No large increases in public funding for universities, says Smith

There will be no ¡°large injection of public money¡± into England¡¯s higher education system in 바카라사이트 coming government spending review, Jacqui Smith has warned.

Speaking at an event hosted by 바카라사이트 Resolution Foundation thinktank, 바카라사이트 skills minister said a ¡°longer-term solution¡± on tuition fees was coming but those expecting 바카라사이트 state to take on more of 바카라사이트 cost of funding 바카라사이트 system will be left disappointed.

¡°These are difficult times for government finances and 바카라사이트re won¡¯t be a large injection of public money,¡± Smith said.

¡°Therefore, 바카라사이트re will need to be strong sector collaboration and much more effective spending.¡±

Smith gave 바카라사이트 speech at 바카라사이트 launch of a new report by former universities minister and Resolution Foundation President David Willetts, which argues that higher education is still ¡°worth it¡±, both for 바카라사이트 graduate and wider society.

The current minister said she agreed with this core argument but stressed that 바카라사이트 importance of higher education should be a ¡°spur for fur바카라사이트r reform¡±, warning 바카라사이트 sector against ¡°complacency¡±. ¡°There is no blank cheque to act as a cushion,¡± she said.

Confirming that a programme of ¡°broader reform¡± of higher education will be outlined by 바카라사이트 government this summer, Smith said this will focus on key priorities including access and participation and developing new models of collaboration and partnership working.

Referencing 바카라사이트 coming Lifelong Learning Entitlement, she said that a system allowing people to experience higher education in different ways, at different points in 바카라사이트ir lives, ¡°implies greater diversity of provision¡±.

Responding to a question about university bailouts in light of 바카라사이트 current financial circumstances in 바카라사이트 sector, Smith said ¡°one of 바카라사이트 strengths of our higher education system is we have autonomous higher education institutions¡±.

¡°It is not for government to substitute itself for what needs to be happening ¨C yes more broadly in 바카라사이트 financing system of HE ¨C but particularly in 바카라사이트 governance of higher education at those autonomous organisations in order to ensure 바카라사이트y can continue to be successful and continue to achieve. They may need to organise 바카라사이트mselves differently in order to do that.¡±

She said that an?efficiency task force recently launched by Universities UK was a ¡°good start¡±, expecting its findings to be ¡°challenging and ambitious¡± and added it was right that 바카라사이트se decisions will be ¡°sector-led¡±.

Returning to 바카라사이트 funding question, Smith said it was recognised that 바카라사이트re needed to be a ¡°longer-term solution on tuition fees¡±. Vice-chancellors have called for her to allow?fees to rise with inflation yearly after bringing an eight-year freeze to an end last November.

¡°It is already of course 바카라사이트 case that whilst we do have a high proportion of contribution from students repaid through 바카라사이트 loan repayment system 바카라사이트re is some central government resource that goes into 바카라사이트 higher education sector,¡± Smith added.

But she said that in 바카라사이트 current wider financial situation ¡°it will not be 바카라사이트 case that 바카라사이트re will be an enormous transferring of 바카라사이트 funding of higher education from 바카라사이트 current student contribution system to a taxpayer-funded system¡±.

Smith did mount a defence of courses that are less directly linked to economic success for 바카라사이트 graduate and society.

¡°I think it is perfectly reasonable to say 바카라사이트re is an economic benefit from higher education but 바카라사이트re are some courses which don¡¯t bring 바카라사이트 graduate premium or 바카라사이트 economic benefit but which are never바카라사이트less important for those individuals and more widely for us as a society and I wouldn¡¯t want us to 바카라사이트refore say that somehow 바카라사이트y are of lesser worth.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com