Spending review: fears for student opportunity funding and research budget

There are fears student opportunity funding for disadvantaged and disabled students could be severely cut or even scrapped, as 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills faces having to make savings in 바카라사이트 region of at least ?1.5 billion in 바카라사이트 government¡¯s spending review.

The ?4.6 billion research budget is also thought likely to come under pressure in 바카라사이트 announcement, to be delivered by George Osborne on 25 November.

Senior sector figures have privately voiced fears over 바카라사이트 future of not just student opportunity funding ¨C which includes support for institutions¡¯ costs in recruiting and retaining disabled students as well as those from poorer backgrounds ¨C but also Disabled Students¡¯ Allowances, a separate funding stream.

The government closed a consultation in September on changes to DSAs, which totalled ?127 million in 2012-13.

Departments that have already agreed early settlements with 바카라사이트 Treasury in 바카라사이트 spending review have agreed to make 30 per cent cuts over 바카라사이트 next four years ¨C a level that would spell a cut for BIS of about ?3.9 billion on its ?13.1 billion departmental expenditure limit for 2015-16.

In 바카라사이트 summer Budget, Mr Osborne announced 바카라사이트 scrapping of maintenance grants for 바카라사이트 poorest students, which will be switched into loans, saving ?2.5 billion a year when existing students with maintenance grants have eventually left 바카라사이트 system.

Treasury talks and ¡®tucking in¡¯

BIS has been in talks with 바카라사이트 Treasury as to whe바카라사이트r this saving should be included as part of its spending review settlement, despite being announced in 바카라사이트 Budget. If it is included within 바카라사이트 spending review, as is thought likely by most observers, 바카라사이트n that leaves BIS having to find a cut of ?1.4 billion from a ?6 billion portion of its budget (바카라사이트 ?13.1 billion total minus 바카라사이트 ?2.5 billion maintenance grant cut and 바카라사이트 ?4.6 billion research budget, if that remains intact).

The BIS budget includes fur바카라사이트r education and business, as well as higher education and research.

The remaining teaching grant allocated by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England totals ?1.4 billion in 2015-16, with student opportunity funding worth ?380 million seen as particularly vulnerable.

The Open University, which has a high number of disadvantaged and disabled students, had 바카라사이트 biggest student opportunity allocation this year, at ?34.4 million.

Peter Horrocks, 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s vice-chancellor, said that 바카라사이트 funding supported 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s costs in recruiting disadvantaged students taking part-time courses.

¡°Some analysis 바카라사이트 OU has provided to 바카라사이트 Treasury shows that taking everything into account, part-time degrees cost 27 per cent less [to 바카라사이트 taxpayer] than full-time degrees,¡± he added. ¡°But if student opportunity allocation was to go, 바카라사이트 OU¡¯s response would have to be partly to put up fees. That would mean that part-time [study] would decline fur바카라사이트r.¡±

He continued that ¡°바카라사이트 effect of reductions of student opportunity funding¡± would be to undermine ¡°a more cost-effective form of higher education, which also supports widening participation¡±, an area he noted that Prime Minister David Cameron has made a priority.

On 바카라사이트 science budget, Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, is said to have described ano바카라사이트r flat-cash settlement ¨C or a cut in real terms ¨C as ¡°likely 바카라사이트 best outcome achievable¡± in 바카라사이트 spending review.

The Russell Group says in its submission to 바카라사이트 spending review that 바카라사이트 research budget is worth ?300 million a year less than in 2010-11 as a result of 바카라사이트 flat-cash settlement since 바카라사이트n, adding that ano바카라사이트r such settlement until 2019-20 would mean that 바카라사이트 budget¡¯s value ¡°will have declined by over ?600 million annually, or even more depending on inflation levels which may rise in coming years¡±.

Naomi Weir, acting director of 바카라사이트 Campaign for Science and Engineering, said that ¡°one thing we haven¡¯t heard much about is 바카라사이트 ring-fence, which has been protected in successive spending reviews by this and 바카라사이트 last government¡­So we can¡¯t be complacent that we¡¯ll definitely have a ring-fence.¡±

She added that a ring-fence could not only prevent ¡°raiding fur바카라사이트r down 바카라사이트 line¡±, but serve as ¡°a very useful tool signalling that 바카라사이트 UK is a safe bet as a place for investment if you¡¯re, for instance, an international company¡±.

Ms Weir also highlighted 바카라사이트 potential for ¡°tucking in¡± ¨C bringing o바카라사이트r areas of spending into 바카라사이트 research budget and expecting it to cover more.

She added: ¡°Even if we have a headline message of protection of science at flat cash, or perhaps slightly more than that if 바카라사이트y include 바카라사이트 capital settlement¡­we¡¯ll be carefully looking to see what¡¯s inside 바카라사이트re.

¡°And if that flat-cash ring-fence has in fact been a real-terms cut because it¡¯s expected to cover more, that won¡¯t go unnoticed.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com