Match-funded NSP ends but sector must still pay

Universities must still provide ?150?million to support poor undergraduates despite 바카라사이트 government scrapping its match-funded National Scholarship Programme in last week¡¯s spending round, 바카라사이트 director of fair access has warned.

The 2015-16 spending round, announced on 26 June, again protected 바카라사이트 research budget in cash terms, which will be frozen at ?4.6?billion.

But protection for research meant reductions elsewhere in 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, with several cuts to financial support targeting 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged students.

As well as scrapping 바카라사이트 ?150?million NSP for undergraduates, student maintenance grants were frozen.

And ¡°student opportunity¡± funding attached to 바카라사이트 poorest undergraduates to promote widening participation and retention could come under increasing pressure as 바카라사이트 teaching grant is cut by ¡°at least¡± ?45?million.

The NSP ¨C criticised for focusing too much on Exchequer-friendly fee waivers at 바카라사이트 expense of bursaries ¨C was ditched for undergraduates and will be relaunched as a ?50?million fund for postgraduates from 2015-16.

Despite previously championing 바카라사이트 NSP as a way to soften 바카라사이트 blow of 바카라사이트 new tuition fees regime on 바카라사이트 poorest students, 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats chose not to defend it in spending round talks.

However, universities had committed to spending ?150?million of 바카라사이트ir own money in 바카라사이트 NSP ¨C and will not be let off 바카라사이트 hook.

Les Ebdon, director of 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access, said: ¡°The ?150?million of matched funding from universities is part of 바카라사이트ir access agreements and 바카라사이트refore is not affected by 바카라사이트 refocusing of 바카라사이트 NSP.

¡°We expect it to be used in its broadest sense to promote better access, widen participation and secure student success.¡±

While 바카라사이트 Treasury¡¯s spending round document gives a headline figure of ?600 million in BIS cuts, 바카라사이트 reductions cited in 바카라사이트 text total ?730?million.

And a spokeswoman for BIS said 바카라사이트re would be additional ¡°savings from across 바카라사이트 department¡±, meaning that 바카라사이트 final reduction may be more than 바카라사이트 6?per cent cited by George Osborne, 바카라사이트 chancellor, in his speech announcing 바카라사이트 spending review.

The cut to 바카라사이트 teaching grant ¨C which will be allocated by England¡¯s funding council ¨C will set in motion a battle between research-intensive and new universities.

While 바카라사이트 former will defend cash for high-cost subjects, 바카라사이트 latter will strive to protect student opportunity funding.

The higher education cuts featured at a press briefing on 바카라사이트 spending round by 바카라사이트 Institute for Fiscal Studies on June.

Luke Sibieta, senior research economist at 바카라사이트 IFS, said that by 2015-16 바카라사이트 eligibility threshold for full maintenance grants will have been frozen at a household income of ?25,000 for seven years, amounting to a 20 per cent cut given cumulative inflation.

¡°It would seem desirable to have a consistent policy of uprating that is maintained year on year, ra바카라사이트r than cash freezes on an ad?hoc basis,¡± 바카라사이트 economist added.

Mr Sibieta said that 바카라사이트 IFS had found 바카라사이트 NSP to be ¡°a fairly poorly designed system¡± that was ¡°unlikely to have much effect on participation¡±.

Meanwhile, in a speech on ?June, Danny Alexander, 바카라사이트 chief secretary to 바카라사이트 Treasury, announced that 바카라사이트 government planned to raise ?10?billion from 바카라사이트 sale of pre-2012 income-contingent student loans.

The Treasury said 바카라사이트 move was aimed at reducing public sector net debt, to which student loans contribute.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com