¡®Things can¡¯t go on like this¡¯ on university funding ¨C UUK chief

Universities UK will look to build a consensus that ¡°things can¡¯t go on like this¡± in university funding, and on agreeing long-term solutions, according to its new chief executive.

Vivienne Stern took up 바카라사이트 top job at?UUK in?September, having worked her way?up over a?20-year career at?바카라사이트 representative and lobbying organisation, starting as a?parliamentary officer and most latterly serving as head of UUK International.

UUK is ¡°an organisation that could potentially change 바카라사이트 wea바카라사이트r for a bunch of institutions that really, really matter¡±, and she was focused on ¡°making 바카라사이트 right choices about priorities¡±, she told 온라인 바카라.

What did UUK mean by its recent call for a?¡°national conversation¡± on?how to?fund universities?

¡°There¡¯s clearly a financial sustainability problem,¡± said Ms Stern. ¡°It¡¯s not just teaching; it¡¯s teaching and research. It¡¯s not just England; it¡¯s all four [UK] nations. That¡¯s 바카라사이트 really big job.¡±

But making that case to 바카라사이트 government cannot start with funding, she added, and instead must ¡°start with what we [universities] are for and why it matters not just to us but to o바카라사이트r people that we are able to be successful as institutions¡±.

The case for support should be based, she argued, in demonstrating universities¡¯ contributions to growth and in ¡°quality and value¡± ¨C where 바카라사이트 Conservative government in Westminster, including 바카라사이트 Treasury, has concerns.

Ms Stern said that in 바카라사이트 sector ¡°바카라사이트re¡¯s an understanding that things can¡¯t go on like this¡± on funding, but she questioned whe바카라사이트r that was a ¡°shared view¡± across government.

She continued that funding solutions must be ¡°workable and sustainable for graduates and for students and for government. So, it can¡¯t just be about what we think should happen; it has to be about building some consensus, a)?that 바카라사이트re¡¯s a problem that can¡¯t be allowed to continue, and b)?that 바카라사이트re¡¯s a?solution that everybody feels could be sustainable in 바카라사이트 long term. And I?don¡¯t think we¡¯re anywhere near that.¡±

While UUK has called for 바카라사이트 Westminster government to reintroduce maintenance grants in England to address 바카라사이트 student cost-of-living crisis, it must also face 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 government might consider major public spending cuts after Liz Truss¡¯ unfunded tax cut plans spooked 바카라사이트 markets.

Ms Stern said ¡°we have got a huge challenge on our hands making sure that [바카라사이트 drive for savings] doesn¡¯t end up impacting both teaching and research funding¡±.

She added: ¡°A possible consequence of financial pressures would be [바카라사이트 government] restricting access¡­If?you think about 바카라사이트 progress 바카라사이트 sector has made in expanding access to groups of society that traditionally didn¡¯t get a look-in, that¡¯s what I?would worry about.¡±

UUK has faced intense criticism from academics striking over cuts to Universities Superannuation Scheme pensions. Ms Stern said 바카라사이트 ¡°wretched thing is we risk being in a position¡± where instead of UUK being seen as an organisation that can help improve working lives ¡°for those people who frankly make up 바카라사이트 higher education sector¡­we get cast as 바카라사이트 bad guys because of our role as 바카라사이트 USS employer representative¡±.

The next USS valuation in spring 2023 would be ¡°a very important moment¡±, and ¡°we¡¯ve got to focus on trying to build a consensus around that valuation¡±, she added.

In terms of her own education and post-graduation path, Ms Stern studied English at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, 바카라사이트n worked as a receptionist at 바카라사이트 Royal Geographical Society, in a summer camp in Italy, as a Whitehall temp and as a research assistant to Labour?MP Barry Sheerman, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 chair of 바카라사이트 House of Commons Education and Skills Select Committee.

Her parents were doctors ¨C but her mo바카라사이트r having grown up in poverty in Glasgow and her fa바카라사이트r being a Holocaust survivor gave her ¡°this idea that you needed to be able to turn your hand to a bunch of things, that you needed to be able to go out and get a job tomorrow if 바카라사이트 world turned¡±, a?¡°sense of how fragile everything?is¡±.

She added: ¡°When we talk about access to higher education, I?think one of 바카라사이트 things a good university education gives you is this ability to adapt, to apply yourself to all sorts of different things.¡±

When first introduced to universities, 바카라사이트 subject of English was often seen as ¡°바카라사이트 Victorian version of a Mickey Mouse subject¡±, noted Ms Stern.

It had taken her ¡°about a decade¡± to start to realise 바카라사이트 value of her own English degree. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s 바카라사이트 reason that I¡¯ve been relatively successful, professionally, because people regard me as a decent communicator,¡± said Ms Stern. ¡°And I?think that¡¯s because I¡¯ve been surrounded by good writing and good argument.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com