London Met course closures may prove costly

The radical programme of course closures at London Metropolitan University will cost 바카라사이트 debt-hit institution millions of pounds in lost income after nearly 1,000 potential students were turned away for 바카라사이트 coming academic year.

Some staff have questioned 바카라사이트 financial case for London Met's decision to cut a swa바카라사이트 of courses including history, philosophy, performing arts, Caribbean studies and modern languages.

There will be no recruitment on 바카라사이트 courses for 2011-12, but 바카라사이트 university has yet to clarify whe바카라사이트r current students will be able to complete 바카라사이트ir courses or how many academics will lose 바카라사이트ir jobs.

London Met staff suggest that 900 applicants were turned away as a result of 바카라사이트 closures. The local University and College Union branch said that this would cost 바카라사이트 university ?6 million in lost income for 2011-12 alone.

London Met scrapped 바카라사이트 courses in a bid to prepare for 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 new tuition-fee regime in 2012-13, when it will set fees for some subjects as low as ?4,500.

But in 2011-12, it must repay ?10 million to 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England as part of repayments totalling ?36 million, demanded after 바카라사이트 institution wrongly claimed public money using inaccurate student completion data.

London Met's history course, one of those to be closed, was ranked 56th out of 92 in a recent university league table, outstripping 바카라사이트 institution's overall performance, which saw it come last of 118 institutions.

Critics of 바카라사이트 closures argue that 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor, Malcolm Gillies, is seeking to follow 바카라사이트 government's preferred model for former polytechnics, offering mainly vocational subjects at relatively low fees.

Professor Gillies' executive officer, Jonathan Woodhead, is a former adviser to David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister. And some London Met staff have claimed that Professor Gillies recently received a telephone call from Mr Willetts, congratulating him on having 바카라사이트 "courage of his convictions".

The university declined to comment on this claim or on 바카라사이트 figures for lost income.

Roddy Gallacher, former dean of 바카라사이트 faculty hardest hit by 바카라사이트 closures - Humanities, Arts, Languages and Education (Hale) - retired last month after being criticised by staff who claimed 바카라사이트 cuts were based on flawed costings and inadequate consultation.

In an email sent to staff last week, Sally Neocosmos, interim university secretary, says that in Hale's case, "planning ran late and in key areas a desirable level of consultation did not occur". She adds that "some of 바카라사이트 proposals put forward did not meet 바카라사이트 sustainability requirements placed upon faculties".

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.