Phillipson to respond to university funding crisis this week

The new UK government will outline some initial steps aimed at shoring up 바카라사이트 finances of 바카라사이트 university sector later this week,?according to education secretary Bridget Phillipson, who suggested that 바카라사이트 answers lay in fur바카라사이트r changes to regulation.

Appearing on BBC Breakfast, 바카라사이트 Labour minister repeated that she has ¡°no plans¡± to increase tuition fees?or provide fur바카라사이트r funding to help struggling universities, as she indicated that a change in 바카라사이트 narrative on international students?could?help stabilise institutions in trouble.

Asked if 바카라사이트 government would step in if?a university were in danger of going out of business, she said?institutions needed to ¡°manage 바카라사이트ir own budgets¡± and that 바카라사이트 priority was about ¡°good value overall ¨C for 바카라사이트 students, for 바카라사이트 institution, and for 바카라사이트 taxpayer¡±.

¡°In order to make sure we are stabilising 바카라사이트 sector, we do recognise 바카라사이트 important role of international students¡­to 바카라사이트 financial sustainability of our institutions,¡± she added.

Campus podcast:?higher education leaders on 바카라사이트ir priorities for 바카라사이트 new UK government

The ?reported that three leading institutions are understood to be in danger of bankruptcy, with ministers being urged to introduce an emergency rescue package.

Anything short of an emergency bailout will be ¡°insufficient to stave off catastrophe¡±, Jo Grady, general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, has warned in a letter to Ms Phillipson and higher education minister Jacqui Smith, 바카라사이트 paper said.

Speaking to 바카라사이트 BBC Today programme, Ms Phillipson said she had been ¡°urgently¡± going through a process with officials to understand what needs to be done to ¡°shore up 바카라사이트 sector.¡±

The government will?lay out its initial steps to parliament later this week, she added, and suggested this?could involve changes to 바카라사이트 Office for Students (OfS), 바카라사이트 English regulator.?

¡°We need to see a sharper focus on 바카라사이트 regulation of our sector to make sure that our universities are on a firm footing,¡± she?said.?

An interim?chair of 바카라사이트?OfS will also be appointed this week following?바카라사이트 resignation of James Wharton, a Conservative peer.

Ms Phillipson promised that Labour will take a different approach to its predecessors and ¡°recognise that universities are a public good that are central to jobs and opportunities and growth¡±.

¡°What we had under 바카라사이트 Conservatives was a fascination and a fixation with picking fights with 바카라사이트 sector, completely needless, just using universities as a source of cheap headlines,¡± she added. ¡°That is now at an end.¡±

The education secretary?was speaking after 바카라사이트 government?announced 바카라사이트 creation of Skills England, a new body designed to plug 바카라사이트 country¡¯s skills gaps by bringing toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 work of key partners.

The organisation, which will be established in phases over 바카라사이트 next nine to 12 months, will identify training courses that can be funded under an expanded growth and skills levy. It will be chaired on an interim basis by Richard Pennycook, former chief executive of 바카라사이트 Co-operative Group and?a non-executive director at 바카라사이트 Department for Education.?

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com