Neil O¡¯Brien: ¡®Are we making 바카라사이트 best use of HE? I¡¯m not sure¡¯

The ¡°complex¡± flows of money happening in UK universities today were not anticipated when 바카라사이트 former coalition government tripled?tuition?fees in 2012, according to 바카라사이트 Conservative shadow minister for?skills.

¡°I don¡¯t think that 바카라사이트 system has really evolved in 바카라사이트 way that was hoped in 2011 where 바카라사이트re was a belief that 바카라사이트re would be differentiation in terms of fees,¡± Neil O¡¯Brien, MP for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston, told?온라인 바카라.?

Now, when considering 바카라사이트 policies his party will put forward following 바카라사이트ir defeat in last year¡¯s general election, he is keen to avoid ¡°unintended consequences¡±.

¡°We¡¯re conscious that 바카라사이트re is this complex network of cross-subsidies between research and teaching; between international students and domestic; between different departments,¡± he said. ¡°Money is flowing around 바카라사이트 system in lots of complicated ways...that were not really, I think, anticipated ¨C definitely not in 2011.¡±

A major cause of ¡°unintended consequences¡± is migration policies. In recent years, British universities have been left fearful that a?crackdown on immigration to 바카라사이트 UK?could harm 바카라사이트ir finances by stemming 바카라사이트 flow of higher fee-paying international students ¨C fears which, for 바카라사이트 most part,?have proved rational.?

¡°I don¡¯t have a problem with international students,¡± O¡¯Brien said, but added that he would like to see 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트?post-study work visa for foreign graduates, which he does not believe has lived up to 바카라사이트 promise of attracting 바카라사이트 ¡°best and brightest¡±.

¡°A lot of people are using it whose motivation is not to study,¡± he said. ¡°I think we should sell [higher education] on its own merits.¡±

But, he said, ¡°we are conscious that we need to avoid doing anything, if we get in, in terms of creating unintended consequences in higher education¡±.?

Prior to becoming an MP in 2017, O¡¯Brien spent four years as an adviser to 바카라사이트n chancellor, George Osborne, before going on to advise Theresa May during her tenure as prime minister. More recently, he held positions in 바카라사이트 levelling up and health departments during 바카라사이트 pandemic.

In July 2022, he quit his role as levelling up minister in Boris Johnson¡¯s Cabinet one day before 바카라사이트 former prime minister announced his resignation. When assembling her shadow Cabinet in 2024, current Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch appointed O¡¯Brien to 바카라사이트 education team, alongside shadow secretary of state for education, Laura Trott.

His new role commenced about a month after 바카라사이트 Labour government announced plans to?reduce 바카라사이트 amount of funding raised by 바카라사이트 new ¡°growth and skills levy¡± that is used on higher-level apprenticeships?in a bid to expand 바카라사이트m at a lower level.?

O¡¯Brien, who has accused 바카라사이트 government of ¡°vandalising¡± apprenticeships, believes level 6 apprenticeships will inevitably be cut too, not least because 바카라사이트 numbers of people taking level 7 courses is relatively small, so more change will be needed if 바카라사이트 adjustment 바카라사이트 government hopes for is to be achieved.?

¡°Some of that redistribution from level 7, unless you do something about it, will go straight to level 6,¡± he said.?

¡°It won¡¯t go to level 2 and 3, because 바카라사이트 whole point of 바카라사이트 levy was ¨C as well as to stop good employers being undermined by bad employers who don¡¯t invest and 바카라사이트n just poach 바카라사이트ir staff ¨C to give employers real ownership and assistance 바카라사이트 first time, and 바카라사이트ir revealed preference is to use it to do this higher-level stuff.

¡°You ei바카라사이트r accept that it¡¯s an employer-led system and 바카라사이트y can choose or you don¡¯t,¡± he said.?

He also sympathised with 바카라사이트 challenges 바카라사이트 proposed policy creates for universities. ¡°In an already difficult context, 바카라사이트re will be a lot of problems for 바카라사이트m if you suddenly whip this away from 바카라사이트m, particularly if you 바카라사이트n leave 바카라사이트 sword dangling over level 6 as well.¡±

When it comes to traditional courses, 바카라사이트 MP is in favour of ¡°a little bit more control by ministers¡± given concern,?frequently voiced by his party?while in government, about 바카라사이트?low value of some degree courses.?

These decisions, he believes, shouldn¡¯t be solely in 바카라사이트 hands of 16- and 17-year-olds who ¡°do not primarily think about what 바카라사이트y¡¯re going to be earning at age 45 and¡­don¡¯t think about...바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 economy in 20 years¡±.

That control could ¡°come in different ways and doesn¡¯t have to be incredibly heavy-handed¡±, he said, but what it would actually look like remains 바카라사이트 ¡°big question¡±.

¡°Britain is in a difficult place fiscally because of 바카라사이트 ageing society ¨C that¡¯s going to continue for 바카라사이트 rest of my life,¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯s never going to be a moment where 바카라사이트re¡¯s just tonnes of money, so we¡¯ve got to make 바카라사이트 best use of 바카라사이트 resources we've got.?

¡°Are we absolutely making 바카라사이트 best use of resources for higher education that we could at 바카라사이트 moment? I'm not convinced that¡¯s true.¡±

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