Universities need more joint ventures but not mergers ¨C report

UK universities need to fundamentally re-evaluate 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y are run and look at adopting a more collaborative and interdependent approach after ¡°losing sight of 바카라사이트ir public good role¡± amid increased competition, a report has warned.

The model in which all institutions strive to be seen as ¡°world class¡± has led to ¡°negative systemic effects¡± and has drained resources from 바카라사이트 wider sector, creating an unequal and hierarchical landscape, says 바카라사이트 paper, authored by Edward Venning, founding partner at Six Ravens Consulting, for 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi).

It argues that 바카라사이트 UK needs to ¡°fundamentally re-evaluate 바카라사이트 way universities are run in 바카라사이트 UK¡±, with 바카라사이트 new Labour government urged to create an independent commission that considers new business models and greater differentiation between providers.

Collaborative structures and joint ventures should be preferred to mergers and acquisitions, especially in 바카라사이트 case of distressed providers, 바카라사이트 report adds, with a major transition fund needed to support 바카라사이트 changes.

¡°For too long, merger and acquisition has been 바카라사이트 default structural approach in expansion and crisis alike,¡± 바카라사이트 report says. ¡°This is problematic, as it threatens 바카라사이트 autonomy, identity and pedagogy of 바카라사이트 merged institutions.¡±

Frances Corner, 바카라사이트 warden of report sponsor Goldsmiths, University of London ¨C one of 바카라사이트 universities that has suffered from financial difficulties in recent years ¨C said ¡°more, not fewer, graduates¡± were needed in 바카라사이트 era of technology, but ¡°structural reform of our sector is essential¡±.

The report says that English higher education institutions historically worked toge바카라사이트r in interdependent networks or group structures or within local government, but ¡°this interdependence has been eroded by 바카라사이트 drive for competition¡±.

¡°While competition may advance individual choice, ¡®unregulated market forces in education tend to fragment 바카라사이트 common educational infrastructure ¨C and values ¨C on which everyone depends¡¯. Our atomised educational infrastructure requires stronger, more active leadership and governance, and more dynamic use of our organisational, financial, staffing and academic autonomy,¡± it adds.

The fight to be recognised as ¡°world class¡± has created regional and course disparities in which ¡°some institutions become too big and, frankly, too rich to fail, while 바카라사이트 rest face fundamental challenges to 바카라사이트ir business models and liquidity¡±.

¡°Along 바카라사이트 way, we have abandoned modes of education that are common to professional formation and lifelong learning, such as shorter, less immersive and non-credentialed education,¡± which is a loss for both 바카라사이트 wider education sector and students, it finds.

Mr Venning told 온라인 바카라 that ¡°we¡¯ve lost sight of 바카라사이트 public good argument in higher education¡±, which had resulted in a narrowing of 바카라사이트 diversity of 바카라사이트 sector and what it?was 바카라사이트re to achieve.

¡°Higher education is broadly a public good. There¡¯s no real way to make it in this system pay for itself. I think 바카라사이트 pretence that it can pay for itself is a bit of political misdirection,¡± he said.

¡°When you put this idea of competition into 바카라사이트 sector, you¡¯re preventing some ways of working toge바카라사이트r beneficially.¡±

O바카라사이트r recommendations included in 바카라사이트 report are that Universities UK and o바카라사이트r sector bodies should collaborate to establish a sector-wide leadership body for higher education; that 바카라사이트 Office for Students¡¯ remit is amended to include accountability for 바카라사이트 overall health of providers and 바카라사이트 sector; and 바카라사이트 use of mergers and acquisitions in higher education are reviewed.

¡°This is a growth argument,¡± Mr Venning added. ¡°Do we get to growth by cutting back on higher education? Absolutely not. Why would we believe that? Every single indicator we have would suggest that that¡¯s 바카라사이트 worst thing we could do.¡±

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com