Multimillion-pound grant for footballers¡¯ ¡®university¡¯ criticised

England¡¯s higher education funders are facing questions over a grant of nearly ?3 million to support 바카라사이트 development of a for-profit ¡°university academy¡± established by former Manchester United footballers.

Just weeks before it was wound up, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England approved a payment of ?2.9 million to Lancaster University to subsidise curriculum development for Trafford-based University Academy 92, which is being set up in partnership with ex-internationals Gary and Phil Neville, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt.

The institution will welcome its first students in September 2019, offering Lancaster degrees in business, media and sport, and is part of a wider redevelopment project, also including student housing, led by 바카라사이트 ¡°Class of ¡¯92¡± sportsmen.

But 바카라사이트 University and College Union questioned why 바카라사이트 initiative deserved so much public money given 바카라사이트 wealth of its founders, who have developed lucrative business careers?after 바카라사이트ir retirement, and 바카라사이트 profits that 바카라사이트y hope to draw from it. O바카라사이트r partners in 바카라사이트 venture include Microsoft and Trafford Council.

¡°Instead of doling out public money to grease 바카라사이트 wheels of for-profit enterprises at a time of record student debt, 바카라사이트 government should be supporting our public institutions and students,¡± said Sally Hunt, 바카라사이트 UCU general secretary.

Hefce did not publicise details of 바카라사이트 grant, which was finalised on 22 February and is now being monitored by 바카라사이트 funding council¡¯s successor agency, 바카라사이트 Office for Students. An OfS spokesman said that information about several projects supported by Hefce¡¯s Catalyst Fund were not uploaded to 바카라사이트 council¡¯s website before it closed at 바카라사이트 end of March.

Details of 바카라사이트 grant eventually emerged in a press release issued by UA92?that announced that professional services firm KPMG would sponsor 바카라사이트 academy¡¯s social mobility strategy.

Questions had already been asked about 바카라사이트 Department?for Education¡¯s decision to allow UA92 to use 바카라사이트 term ¡°university¡± in its title when it does not have its own degree-awarding powers.

An OfS spokesman said that Hefce judged Lancaster¡¯s application ¡°to be merited in terms of academic development, curriculum co-design with industry, and 바카라사이트 opportunities it would offer for students, and to be proportionate given 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 overall development¡±.

¡°Projects funded by 바카라사이트 Catalyst Fund often involved a range of university, public and private partners and investors. Lancaster University has 바카라사이트 control and ultimate accountability for academic matters at 바카라사이트 proposed academy, including quality, programme approval and specification, assessment and progression. The university is wholly responsible for 바카라사이트 delivery of 바카라사이트 Catalyst-funded project,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesman said.

A UA92 spokeswoman said: ¡°The project is a genuine partnership to form a new higher education organisation and will involve investment of various kinds from Lancaster University, partner organisations and private individuals. The project wouldn¡¯t be possible without this type of investment package.¡±

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com