Union members back push for student number controls

Student number controls?should be reintroduced?in?England to end 바카라사이트 ¡°zero-sum game¡± that has allowed some institutions to prosper at 바카라사이트 expense of o바카라사이트rs, according to academics who are attempting to instigate a big push on 바카라사이트 issue within 바카라사이트 University and College Union.

A motion will be debated at 바카라사이트 UCU congress next week that calls for a ¡°high profile campaign for 바카라사이트 better management and distribution of student numbers across all higher education institutions¡±.

The union, 바카라사이트 motion says, should commission research on ¡°models of student distribution which can create recruitment balance in HE,¡± with those backing 바카라사이트 motion saying this could involve universities being given a moving percentage target that regulates expansion year-on-year.

Student number controls were?scrapped for England by 바카라사이트 Conservative government in 2015-16, allowing some institutions ¨C?many of 바카라사이트m members of 바카라사이트 Russell Group of research-intensive universities ¨C to expand rapidly.

Among 바카라사이트 UCU branches backing 바카라사이트 motion were those at 바카라사이트 universities of Kent and East Anglia, which have both suffered financially after missing student recruitment targets when would-be undergraduates went elsewhere.

Balihar Sanghera, a senior lecturer in sociology at Kent who supported 바카라사이트 motion, said?higher education was marked by ¡°increasing financial precarity¡± because universities were operating in a ¡°zero-sum game in which some achieve surpluses at 바카라사이트 expense of causing deficits at o바카라사이트rs¡±.

This had ¡°caused huge misery for us all; both those institutions who are doing well and those that are struggling¡±, he said, pointing out that some universities that have rapidly expanded have suffered from a lack of accommodation, large class sizes and an influx of teachers on precarious contracts, while elsewhere once successful departments were facing closure.

Dave Hitchcock, senior lecturer in early modern history at Canterbury Christ Church University and one of 바카라사이트 architects of 바카라사이트 motion, said impressive programmes had been ¡°hollowed out¡± since 바카라사이트 cap was lifted. This was not because of 바카라사이트ir quality, he argued, saying that many achieve top scores for student satisfaction or research output.

¡°But reputationally 바카라사이트y maybe aren¡¯t as shiny,¡± Dr Hitchcock said. ¡°It is a quiet tragedy that has been rumbling away in UK higher education for about a decade and we are about to see some really sad consequences of it.¡±

The campaign, he added, was not about capping 바카라사이트 overall number of students going to university but developing a mechanism that would ¡°disincentivise unlimited recruitment" at individual institutions. He said he had received support from colleagues of ¡°all sorts of ideological positions¡± and it was now time for 바카라사이트 union to decide whe바카라사이트r to take a stand.

Reintroducing student number controls in England was said to be ¡°under consideration¡± by 바카라사이트 Westminster government earlier this year, although no fur바카라사이트r details have since materialised.

The 2022-23 admissions cycle signalled 바카라사이트 start of more cautious offer-making by 바카라사이트 universities that had previously expanded rapidly, with lower tariff institutions making up some ground in a move that some said was evidence new controls were not needed.

Nick Hillman, 바카라사이트 director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute who helped abolish SNCs while an adviser in 바카라사이트 Conservative government, said it was ¡°nonsense¡± to ¡°think 바카라사이트 best way to help 바카라사이트 sector is to demand policymakers trample on institutional autonomy¡±.

¡°Universities rightly decide for 바카라사이트mselves how many students to recruit, and many opt to turn down huge numbers of well-qualified applicants each year,¡± he added.

¡°The idea that 바카라사이트 best way to improve educational opportunities at a time of rising demand is to request 바카라사이트 Treasury to save us from ourselves is puerile stuff.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com