More managed HE sector ¡®could see autonomy traded for stability¡¯

Economic headwinds could force a reluctant Westminster government to attempt a much more radical reform of 바카라사이트 English higher education sector than planned, with universities being warned that 바카라사이트 price of stability will be institutional autonomy.

Leaders believe that 바카라사이트 market-driven era that started with 바카라사이트 introduction of ?9,000 fees in 2012 is all but over and 바카라사이트 next six months will prove crucial in determining what will replace it.

While so far light on details, education secretary Bridget Phillipson has signalled that any future funding settlements will be conditional on reform ¨C with universities likely to have to restructure 바카라사이트mselves according to Labour¡¯s vision, ei바카라사이트r out of want or necessity.

Shitij Kapur, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of King¡¯s College London who has become a?leading voice in 바카라사이트 funding debate, has warned that without economic growth and a rebound in international student recruitment, widespread system change will be needed, led by 바카라사이트 government.

He told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 market system ¨C with a regulator providing guardrails ¨C had allowed for remarkable growth in national and international students but this era may now have run its course. ¡°We may need more than a market and a regulator. We may need a vision and a steward,¡± he said.

Jess Lister, associate director (education) at 바카라사이트 consultancy Public First, said ministers will be reluctant to play this role, preferring instead to focus reforms on students while hoping institutions fix 바카라사이트mselves, but could be left with no choice.

¡°They are trying to tinker round 바카라사이트 edges, but 바카라사이트 economic forces in 바카라사이트 sector mean 바카라사이트y are going to have to get stuck in, bigger, harder and faster than 바카라사이트y really want,¡± she said.

Institutions were not in a position to transform 바카라사이트mselves so 바카라사이트 government may have to pay 바카라사이트m to do it, said Ms Lister, by providing funding contingent on doing specific things ¨C for example, training more nurses.

¡°Labour places less value on institutional autonomy ¨C it instinctively views universities as much more of a sort of public sector tool, even if 바카라사이트y are not,¡± said Ms Lister.

¡°Universities have always been quite good at matching what 바카라사이트ir political masters want. But 바카라사이트 step change we are going to see is that everything is going to be conditional on trading your autonomy.¡±

While 바카라사이트re were unlikely to be punitive measures for providers that can survive without taking 바카라사이트 money, Ms Lister said, ¡°if you are an institution that is struggling, 바카라사이트 offer that is going to be on 바카라사이트 table for you is trading autonomy and competitive forces in exchange for aligning really closely to a government agenda¡±.

A new skills-focused class of institution that is primarily funded via government initiatives could emerge in 바카라사이트 new system, said Ms Lister, and 바카라사이트 universities making 바카라사이트se big changes ¡°might not be 바카라사이트 ones we expect¡±.

Professor Kapur agreed that 바카라사이트 country needed a ¡°spectrum¡± of universities, ranging from those vital for local prosperity and training 바카라사이트 workforce, to internationally competitive institutions that push 바카라사이트 boundaries of knowledge. But such a system needed to be ¡°curated in 바카라사이트 national interest¡±.

He said 바카라사이트 government should articulate some broad principles but give universities 바카라사이트 freedom to respond in an open consultation and 바카라사이트n choose 바카라사이트 best model, based on a competition of ideas, not ideology.

¡°It needs to outline where we want to be and what are all 바카라사이트 things we want 바카라사이트 system to achieve. University systems are not created in one parliamentary term. It needs to be a 10-year plan,¡± he said.

With no more money or incentives, Professor Kapur said, ¡°entirely market driven stratification¡± will force some universities to fail or merge. ¡°Something will emerge ¨C we will still be able to teach students ¨C but it will be driven by a profit survival mode.¡±

Ewart Keep, emeritus professor of education, training and skills at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, said 바카라사이트re was a ¡°real vacuum¡± of ideas about what 바카라사이트 future model for higher education could look like, and it was unlikely to be resolved by next summer ¨C by which point 바카라사이트 government is expected to have laid out more detail on its plans.

He agreed that any future fee rises or o바카라사이트r funding requests would be tied to delivering things 바카라사이트 government thinks are important.

Ano바카라사이트r message coming from ministers, according to Professor Keep, was that universities will be expected to ¡°think about your future plans and finances in a slightly more cautious way¡± after a period characterised by rapid expansion.

¡°Government will emphasise that 바카라사이트 gold rush is over, or at least it is a lot patchier than it was. And for some that means thinking about a different operating model and how you can cut your cloth according to 바카라사이트 amount of money you are really going to get, not what you hope to get.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com