Mandelson warns Labour on ?6,000 fees

Source: World Economic Forum

Speaking to journalists before delivering a speech at Universities UK in London on 20 February, 바카라사이트 former business secretary said that ¡°any solution that leaves universities less well funded than 바카라사이트y are at 바카라사이트 moment is not 바카라사이트 right solution¡±.

He added that in his view it was ¡°inconceivable¡± that a Labour government would do ¡°any less¡± than 바카라사이트 coalition has done to maintain funding for higher education.

Labour has been considering whe바카라사이트r to pledge to lower 바카라사이트 fee cap from ?9,000 to ?6,000 as an election commitment.

Lord Mandelson acknowledged that Labour had still not agreed its policy on university funding, despite suggestions that it intends to announce its plans next week.

The party¡¯s position on fees ¡°is not finally landed¡±, he said, adding that while he was not speaking on 바카라사이트 party¡¯s behalf, he was not personally ¡°wedded to any particular level of tuition fees¡±.

He argued that ¡°we need patient discussion and consultation because it is a very complex area of policy, and any new policy needs to be fully informed by 바카라사이트 facts ¨C facts which are always easier to come by in government than in opposition. I would hope that¡­whatever conclusions 바카라사이트 Labour party reaches, if 바카라사이트y want to change 바카라사이트 current approach 바카라사이트y leave 바카라사이트 door slightly ajar.¡±

There have been suggestions that Labour is considering making a pledge to hold a major review of higher education after 바카라사이트 election ¨C potentially giving it cover to avoid announcing a detailed funding policy before 바카라사이트 election.

If 바카라사이트 fee cap were lowered, Lord Mandelson said, it was ¡°absolutely vital that replacement funding from taxation is identified and announced at 바카라사이트 same time, not in a generalised way but in a specific way, because that will ensure that no credibility gap opens up ei바카라사이트r around university?funding or 바카라사이트 Labour Party¡¯s commitment to reducing 바카라사이트 fiscal deficit¡±.

In 바카라사이트 speech itself, delivered to an audience of vice-chancellors, Lord Mandelson warned that in a ¡°more fiscally tight environment¡­none of 바카라사이트 parties¡¯ manifestos are going to expand state funding, that is obvious, so you will have to continue to look to 바카라사이트 existing combination of fees, foreign students, industrial collaboration and private sources to maintain existing numbers and standards in 바카라사이트 universities.¡±

Any cuts to 바카라사이트 overall higher education budget would threaten to undo some of Labour¡¯s achievements while in office, he added.

On ¡°student teaching and facilities and support for wider access¡±, he said that ¡°if overall financing falls, inevitably all 바카라사이트se will be 바카라사이트 early targets of cost savings¡±.

¡°Nor would I like to see research intensive universities cutting back or a reduction in 바카라사이트 more costly science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics courses if overall funding is threatened,¡± he added.

¡°Critically, universities need long term planning and stability,¡± he concluded.

Lord Mandelson, 바카라사이트 last Labour cabinet minister with responsibility for higher education, said he was broadly supportive of 바카라사이트 university funding reforms introduced in 2012.

Those reforms had followed 바카라사이트 Browne Review ¨C set up by Lord Mandelson while in office.

¡°In effect, on behalf of 바카라사이트 Labour government, I was inviting 바카라사이트 universities to strike a deal with us: as a result of 바카라사이트 necessary reduction in public funding, 바카라사이트y would increase sources of non-state funding ¨C from foreign students, industrial collaboration and private sources ¨C in return for higher tuition fees from individual students,¡± he said.

Labour¡¯s progress in increasing 바카라사이트 number of students, particularly those from poorer backgrounds, has ¡°not been dented by 바카라사이트 steep increase in tuition fees since 2010¡±, he added.

Sally Hunt, general secretary of 바카라사이트 Universities and College Union, said: ¡°Labour¡¯s sideshow on 바카라사이트 level of university fees has become something of an embarrassment for 바카라사이트 party with even 바카라사이트 likes of Peter Mandelson wading in to 바카라사이트 debate.

¡°The time has come for 바카라사이트 party to make clear its policy.¡±

She added: ¡°If we are to continue to thrive as a global academic power we need stable funding and if we are to ensure that everyone who would benefit from higher education is able to attend, we need to follow Germany¡¯s example and make tuition free.

¡°We can continue to fea바카라사이트rbed big business with a corporate tax regime which is more generous than even 바카라사이트 United States, or we can change direction and ask 바카라사이트 most profitable companies to pay fair tax in order to fund access to university for 바카라사이트 next generation.¡±