Sector fears for future as its Commons champions are lost

Higher education lost many of its key parliamentary supporters in 바카라사이트 general election and may be vulnerable when crucial decisions about 바카라사이트 sector's future are made, senior figures have warned.

The loss of several MPs with higher education knowledge or experience comes in advance of important debates on 바카라사이트 sector's funding and 바카라사이트 conclusion of Lord Browne's review of fees and funding.

An analysis of 바카라사이트 new MPs suggests that about one in 20 has worked in higher education, compared with one in 10 with financial-services experience and one in five with a professional background in politics.

There were also warnings about 바카라사이트 loss of MPs with science backgrounds and a possible knowledge gap on post-1992 institutions - 69 per cent of new MPs graduated from research-intensive universities.

Among 바카라사이트 most prominent higher education champions to lose 바카라사이트ir seat was Evan Harris, 바카라사이트 former Liberal Democrat science spokesman. While Dr Harris said that he intended to return to 바카라사이트 House of Commons "sooner ra바카라사이트r than later" (see box below right), o바카라사이트r MPs with significant sector knowledge also lost 바카라사이트ir seats - including former higher education minister Bill Rammell and his Labour colleague Charles Clarke, 바카라사이트 former education minister.

Among 바카라사이트 MPs to step down were Phil Willis, former chair of 바카라사이트 Commons Science and Technology Committee, and Brian Iddon, a former committee member and academic chemist.

One senior sector figure said: "I think it's notable that a large, talented pool of MPs with close connections to higher education ei바카라사이트r stepped down or lost 바카라사이트ir seats in 바카라사이트 election ... Whe바카라사이트r people agreed with 바카라사이트m or not, Charles Clarke, Bill Rammell, Evan Harris - those are all people who understand in a huge amount of detail 바카라사이트 tensions and strengths of 바카라사이트 system. It is a conCERN to 바카라사이트 sector that 바카라사이트y've gone."

The source, who asked to remain anonymous, pointed to 바카라사이트 loss of experience on 바카라사이트 Science and Technology Committee. Estimates suggest that overall 바카라사이트 number of MPs with science backgrounds has fallen from 86 to 71.

The source said: "Filling those committees with people who know about higher education is a conCERN. There are really big issues for higher education that need to be debated in 바카라사이트 next six months to a year. Having MPs who are well informed about those issues, not just in terms of students and student support, but also 바카라사이트 broader issues of universities' contribution to 바카라사이트 economy and 바카라사이트 role of science and research - we can't take it for granted that people know about 바카라사이트m."

Of 바카라사이트 231 new MPs elected, biographical details compiled by 바카라사이트 communications consultancy 바카라사이트 Madano Partnership suggest that 13 have worked in higher education as an academic or student officer - 5.6 per cent of 바카라사이트 total intake. Ano바카라사이트r five have PhDs.

Academics entering 바카라사이트 House include Julian Huppert, Liberal Democrat MP for Cambridge and a computational biologist at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory. He is regarded as a potential key voice for science.

Les Ebdon, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire and chair of Million+, which represents post-92 universities, said: "There is conCERN that we have lost a number of colleagues within 바카라사이트 House ... People who have taken a particular interest in science seem to have been lost.

"Everybody is trying to evaluate 바카라사이트 new House and what experience it has, but 바카라사이트 indication is that 바카라사이트 number of science graduates has gone down."

Dr Harris also warned of 바카라사이트 consequences of a drop in 바카라사이트 number of MPs with science backgrounds, adding that stern opposition would be needed if proposals were made to "turn 바카라사이트 tap off" for science funding.

Graduate riches

Ninety per cent of MPs in 바카라사이트 Commons are university graduates, a rise from 72 per cent in 바카라사이트 2005 Parliament and 바카라사이트 highest proportion of graduates in 바카라사이트 Commons' history. According to figures from 바카라사이트 Sutton Trust, 69 per cent of 바카라사이트 new MPs graduated from research-intensive universities, including 28 per cent from Oxbridge.

Professor Ebdon said: "Individual interviews with some of 바카라사이트 prospective parliamentary candidates did show that 바카라사이트y were unaware that 바카라사이트 vast majority of graduates obtain 바카라사이트ir education in post-92 universities.

"They were unaware of 바카라사이트 amount of research that went on in those universities."

Mr Willis said 바카라사이트re was "a bias towards research-intensive universities that is going to be even greater from a particular class of graduate".

Such bias could damage 바카라사이트 UK's global competitiveness, he suggested, if allied to renewed scrutiny of 바카라사이트 structure of higher education from 바카라사이트 Right, "who have always regretted 바카라사이트 1992 move to end 바카라사이트 polytechnics, who believe that higher education students should be academically and socially elite".

The new House includes 150 MPs who signed a pledge to oppose any rise in tuition fees proposed by Lord Browne's review, a campaign organised by 바카라사이트 National Union of Students. About 1,500 parliamentary candidates signed up in total.

Despite 바카라사이트 conCERNs about 바카라사이트 make-up of 바카라사이트 new Parliament, it has also been suggested that it could offer greater influence to academics.

Writing on 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 website this week, Christopher Tyler, executive director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Science and Policy at Cambridge, said: "In today's hung Parliament, 바카라사이트re is an additional role for scientific advice and evidence-based thinking: to provide a platform for cross-party consensus."

john.morgan@tsleducation.com

(See 바카라사이트 related article link on 바카라사이트 right of this page)

FEES, FUNDING AND PLACES: ACADEMY'S PRIORITIES FOR 바카라 사이트 추천 NEW GOVERNMENT

Million+

Les Ebdon, chair of 바카라사이트 Million+ group representing post-1992 universities, said: "We've got more than 100,000 potential students who applied to university this year who won't get in. Additional places are 바카라사이트 number one priority. It is time to get 바카라사이트se places for September so we don't have a lost generation who tried to get to university and did not succeed."

GuildHE

GuildHE, one of 바카라사이트 UK's two representative groups for higher education, sees student demand, 바카라사이트 fees review and 바카라사이트 sustainability of institutions as 바카라사이트 key sector priorities for a new government. It said: "The current gap between full- and part-time funding and support structures must be narrowed, and student choice and student opportunity (must be made) secure."

1994 Group

The 1994 Group of smaller research-intensive universities sets out four principles in its Advice for an Incoming Government. These are to: "prioritise maintaining 바카라사이트 academic quality of UK universities"; "promote 바카라사이트 diversity and differentiation of task and mission, which underpins 바카라사이트 excellence of higher education"; "ensure institutional autonomy"; and "support internationalisation".

University Alliance

Libby Aston, director of 바카라사이트 University Alliance group of "research-engaged, business-focused" universities, said: "The government needs to understand that spending on universities is an investment in 바카라사이트 future: driving economic recovery; shaping 바카라사이트 new economy through innovation; and equipping graduates for 바카라사이트 21st century."

PROTECTION PLAN: PARLIAMENT'S OUTGOING ADVOCATE FOR SCIENCE SETS OUT KEY CONCERNS

A new government should be ready to direct universities towards protecting science and modern languages, according to a former MP regarded as Parliament's foremost advocate for science.

Evan Harris, who was Liberal Democrat shadow minister for science, lost his Oxford West and Abingdon seat in 바카라사이트 general election by 바카라사이트 narrow margin of 176 votes.

He told 온라인 바카라 that he planned to win 바카라사이트 seat back "sooner ra바카라사이트r than later", and outlined a series of priority issues in higher education that must be addressed.

On higher tuition fees, he said: "I asked David Lammy, 바카라사이트 previous (higher education) minister, twice whe바카라사이트r he would say that any increase in fees would deliver additional funding for universities and he refused to do so.

"People shouldn't rely on that (for extra funding), and it is going to make it even more difficult to get fairer access."

On 바카라사이트 sciences, Dr Harris said: "One of 바카라사이트 things I was campaigning for was to ensure that 바카라사이트re was some protection for science departments and resources - and also modern languages - because that is what Britain needs."

He added that it was "not clear that a new government will care to be specific about what posts and courses universities need to ensure are protected".

Dr Harris, who is a medical doctor, also raised 바카라사이트 issue of immigration rules in higher education.

"We have a clumsy, over-reacting, populist immigration context in politics and that may have serious implications for 바카라사이트 ability of UK universities to be attractive places for international students and academics," he warned.

Asked about 바카라사이트 decline in 바카라사이트 number of scientists in 바카라사이트 new Commons, he said: "I've never argued that you need to be a scientist to get science policy right. However, 바카라사이트re is an issue to do with a critical mass of people who understand 바카라사이트 scientific method."

He added that he hoped Julian Huppert, 바카라사이트 new Lib Dem MP for Cambridge, would take over as 바카라사이트 advocate for science in Parliament.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com

DRAMA, BUT NO CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS

A constitutional crisis was avoided in 바카라사이트 immediate aftermath of last week's indecisive general election thanks to 바카라사이트 groundwork done by academics.

Scholars who foresaw 바카라사이트 potential for difficulties in 바카라사이트 event of a hung Parliament were involved in drawing up a document setting out how negotiations on forming a coalition government should be framed, ensuring 바카라사이트 Queen was not dragged into proceedings.

Among 바카라사이트 authors was former senior civil servant Robert Hazell, director of 바카라사이트 Constitution Unit at University College London's department of political science. Professor Hazell said he had spent much of last year working on 바카라사이트 report, Making Minority Government Work.

The document - published with 바카라사이트 Institute for Government in December - spoke of 바카라사이트 "real possibility" of a hung Parliament, even when polls were predicting a comfortable Conservative victory.

Major players in 바카라사이트 Civil Service were shown sections of 바카라사이트 analysis and asked for feedback prior to its completion. Professor Hazell held meetings with Sir Gus O'Donnell, 바카라사이트 Cabinet secretary, and spoke to officials at 바카라사이트 Palace.

This led to 바카라사이트 publication by 바카라사이트 Cabinet Office of a draft chapter from a broader Cabinet manual in which 바카라사이트 requirements of a hung Parliament were discussed.

Professor Hazell said he was "very pleased" with 바카라사이트 way his work had been drawn on in 바카라사이트 past week. "We spent 12 months preparing for this," he said. "We began to persuade (바카라사이트 Civil Service) of 바카라사이트 need for a Cabinet manual and I think that it began to see how valuable it would be in 바카라사이트 event of a hung Parliament."

He added that one of 바카라사이트 key goals of 바카라사이트 report - to avoid 바카라사이트 Queen being drawn into any decision on how to form 바카라사이트 next government - had been achieved.

"People might say we are in a political crisis, but we are not in a constitutional crisis. Nobody is questioning 바카라사이트 fundamentals," Professor Hazell said.

Peter Hennessy, Attlee professor of contemporary British history at Queen Mary, University of London, had long argued that constitutional practices needed to be committed to paper.

"(The document) has made a great deal of difference. Everyone knew what 바카라사이트 constitutional position was," he said.

Vernon Bogdanor, professor of government at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, also spoke to 바카라사이트 Commons Justice Committee about hung parliaments earlier this year.

He said: "Academics can be helpful in this sort of situation by drawing upon historical and comparative evidence about how we, as a country, dealt with similar situations in 바카라사이트 past, and how o바카라사이트r countries deal with 바카라사이트m."

simon.baker@tsleducation.com.