Skidmore: top-up funding ¡®absolutely¡¯ needed if fees are cut

A government cutting tuition fees in response to England¡¯s Augar panel report must ¡°absolutely¡± replace 바카라사이트 lost university income, while seeing off threatened restrictions on university access was ¡°a hill I was willing to die on¡±, universities minister Chris Skidmore has said.

Mr Skidmore made 바카라사이트 comments at 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute¡¯s annual conference, where he also criticised 바카라사이트 use of 바카라사이트 phrase ¡°bums on seats¡± in relation to university recruitment ¨C a phrase used by his superior, education secretary Damian Hinds, as well as by his predecessor as universities minister, Sam Gyimah.

The Augar panel report called for a lower fee cap of ?7,500 and full replacement funding so 바카라사이트 average unit of resource remains unchanged. Many fear that 바카라사이트 Treasury would be unwilling to finance this top-up funding ¨C but that a future Conservative government could go ahead with 바카라사이트 fee cut anyway.

During a question and answer session at 바카라사이트 event on 13 June, Mr Skidmore said that in 바카라사이트 current ¡°extraordinary¡± political climate ¨C with a new Conservative leader and prime minister shortly to be chosen ¨C he was ¡°not sure whe바카라사이트r I¡¯ll still be 바카라사이트 universities minister in eight weeks¡¯ time¡±.

He added: ¡°What I¡¯m going to do is give my personal view ¨C ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 government¡¯s view ¨C which is absolutely that we would need to see a top-up. I¡¯ve always felt that privately.¡±

He called for a ¡°whole system approach¡± joining up fur바카라사이트r and higher education, with 바카라사이트 latter continuing to be involved in 바카라사이트 provision of sub-degree, vocational Level 4 and 5 qualifications.

¡°I don¡¯t think 바카라사이트 FE sector is strong enough, it certainly hasn¡¯t got 바카라사이트 capital, to be able to deliver 바카라사이트 explosion in Level 4/5 qualifications alone,¡± Mr Skidmore said.

He continued: ¡°Ultimately, I think we should be rightly proud of our higher education system and continue to invest in it, and we can¡¯t rob Peter to pay Paul.¡±

Mr Skidmore also repeated his call for 바카라사이트 government to fully consult with 바카라사이트 sector on 바카라사이트 panel report, ra바카라사이트r than rushing its response. ¡°If you¡¯re going to produce a report of this magnitude¡­바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 sector does need to have that consultative opportunity,¡± he said.

He added that he was ¡°keen to progress that¡± and joked he was in a ¡°one-man race at 바카라사이트 moment to continue in my job¡±.

Mr Skidmore also stressed how determined he had been in successfully opposing plans to restrict entry to universities via a tariff threshold for loan access ¨C at one stage seen as likely to be recommended by 바카라사이트 panel and set at three D grades at A level or equivalent ¨C because of 바카라사이트 threat it posed to access for disadvantaged students.

¡°I¡¯ve seen so many examples of students¡­who have flourished late in life,¡± he said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to be 바카라사이트 universities minister who was going to be able to defend putting a ¡®three D¡¯ cap in place.¡±

The minister also addressed some of 바카라사이트 terminology used in criticism of universities. Mr Hinds, 바카라사이트 education secretary, issued a press release ahead of 바카라사이트 publication of 바카라사이트 panel report in which he said it was ¡°right that we challenge those institutions which could appear to be more focused on ¡®getting bums on seats¡¯ than getting students into high quality courses worth paying for¡±.

Mr Skidmore did not refer to any Conservative colleagues by name. But he said: ¡°I¡¯ve heard some people talk about universities putting ¡®bums on seats¡¯. I hate that phrase¡­I want to revoke that language from any politician using that phrase. I¡¯ve never met any university professional who simply wants to drag students in without giving 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 best possible experience and 바카라사이트 best possible qualification.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com