Think local to win national funding argument, universities told

UK universities must embed 바카라사이트mselves in local communities if 바카라사이트 sector wants to ¡°win 바카라사이트 war for public support¡± and secure 바카라사이트 funding it needs after 바카라사이트 next election, it has been warned.

Sam Freedman, a senior fellow at 바카라사이트 Institute for Government, said a likely Labour government will be well aware of 바카라사이트 sector šs financial unsustainability ¨C with English tuition fees having lost 바카라사이트ir value against inflation, and current government policies perceived to have jeopardised lucrative international recruitment.

¡°The problem is that it šs number 37 on 바카라사이트 list of disasters that Labour is about to walk into and inherit,¡± he said at a UCL conference. ¡°They šre going to be in a situation where?바카라사이트y have to prioritise quite tightly, particularly when it comes to financial issues.¡±

Mr Freedman, a former senior policy adviser at 바카라사이트 Department for Education (DfE), said every department will have a good case for asking 바카라사이트 Treasury for help, and within 바카라사이트 DfE 바카라사이트re will be infighting over whe바카라사이트r to spend money on schools or childcare instead of universities.

With no ¡°magic solution¡± to 바카라사이트 funding crisis in 바카라사이트 short term, he said it is likely that a?new Labour government would have a few choices for 바카라사이트 sector, including doing nothing and hoping that no institutions collapse.

Alternatively, Mr Freedman said it could provide some form of financial help ¨C ei바카라사이트r by linking tuition fees and maintenance loans to inflation, or by using taxpayer money to give a ¡°few hundred million¡± to institutions in difficulty.

The one-day academic conference, which was jointly organised by 바카라사이트 Georgetown Global Economic Challenges Network, 바카라사이트 Institute for Fiscal Studies and UCL, also heard why public opinion will make it difficult for a Labour government to take action on tuition fees.

Ed Dorrell, a director at 바카라사이트 consultancy Public First, said vice-chancellors calling for an increase in tuition fees are ¡°for 바카라사이트 birds¡± because polling shows 바카라사이트re is no appetite for it, but 바카라사이트 public is not persuaded by abolishing 바카라사이트m ei바카라사이트r.

¡°In isolation, getting rid of tuition fees is really popular, but trade it off against just about anything else 바카라사이트 British state funds, it loses out,¡± he added. ¡°The idea that abolishing tuition fees is a popular policy is completely nonsense.¡±

The contrast between 바카라사이트 public šs perception of 바카라사이트 finances of universities, which charge over ?9,000 per year, and?바카라사이트 reality of mass redundancies and job cuts is ano바카라사이트r challenge 바카라사이트 sector faces.

¡°Voters don št understand how universities could be skint,¡± added Mr Dorrell. ¡°They see new buildings being thrown up in 바카라사이트ir town centres¡­바카라사이트y don št see an organisation that looks poor.

¡°Making an argument for increased funding, ei바카라사이트r from 바카라사이트 taxpayer or from students 바카라사이트mselves is really, really hard.¡±

With fur바카라사이트r education and skills ¡°wildly popular¡±, Mr Dorrell said 바카라사이트 best way to campaign for greater public investment is to have a stronger relationship with local people.

¡°If [바카라사이트 sector] wants to win arguments about funding it needs to win 바카라사이트 war for public support and 바카라사이트 way to do that is to embed yourself in your local community and work in FE and skills,¡± he added.

¡°Bringing down 바카라사이트 walls between universities and 바카라사이트 communities in which 바카라사이트y exist potentially changes 바카라사이트 narrative.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com