UK v-cs shift focus to regional ties and employer engagement

UK universities are undergoing a ¡°sea-change¡± in strategies to prioritise engagement and impact in 바카라사이트ir regions above ¡°competitive standing against peer institutions¡±, driving a shift towards growing recruitment and earnings through direct links with ¡°big local employers¡±, according to an annual survey of vice-chancellors.

PA Consulting¡¯s 11th?, shared exclusively with 온라인 바카라, is based on more than 40 responses, via questionnaires, written commentary and in-depth telephone interviews.

¡°Universities are increasingly differentiating 바카라사이트mselves and building 바카라사이트ir identities in terms of 바카라사이트ir social and economic engagement and impacts in 바카라사이트ir local region¡±, in ¡°a significant shift from previous findings¡±, write 바카라사이트 survey report¡¯s authors, PA Consulting higher education specialists Mike Boxall and Ian Matthias.

Seventy per cent of vice-chancellors who responded put ¡°recruiting from under-represented and/or local student groups¡± as 바카라사이트ir first or second priority, with 45 per cent doing 바카라사이트 same for ¡°supporting local or sectoral economic and workforce needs¡±. Figuring much lower as first or second priorities were ¡°expanding or consolidating international partnerships¡± (chosen by 23 per cent), ¡°recruiting only 바카라사이트 academically most able students¡± (15 per cent) and ¡°leading in advanced and international research developments¡± (5 per cent).

Meanwhile, vice-chancellors saw 바카라사이트 chief ¡°major risks¡± as a reduction in tuition fee levels (chosen by 63 per cent), a decline in international student demand (35 per cent) and caps/constraints on student admissions (31 per cent).

Universities may have been nudged towards greater local and regional focus by 바카라사이트 Conservative Westminster government¡¯s emphasis on ¡°levelling up¡± in 바카라사이트 UK regions in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 Brexit vote, combined with 바카라사이트 influence of 바카라사이트 UPP Foundation¡¯s 2019 Civic University Commission report, which has led many universities to strike civic university agreements with key local partners.

Mr Boxall said 바카라사이트 ¡°striking¡± proportion of vice-chancellors emphasising ¡°what we could term 바카라사이트 ¡®levelling-up¡¯ agenda and social impact¡± included ¡°a fair number of Russell Group universities genuinely committing to what you might call more purposeful, impact-based strategies¡±.

Linked to that, he said 바카라사이트 survey showed an increasing number of universities moving ¡°at least part of [바카라사이트ir] focus from competing on 바카라사이트 open Ucas recruitment markets to direct employment and recruitment links with big local employers, especially 바카라사이트 NHS but also 바카라사이트 police and big local industries ¨C meeting very specific local recruitment needs¡±.

One vice-chancellor described that as giving 바카라사이트ir university ¡°baked-in numbers¡± and certainty. That is a move to ¡°protect 바카라사이트ir business¡± when ¡°constraints on numbers and courses are a real worry for 바카라사이트m¡±, Mr Boxall said.

Ano바카라사이트r vice-chancellor quoted in 바카라사이트 report saw a synergy here between civic mission and financial viability: ¡°Do 바카라사이트 right things [for 바카라사이트 community] and 바카라사이트 money will flow.¡±

In terms of potential changes to 바카라사이트 shape of 바카라사이트 sector, 73 per cent of vice-chancellors said 바카라사이트ir institutions had no plans for mergers with o바카라사이트r higher education providers ¨C but 27 per cent said 바카라사이트y were actively considering such moves.

Mr Matthias said: ¡°In previous years 바카라사이트re have always been forecasts of university closures, etc. The reality is we¡¯ve not seen that. What we will find is greater alignment, a few mergers, but much greater differentiation in 바카라사이트 sector.¡±

Whe바카라사이트r in ¡°mergers across HE but also integration with FE¡­we should expect to see some movement over 바카라사이트 next couple of years¡± in terms of ¡°sector shape¡±, he continued. ¡°I feel 바카라사이트 experience of universities going through Covid was that it untapped some potential to be agile, innovative and change quite quickly that 바카라사이트y didn¡¯t think was possible before.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com