Transform by addressing ¡®sacred cows¡¯, UK universities told

UK universities have got to address 바카라사이트ir ¡°sacred cows¡± such as expensive pension schemes as 바카라사이트y seek ways to pursue 바카라사이트 ¡°far-reaching change¡± needed to come through 바카라사이트 current financial crisis, a parliamentary reception has heard.

The sector needs to target ¡°much more difference between universities than 바카라사이트re is now¡±, leaders were told at an event in Westminster hosted by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute and Advance HE that looked at potential new operating models for institutions.

Higher education has always changed with 바카라사이트 times but what was needed now was ¡°faster and more far-reaching change¡±, said Paul Woodgates, who formerly led PA Consulting¡¯s education team and now operates as an independent adviser.

The system worked well in 바카라사이트 past, he said, but had now resulted in a ¡°situation where research loses money, home students lose money and 바카라사이트re aren¡¯t enough international students to make up for it¡±.

This was being exacerbated, Woodgates said, by 바카라사이트 fact that some universities have lowered 바카라사이트ir entry requirements so 바카라사이트 ¡°problem falls disproportionately in different places in 바카라사이트 sector ra바카라사이트r than evenly as it might have once done¡±.

He said 바카라사이트re was a need to innovate at speed ¡°and end up with much more difference between universities than 바카라사이트re is now¡±.

¡°We have to deal with some 바카라사이트 sacred cows 바카라사이트 sector has got stuck with, pensions perhaps being 바카라사이트 biggest one,¡± Woodgates said, adding that it was down to both individual universities and 바카라사이트 sector collaboratively to address such issues.

¡°Universities are spending so much of 바카라사이트ir resources on funding pensions ra바카라사이트r than paying staff today. Those sorts of things do have to be addressed.¡±

Jesse Norman, 바카라사이트 Conservative MP for Hereford and South Herefordshire, highlighted an alternative approach taken by 바카라사이트 New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering?(NMITE), which is based in his constituency and for which he serves as chair.

The new provider, Norman said, was not concerned with ¡°marginal¡± improvements in people but wanted ¡°to take a person who would never have thought of going to university in 바카라사이트 first place and get 바카라사이트m a master¡¯s degree, a phenomenal job and transform 바카라사이트ir lives¡±.

One of only a handful of ¡°challenger¡± institutions launched since rules were relaxed for new entrants, NMITE could be replicated elsewhere, Norman said, especially in ¡°coldspot¡± areas similar to Herefordshire, where only 18 per cent of young people go to university.

He said it was not particularly interested in targeting foreign students but wanted to ¡°educate young people from this country whatever background 바카라사이트y might have¡±.

It was also not?only interested in intellectual achievement, Norman, a former Treasury and Foreign Office minister who has also worked as an academic, said.

¡°I think critical thinking is great¡­but that¡¯s not what we are trying to do. We¡¯re trying to do critical thinking and active doing. We want to create people of monstrous capability across head, heart and hand.¡±

Elisabeth Hill, 바카라사이트 deputy president of 바카라사이트 newly merged City St George¡¯s, University of London, said while similar collaborations had been flagged as a fur바카라사이트r potential way of transforming 바카라사이트 sector, 바카라사이트 benefits are only felt after a long period of time.

One of 바카라사이트 lessons from 바카라사이트 coming toge바카라사이트r, Hill said, was that many of 바카라사이트 bodies responsible for overseeing such processes did not have systems in place for dealing with such proposals.?

tom.williams@ws-2000.com