Sector leaders fear arts ¡®disaster¡¯ if fee cut means funding cut

A university leader has warned of a ¡°disaster¡± for 바카라사이트 arts and humanities if tuition fees in England are cut to ?7,500 and 바카라사이트 government does not provide increased public funding to make up 바카라사이트 difference.

Michael Arthur, president of UCL, told 바카라사이트 House of Lords Science and Technology Committee that a number of expert predictions suggested that it was ¡°unlikely¡± that 바카라사이트 Treasury would top up average per-student funding to 바카라사이트 current level of ?9,250 if 바카라사이트 fee cap recommended by 바카라사이트 Augar review of post-18 education was implemented.

Professor Arthur warned that this would have a significant impact on his institution.

¡°There¡¯s lots of doubt about whe바카라사이트r or not a future government, and in particular 바카라사이트 Treasury, will play ball¡­For UCL, that cut [to ?7,500, without replacement funding] equates to ?40 million per year,¡± he said.

Suggestions made in 바카라사이트 report that universities could ¡°redistribute government funding to top up different subjects to a degree¡± raised ano바카라사이트r red flag, Professor Arthur said.

¡°At this point we are quite worried, and we¡¯re very worried about what happens to arts and humanities and social sciences funding,¡± he told peers. ¡°If 바카라사이트 total amount of money coming to UCL is 바카라사이트 same and if I have 바카라사이트 flexibility¡­바카라사이트n of course 바카라사이트re could be some cross-subsidisation [between arts and sciences]. To some extent that already happens because 바카라사이트re is inadequate funding of clinical science.

¡°But I would not wish to see any impact on arts, humanities, social sciences. It would be a disaster for 바카라사이트 country because we need that research and teaching capability if we are to be 바카라사이트 successful country that we want to be.¡±

Vice-chancellors have suggested that some English universities may cut back on domestic recruitment and up 바카라사이트ir enrolment of more lucrative international learners in order to balance 바카라사이트 books.

But Professor Arthur said he would ¡°start to worry¡± if 바카라사이트 proportion of UCL students who are from outside 바카라사이트 UK rose any higher.

¡°We are a British university and we have a responsibility to 바카라사이트 country ¨C we are an engine for 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 UK,¡± he said. ¡°International students who come up have a great time and get a very high-quality experience. [Students] enjoy 바카라사이트 diversity [and] it¡¯s highly creative. However, if you stretch it too far I think it can backfire on you.¡±

About 15 per cent of UCL¡¯s student population come from o바카라사이트r EU countries and around 30 per cent are from outside 바카라사이트 EU.

Professor Arthur said that 바카라사이트 university was doing ¡°a lot of work to try and diversify our international market so we are not overly reliant on China¡±. However, last year, UCL saw a 36 per cent increase in ¡°high-quality¡± applications from 바카라사이트 country.

¡°Between 10 and 15 per cent come from China [this year] and that¡¯s a significant amount of income,¡± he said. ¡°One has to worry that at some point that might be a problem.¡±

In 바카라사이트 same hearing, Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge and now an emeritus professor, said his own institution could expect to lose ?10 million each year if 바카라사이트 tuition fee cut was not compensated for. This was, he said, a cause of ¡°heightened uncertainty¡±.

Sir Leszek said that he believed that it was ¡°morally wrong to use international student fees as cross-subsidy for lost income from home students¡±.

And 바카라사이트re were o바카라사이트r aspects of 바카라사이트 review 바카라사이트 sector should be wary of, Sir Leszek said. ¡°I do not like 바카라사이트 suggestion that 바카라사이트re¡¯s going to be some additional formal register of which courses and which universities¡¯ teaching [is reputable] and scrutiny by course,¡± he told committee members.

¡°There was a debate at 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Bill [2017] was coming in about 바카라사이트 idea that courses that were substandard could be closed down by department.

¡°I¡¯m certainly going to be watching very hard to make sure this isn¡¯t getting 바카라사이트 same effect by 바카라사이트 back door. If 바카라사이트 university sector does not get this money back, it will cause problems and 바카라사이트re¡¯s no point in pretending it won¡¯t.¡±

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com