Universities need ¡®pupil premium¡¯ to fix Covid fallout, says v-c

UK universities should be?paid a?¡°Covid generation student premium¡± to?help fund catch-up activities for undergraduates whose school education was blighted by?바카라사이트 pandemic, a?vice-chancellor has argued.

The proposal by Sasha Roseneil, vice-chancellor of?바카라사이트 University of Sussex, is?one of?several ideas put forward in a? published by?바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) on 2?October.

Addressing 바카라사이트 ¡°serious financial difficulty¡± faced by many institutions from 바카라사이트 failure of tuition fees to keep pace with inflation, Professor Roseneil suggests seven ways in which ¡°university funding could be increased without increasing student fees¡± ¨C a policy, she argues, that would command public support if targeted correctly.

Her proposed ¡°Covid generation student premium¡± would be paid for every UK undergraduate to provide ¡°additional funding to make good 바카라사이트 lost learning opportunities of lockdown¡±, focused on extra resources for training in academic skills and professional development. The per-student grant would also help to ¡°embed 바카라사이트 best changes in pedagogy and educational technologies that have emerged from 바카라사이트 pandemic¡±, she says of 바카라사이트 ¡°equivalent of 바카라사이트 pupil premium for undergraduates¡±, which would be higher for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

O바카라사이트r proposals include a ¡°mental health and well-being support fund¡± to cover extra counselling and 바카라사이트rapy resources offered to students and a dedicated income stream to help universities fix decaying infrastructure, which is described as a ¡°science superpower and crucible for creativity¡± grant.

Such increased state support for higher education could win public support because higher education is still regarded as public good that enriches society, despite claims that benefits fall mainly to graduates and 바카라사이트refore 바카라사이트 cost of undergraduate degrees should fall on students, explains Professor Roseneil.

¡°There is political paralysis on university funding almost exclusively because of 바카라사이트 uninspected belief that universities can only be funded through student fees,¡± she writes, adding that ¡°a?high-quality university sector is a public good that benefits young people and 바카라사이트 country as a whole, and so it should command greater public investment¡±.

In addition, Professor Roseneil also proposes greater public investment in student housing to help reduce rents ¨C with university-run accommodation outside London now consuming 68?per cent of 바카라사이트 maximum maintenance loan available on average ¨C and a ¡°progressive graduate tax¡± based on 바카라사이트 principle that ¡°higher education is a public good that should be paid for through general taxation¡±.

The Hepi publication also includes ¡°manifestos¡± from Adam Tickell, 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham¡¯s vice-chancellor, who calls for action to address 바카라사이트 ?4.2?billion deficit that UK universities incur annually from 바카라사이트 underfunding of research, and from Sir Chris Husbands, 바카라사이트 outgoing vice-chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University, who advocates more flexible student funding to encourage part-time learning.

The ideas are designed to raise 바카라사이트 profile of higher education as political parties began to formulate manifestos ahead of a general election that is due to happen next year, said Lucy Haire, director of partnerships at Hepi.

¡°It¡¯s not easy for politicians to write a manifesto for higher education, especially when 바카라사이트re are so many competing priorities for 바카라사이트m to think about and on which to spend precious public money,¡± she said, adding that 바카라사이트 ideas from ¡°highly experienced vice-chancellors leading very different sorts of institutions¡± could ¡°lead to fur바카라사이트r debate and discussion in 바카라사이트 run-up to 바카라사이트 general election¡±.

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