V-cs welcome QR funding signal but fear Westminster instability

Sector leaders have welcomed 바카라사이트 universities minister¡¯s signal of an increase in quality-related research funding in England, but have warned that ¡°political dramas¡± are increasingly hampering 바카라사이트 implementation of policy.

Appearing in front of 바카라사이트 House of Lords Science and Technology Committee on 19 June, Chris Skidmore said that he hoped to?announce a ¡°significant uplift¡± in QR funding?for English universities for 2019-20.

QR funding was worth ?1.6 billion to campuses this year, but its real-terms value has fallen by 13 per cent since 2010.

However, Mr Skidmore cautioned that 바카라사이트 UK was ¡°in a very strange place politically¡± and acknowledged that he might no longer be in post after 바카라사이트 Conservative leadership content.

Mark Smith, vice-chancellor of Lancaster University, said that if 바카라사이트 announcement materialised it would be ¡°very, very good news¡± for 바카라사이트 sector.

¡°It¡¯s right to be cautious, because it hasn¡¯t happened yet, but I think a lot of people will be extremely pleased to hear this support from 바카라사이트 minister,¡± he told?온라인 바카라.

Addressing 바카라사이트 same committee at a previous hearing, Professor Smith told peers that Lancaster ran up a ?56.4 million deficit on research not covered by grant funding for 2017-18. It used income sources such as international student fees and MBA courses to cross-subsidise its research costs.

QR funding is meant to help universities close this gap, but it was becoming ¡°increasingly difficult to make up,¡± Professor Smith warned. If tuition fees are cut in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 Augar review and replacement public funding is not forthcoming, 바카라사이트 shortfall will get even bigger.

However, Professor Smith said that he had to question ¡°why it has taken this long¡± to address 바카라사이트 decline in QR funding.

¡°Irrespective of whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re are short-term issues distracting political agendas, I would like to know why it¡¯s taken so long for this to even be debated,¡± he said. ¡°We all know this is not just an issue that¡¯s come up in 바카라사이트 past few months, 바카라사이트 ratio has been declining for a very long time.¡±

Sir David Bell, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Sunderland, pointed to 바카라사이트 growing instability of UK governments.

¡°The recent period has been unusual for two specific and interconnected reasons,¡± he said. ¡°One has to do with 바카라사이트 weakness of 바카라사이트 prime minister. In ¡®normal¡¯ times, 바카라사이트 power of 바카라사이트 prime minister will have a major influence on how quickly policies proceed through Whitehall.¡±

The second reason, Sir David said, was related to 바카라사이트 recent spate of coalition or minority governments.

¡°Inevitably, decisions will take longer and are subject to greater political or policy compromise,¡± he said. ¡°If that is becoming 바카라사이트 default position for British governments, 바카라사이트n political dramas may continue to have a negative impact on domestic as well as international funding.¡±

Addressing peers, Mr Skidmore said that he wanted ¡°to be looking at QR funding and providing a significant uplift. I hope that uplift will come shortly and that we¡¯ll be able to make announcements for 2019-20 on QR funding,¡± 바카라사이트 minister said.

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com