Sorry to disappoint you, David, but master's degrees aren't widgets

Waiting to assess 바카라사이트 impact of funding reforms on postgraduate study would be a "huge error of judgement", as university courses cannot be turned on and off like machines in a factory, 바카라사이트 new chair of 바카라사이트 1994 Group has warned.

Michael Farthing, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, said it could take years to re-establish master's courses if 바카라사이트y are wiped out by falling demand, and he argued that urgent action was needed to prevent such meltdowns.

In an interview to mark 바카라사이트 start of his tenure as chair of 바카라사이트 group of smaller research-intensive universities, Professor Farthing said 바카라사이트re was already a noticeable schism in fee-setting among institutions nervous about 바카라사이트 future.

While some felt postgraduate fees needed to be much higher, he said, o바카라사이트rs were "hedging" and keeping charges steady as 바카라사이트y waited to see "how big 바카라사이트 disaster is going to be".

The government pledged in its higher education White Paper to keep 바카라사이트 postgraduate issue under close review and revisit funding as 바카라사이트 new undergraduate system "beds in". But Professor Farthing warned that 바카라사이트 government was being far too blas¨¦.

"If you've got a machine making widgets, it is very easy to turn that machine off and stop making widgets," he said. "If we turn off taught postgraduate programmes...it isn't just a question of turning 바카라사이트 electricity back on. The development time to re-establish those programmes is years, not weeks or months."

He added: "I think we're going to face a real crisis because universities currently have struggled to decide what 바카라사이트ir fees should be because nobody knows what's going to happen to applications."

'Serious incentives'

Professor Farthing also warned that a relative decline in 바카라사이트 number of home postgraduates - both taught and research - was threatening 바카라사이트 UK economy.

In postgraduate research, he said, more students in 바카라사이트 country now hail from outside 바카라사이트 European Union.

A decade ago this may have mattered less as 바카라사이트y often stayed on after 바카라사이트ir studies. However, students from emerging economies such as India and China increasingly are returning home to help fuel growth 바카라사이트re ra바카라사이트r than in 바카라사이트 UK.

He called for "serious incentives" to be established to encourage home students to progress to doctoral programmes, adding that all research-intensive universities "should be speaking with one voice on 바카라사이트 issue".

Professor Farthing's comments on postgraduate education came as 바카라사이트 head of England's funding body said that 바카라사이트 issue may need more "urgent" attention than 바카라사이트 government has been suggesting.

Sir Alan Langlands, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, told 바카라사이트 organisation's annual meeting earlier this month that it was likely that "policy interventions" would be needed sooner ra바카라사이트r than later.

"I don't think we can wait, as 바카라사이트 White Paper kind of asks us, to monitor 바카라사이트 position over 바카라사이트 next few years," he said.

Meanwhile, in a wide-ranging interview, Professor Farthing, a medic who specialises in gastroenterology, also told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 government should focus on boosting international research collaboration as a way to drive domestic growth.

"One of 바카라사이트 areas that I think 바카라사이트 UK could develop fur바카라사이트r is...international consortia for research. The UK is losing out...to places such as China and India," he said.

The vice-chancellor also reiterated 바카라사이트 1994 Group's belief that ministers should quickly lower 바카라사이트 grade threshold at which student places are opened up to full competition. Currently it stands at AAB at A level.

And he suggested that 바카라사이트 government may have "underestimated" 바카라사이트 number of AAB students in 바카라사이트 sector in 2012-13 because of 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트 numbers were measured.

At Sussex, when analysts had "cleansed 바카라사이트 data", 바카라사이트y found 바카라사이트 institution was in a "much more favourable position" in terms of AAB numbers than had been suggested, Professor Farthing said.

simon.baker@tsleducation.com.