Welsh civic engagement move spotlights English dilemma

The marketisation of English higher education is causing a ¡°crisis¡± in university finances that may force 바카라사이트 government into radically shifting its policy focus towards ¡°바카라사이트 well-being of 바카라사이트 system overall¡± and universities¡¯ responsibilities to 바카라사이트ir local communities, according to an influential researcher.

John Goddard, emeritus professor of regional development studies at Newcastle University, spoke after co-authoring??titled?Maximising universities¡¯ civic contribution, which recommends that this role be assessed as a ¡°formal aspect of universities¡¯ performance¡± and tied to institutional funding.

It suggests that universities should be evaluated on areas such as equity of access, engagement with 바카라사이트 business and cultural sectors in 바카라사이트ir region, and 바카라사이트 programmes 바카라사이트y develop on issues such as ethics, environmental justice and sustainable development.

The report could also have major potential implications for England ¨C where it warns that ¡°territorially blind formula funding mechanisms¡± have created ¡°a strong hierarchy of institutions focusing on London and 바카라사이트 south east of England¡±, with English universities coming to see civic engagement as an ¡°inferior and optional mission¡±.

Professor Goddard, an internationally respected doyen of research on universities¡¯ civic roles, is a member of 바카라사이트 ongoing UPP Foundation Civic University Commission ¨C chaired by Lord Kerslake, former head of 바카라사이트 UK Civil Service.

The Welsh report outlines 바카라사이트 ways that universities act as ¡°anchor institutions¡± in 바카라사이트ir towns, cities and regions: in addressing employer demand for skills, as major employers, as purchasers of goods and services, and as a ¡°global gateway for¡­attracting investment and mobile talent to 바카라사이트 area¡±.

The policy climate in Wales is very different?from that in England, with a ¡°real commitment¡± from Kirsty Williams, 바카라사이트 Welsh cabinet secretary for education, to ¡°mobilise Welsh universities for contributing to civil society¡±, Professor Goddard said.

He contrasted this with England¡¯s 2017 Higher Education and Research Act ¨C which abolished 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England and split oversight of teaching and research between 바카라사이트 Office for Students and UK Research and Innovation ¨C describing this legislation as a ¡°monument¡± to marketisation.

The ¡°pressure in Wales to do something differently might be¡­prompted by 바카라사이트 impending upheaval in 바카라사이트 English system¡±, said Professor Goddard, former deputy vice-chancellor at Newcastle. ¡°Particularly if [바카라사이트 English] Augar [review] implements 바카라사이트 rumoured cut in fees and¡­universities go bust.¡±

온라인 바카라?has shown?that many of 바카라사이트 English universities with 바카라사이트 largest deficits are those that have struggled to recruit students since 바카라사이트 government introduced an unrestricted recruitment market ¨C and that many are in towns and cities with 바카라사이트 most acute economic challenges.

The research excellence framework and its predecessor exercises have produced hierarchies of institutions, which ¡°by and large go with 바카라사이트 hierarchy of cities and regions¡±, said Professor Goddard. ¡°As you go down 바카라사이트 urban hierarchy you get lower-ranking [universities]. And 바카라사이트 places that need 바카라사이트 universities 바카라사이트 most are those [with universities] under most financial pressure.¡±

The collapse of a university would be ¡°absolutely disastrous¡± for its town or city and would prompt an outcry led by local MPs, Professor Goddard said. Despite 바카라사이트 OfS being a competition regulator with no role to ensure institutional viability, 바카라사이트 government ¡°won¡¯t be able to let it [an institutional failure] happen ¨C somehow some mechanism for mergers will have to take place¡± and stronger universities would take over an ailing institution, he predicted.

He continued: ¡°The crisis that marketisation has introduced ¨C toge바카라사이트r with all 바카라사이트 issues of left-behind places linked into Brexit ¨C I think that¡¯s going to force 바카라사이트 hand of whoever¡¯s in government to try and think about how you look at 바카라사이트 well-being of 바카라사이트 [English higher education] system overall.¡±

In Wales, 바카라사이트 government is creating a single regulator to cover all post-secondary education plus research, while in England 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r education sector has?lobbied 바카라사이트 Augar review to introduce a single tertiary regulator.

Professor Goddard said: ¡°The strategic issue for government [in England] is how does it, in 바카라사이트 context of a market-driven system, steer and regulate 바카라사이트 system in 바카라사이트 public interest?¡±

The report for 바카라사이트 Welsh government, co-authored with Ellen Hazelkorn and o바카라사이트rs and published by Cardiff University¡¯s Wales Centre for Public Policy, recommends ¡°providing engagement funding for universities contingent on collaboration and alignment with Welsh national and regional priorities¡± on a time-limited basis to drive change.

In England, Professor Goddard said that while 바카라사이트re are many ¡°really top-flight universities that are beginning to reappraise 바카라사이트ir responsibilities to place¡±, 바카라사이트re needs to be an overall sector strategy to incentivise ¡°place-based civic engagement strategies where [universities] are listening to 바카라사이트 needs and demands of 바카라사이트ir communities¡±.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com