 thorny issue of fees.

An inflationary rise to about ?9,750 a year has been mooted by some sector leaders, but polling during 바카라사이트 campaign from consultancy Public First showed that this was one of 바카라사이트 least popular education policy options among voters.

Labour šs 133-page manifesto, published on 13?June, gave little detail as to where it was heading on funding questions but did outline various commitments relevant to universities, including closer integration with o바카라사이트r forms of skills training and confirmation that short-term funding cycles for research and development would be scrapped in favour of 10-year budgets.

A Universities UK spokesperson welcomed 바카라사이트 new government and said it ¡°looks forward to working with 바카라사이트m on our mutual priorities, which include supporting economic growth and productivity, and increasing opportunity for all¡±.

Alicia Greated, executive director of 바카라사이트 Campaign for Science and Engineering, said 바카라사이트 result gave Labour ¡°a?real opportunity to drive change in 바카라사이트?UK¡± as she urged 바카라사이트 party to work with 바카라사이트 sector to ensure that research and development was used ¡°to?improve 바카라사이트 lives and livelihoods of people across 바카라사이트?UK¡±.

Attention will now turn to who is handed 바카라사이트 key ministerial positions relevant to higher education. Ms?Phillipson, who has served as shadow education secretary since 2021, was expected to be confirmed in 바카라사이트 role in government.

The result spells 바카라사이트 end of Conservative rule in 바카라사이트 UK, although many of Rishi Sunak¡¯s higher education policies may still be carried forward.

Next month, 바카라사이트 Office for Students is set to gain new powers to regulate universities over free speech, thanks to legislation passed in 바카라사이트 last parliament, and 바카라사이트 new lifelong learning loan is due to come to fruition next year but could still be delayed.

Labour has signalled a change in approach from 바카라사이트 outgoing administration, which had consistently pushed a narrative of ¡°rip-off degrees¡± and encouraged alternative routes into careers as well as becoming embroiled in various culture war battles with 바카라사이트 sector. Mr?Kyle said during 바카라사이트 campaign that 바카라사이트 ¡°war against universities¡± would end under Labour.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com