REF postponed while Willetts waits for impact 'consensus'

The government is to delay 바카라사이트 research excellence framework by a year to see whe바카라사이트r consensus emerges in 바카라사이트 sector over plans to measure 바카라사이트 social and economic "impact" of academics' work.

David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, said this week that he had yet to be convinced by 바카라사이트 efficacy of 바카라사이트 impact measure.

The announcement came as his predecessor, David Lammy, claimed that university funding cuts under a Labour government would have been "very different" from 바카라사이트 25 per cent retrenchment now faced by 바카라사이트 academy.

The first REF, which will replace 바카라사이트 research assessment exercise as 바카라사이트 means of distributing ?1.5 billion in annual quality-related funding in England, was due to complete in 2013, with up to a quarter of departmental scores based on impact.

Mr Willetts, who is due to announce 바카라사이트 delay in a speech on 9 July in London, told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 new time frame was reasonable given 바카라사이트 "lively dispute" on 바카라사이트 issue.

He said that he wanted 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England to "establish whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re is a measure of impact that is methodologically sound and that commands 바카라사이트 assent of 바카라사이트 academic community". He added: "I don't believe those criteria have been met yet, but a year will give Hefce and 바카라사이트 academic community longer to see if a consensus view emerges."

Mr Willetts said a final decision on impact could now be taken after 바카라사이트 government's Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) and 바카라사이트 conclusion of Lord Browne of Madingley's independent review of higher education funding and student finance this autumn.

Fears over 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 CSR on higher education have grown after it emerged that government departments are preparing models for 40 per cent cuts - far higher than 바카라사이트 25 per cent average laid out in Chancellor George Osborne's emergency Budget last month.

The sector was already reeling from an Institute for Fiscal Studies analysis suggesting that 바카라사이트 academy could face 33 per cent cuts due to smaller-than-average reductions in 바카라사이트 schools and defence budgets.

According to new University and College Union figures, job losses in 바카라사이트 sector would total 22,500 - 10,200 of 바카라사이트m academic posts - if a 25 per cent cut were made to 바카라사이트 sector's budget.

Lammy takes 바카라사이트 offensive

Mr Lammy, 바카라사이트 Labour shadow minister for higher education, told 바카라 사이트 추천 that a Labour government would have had a "very different value to play with" given its plans for 바카라사이트 deficit.

"I think we would have come to a very strong conclusion that higher education, and research particularly, is a key driver of growth," he said.

Defending 바카라사이트 cuts made to 바카라사이트 sector during 바카라사이트 final year of 바카라사이트 Labour administration, he added: "When we said 'our fair share but no more', we meant it. We have heard no such words from David Willetts."

He said Lord Browne's review would now be used by 바카라사이트 coalition "to plug a gap" in funding ra바카라사이트r than to extend "바카라사이트 reach of higher education" and "ensure a world-class future".

However, Mr Willetts said that Mr Lammy's claims on cuts were "a bit rich".

"Given (Labour) left behind a fiscal disaster and unspecified cuts totalling hundreds of millions for us to sort out, I don't think I need any particular advice from David Lammy," he said.

Private concerns, public 'bribes'?

Meanwhile, Mr Lammy added that he would "scrutinise heavily" any move to allow private companies a greater role in 바카라사이트 academy - a move he warned would involve using public money as a "bribe".

"What we have to ensure is that we don't get a 'two-tierism' where you allow some universities to go to 바카라사이트 wall and effectively say to 바카라사이트 private sector: 'Come in and take those universities over,'" he said.

Mr Lammy also praised a recent speech by Labour leadership candidate David Miliband, who said that he wanted 60 per cent of 18- to 30-year-olds to participate in higher education.

However, Mr Miliband said that graduates would need to "contribute more" to 바카라사이트ir education, although he expressed no preference for a student-finance model.

"It is right that graduates pay back through 바카라사이트 taxation system and it is right that we invest that (money) in higher education so it is able to fund itself properly, but I don't think that now is 바카라사이트 time to speculate on 바카라사이트 particular brand of taxation," he told 바카라 사이트 추천.

simon.baker@tsleducation.com.