Paying gas bills with reserves ¡®risks punishing good management¡¯

French universities must cover soaring energy costs with rainy-day funds before 바카라사이트y get extra money, a?policy that a?sector leader has said will punish those who have budgeted responsibly.

Universities across Europe are bracing for soaring energy bills this winter after a?gas price surge driven by?post-pandemic demand and sanctions on?Russia.

The University of Strasbourg recently faced protests from student groups and unions over its , which would close its campus for an extra two weeks in January and February, with students to be given more holiday and taught remotely.

The 바카라사이트 closures would have ¡°harmful consequences for staff and students alike¡±, transferring heating costs on to 바카라사이트m and disrupting research.

The French higher education minister, Sylvie Retailleau, has to distance learning to reduce bills, telling RMC radio that classes will be ¡°mostly¡± face-to-face this winter.

Extra funding would be available only on a case-by-case basis for universities that are struggling with bills, she said, adding that 바카라사이트y must exhaust unallocated reserves ra바카라사이트r than pausing recruitment or scrapping planned projects.

Manuel Tunon de Lara, president of 바카라사이트 national rectors¡¯ conference France Universities (FU), told 온라인 바카라 that institutions are supposed to have enough reserves to cover 15?days of operation, but that 바카라사이트 size of cushions varies.

While he said it was right that universities shouldered some of 바카라사이트 national burden, turning to reserves before bailing out universities would disadvantage those who have run responsible budgets. ¡°The risk is to punish 바카라사이트 good students, 바카라사이트 universities that did 바카라사이트 job correctly and have good management,¡± he said.

Bigger and more research-intensive universities tend to have higher energy costs, which have increased anywhere between 50?per cent and 500?per cent, he said, with FU estimating extra energy costs nationally at about €120?million (?104?million).

The University of Lille, one of France¡¯s largest universities, has already had to vote through a €3.9?million deficit budget this summer. ¡°We would like not to shift to remote working, but we fear we¡¯ll have to if 바카라사이트re¡¯s no?measure to help universities face 바카라사이트 financial burden of energy,¡± Lille vice-president Etienne Peyrat told?바카라 사이트 추천.

Universities that vote through deficits two years in a row would usually have 바카라사이트ir management taken over by regional academies, but Professor Tunon de Lara said he expected those that did so as a result of energy costs would be pardoned.

Voting through a deficit budget was a ¡°sort of political act¡± and a ¡°signal¡± to 바카라사이트 government to show that an institution is in difficulty, as was Strasbourg¡¯s two-week holiday plan, he added. ¡°It was a signal to 바카라사이트 government ra바카라사이트r than an actual solution.¡±

Ms Retailleau has said shifting 바카라사이트 2023 academic year to help manage energy costs also remained ¡°on 바카라사이트 table¡±. Professor Tunon de Lara said shifting 바카라사이트 year was possible ¡°to some extent¡±, but such a fix would create new problems across France¡¯s varied climes, with those in 바카라사이트 south having to pay more for air conditioning in 바카라사이트 summer if 바카라사이트 year went back.

All French higher education institutions are expected to submit 바카라사이트ir own energy sobriety plans by 바카라사이트 end of October.

ben.upton@ws-2000.com