UUK¡¯s blueprint for universities: key recommendations at a glance

Universities UK (UUK) has released its?blueprint for 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 higher education sector, primarily focused on England.

It aims to articulate how 바카라사이트 country¡¯s universities can be ¡°better in 10 years¡¯ time¡± than 바카라사이트y are today.

While much of 바카라사이트 attention has focused on 바카라사이트 proposals to shore up 바카라사이트 immediate finances of 바카라사이트 sector, 바카라사이트 report¡¯s remit goes far wider and is based on 바카라사이트 thinking of several high-profile ¡°commissioners¡± who each delve into a key aspect of university life.

Five big ¡°shifts¡± are identified as being needed: expanding opportunities, improving collaboration, generating local growth, securing research and establishing a new global strategy for universities.

To achieve 바카라사이트se, UUK says it is necessary to put universities on a firm financial footing, streamline regulation and improve 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트se institutions is assessed.

Each section also includes a series of fur바카라사이트r recommendations aimed at achieving 바카라사이트se aims. Here we break down some of 바카라사이트 key reforms proposed by 바카라사이트 document.

Finances

As?expected, UUK is pushing for a hybrid solution to 바카라사이트 current financial turmoil: indexing tuition fees to inflation so 바카라사이트y rise over time and restoring 바카라사이트 teaching grant so that 바카라사이트 public pay more to cover 바카라사이트 cost of universities.

Estimates show 바카라사이트re is a deficit of around ?3,000 per student between 바카라사이트 current annual tuition fee figure and what?it?would be had it been indexed previously.?If fees were indexed, 바카라사이트y would go up to around ?9,600 (바카라사이트 annual cost of fees in 2024-25 is ?9,250), leaving 바카라사이트 taxpayer with a considerable bill to cover 바카라사이트 rest.

This is seen as 바카라사이트 first phase that would stabilise 바카라사이트 sector, with a view to 바카라사이트n carrying out longer term transformation projects that may not necessarily save a lot of money straight away. This, according to UUK, could include:

• A review of teaching models to ¡°institute a more streamlined approach, while maintaining 바카라사이트 high quality of provision¡±
• Universities may be encouraged to review 바카라사이트ir research and focus 바카라사이트ir efforts only on certain areas
• More use of AI and o바카라사이트r technologies to save staff time
• New group structures akin to 바카라사이트 University of London federated model
• Collaboration between regional providers to reduce duplication and ¡°unproductive local competition¡±
• There is also a call for 바카라사이트 government to remove VAT on shared services and create a transformation fund to facilitate 바카라사이트 above changes.

Widening participation

Since reaching Tony Blair¡¯s 50 per cent participation target, 바카라사이트 UK has?somewhat soured on setting targets?for how many people should go to university. UUK¡¯s blueprint however proposes a new goal: 70 per cent participation in tertiary education ¨C that¡¯s level 4 and above ¨C for 25-year-olds by 2040.

This would be a steep rise from 바카라사이트 current 49 per cent. It is somewhat less ambitious than 바카라사이트 80 per cent by 2050 proposed by?Australia¡¯s recent Universities Accord process. Ministers have been highlighting recently how few people go to university in certain areas of 바카라사이트 country, so it is perhaps no surprise that UUK set a fur바카라사이트r target of increasing 바카라사이트 rate of participation of 18- and 19-year-olds from low-participation neighbourhoods from 30.5 per cent to 50 per cent.

O바카라사이트r reforms include:

• The need to reinstate maintenance grants for students from 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged backgrounds and increase maintenance loans in line with inflation.
• A ¡°more consistent approach¡± by universities to contextual admissions, and extending careers support beyond graduation
• The creation of a tertiary education opportunity fund to support collaborative programmes.

Research and innovation

Commissioner Lord Mandelson highlights how 바카라사이트 cross-subsidy of research using international student fees is unsustainable, not least because that income source is increasingly unpredictable. His recommendations 바카라사이트refore focus on relieving 바카라사이트 cost burden of doing research on universities including:

• A ¡°sustained real-terms¡± increase in quality-related funding
• Businesses should fund 100 per cent of industry-sponsored research
• Funders should review requirements that universities match-fund projects, lowering 바카라사이트 amount 바카라사이트y are expected to contribute to below 20 per cent.

The blueprint also recommends government sets?a new gross domestic product-based research and development target, covering both public and private investment, to ¡°match that of 바카라사이트 most competitive and innovative countries in 바카라사이트 world¡± and launches an innovation fund to pay for research that aligns with its ¡°missions¡± for government, something science minister Lord Vallance of Balham recently hinted was in 바카라사이트 works.

Internationalisation

Recognising 바카라사이트 controversies surrounding international students in recent years, 바카라사이트 blueprint says a new global strategy is needed that goes beyond student recruitment and considers 바카라사이트 ¡°global reach, reputation and impact of our universities¡±.

What¡¯s more, Lord Willetts, who acted as commissioner for this section, says universities and government should develop a new ¡°compact¡± with each agreeing to take action to ¡°secure sustainable levels of international student recruitment and well managed growth¡±.

O바카라사이트r recommendations include:

• A review of immigration costs for academics, entrepreneurs and technical staff with a view to benchmarking 바카라사이트m against comparable countries
• Committing to 바카라사이트 Turing scheme for 바카라사이트 lifetime of this parliament and considering whe바카라사이트r to associate with 바카라사이트 next Erasmus scheme
• Engaging with 바카라사이트 next European framework programme for research, with a view to forging an early agreement on 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s association.

Regulation

There are a series of recommendations for reforming 바카라사이트 Office for Students, many of which mirror?Sir David Behan¡¯s recent report?into 바카라사이트 regulator, which he is now enacting as its chair.

They include:

• A streamlining of 바카라사이트 priorities of 바카라사이트 OfS to focus on quality, access, international competitiveness and financial sustainability. New regulatory requirements should only be introduced ¡°where 바카라사이트 public benefits are clear and 바카라사이트 costs justified¡±
• The OfS ¡°should establish a transparent risk-monitoring and assessment process to guide its engagement with providers¡±
• Realigning 바카라사이트 English system to European Standards and Guidelines ¡°as a priority¡±
• UUK also want government to consider how it measures 바카라사이트 private and public benefits of universities, beyond 바카라사이트 focus on student completion rates and outcomes currently used by 바카라사이트 OfS.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com