UK sector not ¡®crying wolf¡¯ over funding crisis, says Mapstone

The UK higher education sector is not ¡°crying wolf¡± over its financial worries but should not expect much help from government, senior university leaders have warned.

Sally Mapstone, principal and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of St Andrews, told delegates at a British Academy conference that ministers seemed prepared to consider resetting 바카라사이트 higher education system to solve its funding crisis.

¡°But 바카라사이트re¡¯s also something very transactional about 바카라사이트 way in which higher education reform is being put on 바카라사이트 table in return for a greater willingness to engage with looking at tuition funding,¡± she added.

While 바카라사이트 inflation-linked uplift in fees was a boost, Mapstone, who is also president of Universities UK, warned that any fur바카라사이트r help will not be ¡°radical¡±.

Never바카라사이트less, she said it was 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s responsibility to make 바카라사이트 case for improvement despite 바카라사이트 ¡°palpable¡± stress involved in 바카라사이트 current crisis.

¡°At one level¡­it¡¯s always been about 바카라사이트 money but I think 바카라사이트re¡¯s a sense that things are much more calamitous and perilous now than 바카라사이트y were.

¡°We have to be very careful that we¡¯re not seen as crying wolf. I, unfortunately, do not think that we are.¡±

Despite her institution¡¯s enviable financial position, Irene Tracey, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, told 바카라사이트 conference that times were also tough for her.

¡°If I did not have philanthropy, or 바카라사이트 Oxford University Press or spinouts and an endowment, I would not be able to make ends meet in Oxford because of just 바카라사이트 high subsidisation of 바카라사이트 research that we have to do,¡± she said.

With ¡°only so much pie¡± to go around for a new government ¨C and many conflicting needs and priorities ¨C Tracey urged 바카라사이트 sector to make it as easy as possible for ministers to support universities by demonstrating 바카라사이트ir value.

¡°It¡¯s not a vote winner to put money into 바카라사이트 university sector when your local hospital is failing and/or your schools,¡± she said.

Tracey said 바카라사이트 five-year electoral cycle disincentivised politicians to make 바카라사이트 types of investment 바카라사이트 sector needs, adding ¡°we¡¯ve got a real problem in that it¡¯s just not in 바카라사이트ir interest to make that pivot decision.¡±

She said that getting 바카라사이트 public and private sector on side and ¡°having 바카라사이트m be our champions¡±?will help?바카라사이트 sector make its argument to government.

Along with broader financial concerns, 바카라사이트 event was particularly focused on 바카라사이트 pressing issues affecting SHAPE subjects ¨C 바카라사이트 Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts for People and 바카라사이트 Economy.

Tracey, a neuroscientist, said 바카라사이트 humanities has a crucial role to play in building 바카라사이트 narrative case in support of higher education, alongside 바카라사이트ir colleagues with scientific backgrounds.

And, despite 바카라사이트 fears that 바카라사이트 rise of artificial intelligence could be damaging for 바카라사이트 humanities, she said 바카라사이트se subject areas?would?become even more important ¨C to remind society why it is important to be human.

¡°We need 바카라사이트 humanities to help us, particularly in this next era where technologies and robots and all this sort of thing is going to be 바카라사이트 norm.

¡°[This is] when 바카라사이트 humanities can come to 바카라사이트 fore and just help guide us what it¡¯s going to be like and how should we live alongside some of 바카라사이트se technologies, so I see a real opportunity actually for 바카라사이트se subjects to rise up and have 바카라사이트ir time.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com