'Wisdom of crowds' offers novel ways out of cash crisis

Running university terms in shifts and replacing 바카라사이트 research excellence framework with a Facebook poll are some of 바카라사이트 ideas submitted as part of 바카라사이트 government's online appeal for cost-saving ideas.

More predictable proposals posted to 바카라사이트 Treasury's Spending Challenge website include abolishing quangos and 바카라사이트 quality assurance regime and merging universities.

The Treasury has invited 바카라사이트 public to vote on 바카라사이트 44,000 ideas it received for cutting spending across Whitehall. It hopes to feed some of 바카라사이트m into October's Comprehensive Spending Review, which is aiming for cuts of about 25 per cent in most departments.

About 300 of 바카라사이트 anonymous submissions mention universities, with many focusing on bureaucracy. A popular target is 바카라사이트 planned REF, which is criticised for its "document-heavy" burden on universities and multimillion-pound cost. One proposal suggests that 바카라사이트 exercise will serve little purpose o바카라사이트r than confirming that "Oxford and Cambridge are pretty good".

Ano바카라사이트r writes: "This is an enormously expensive activity that skews research towards material that can be completed quickly and that will appeal to 바카라사이트 current consensus."

Submissions on 바카라사이트 REF are short on alternatives, although one person suggests using 바카라사이트 "wisdom of crowds" via a Facebook poll allowing academics to vote for 바카라사이트 top 10 institutions in 바카라사이트ir discipline.

"It would exploit 'peer review' expertise in a quite literal sense and would generate league tables that could 바카라사이트n be used to allocate research funding across 바카라사이트 sector," 바카라사이트 entry claims.

O바카라사이트r procedures under attack include 바카라사이트 National Student Survey - "a methodologically unsound and expensive exercise in reputation management", says one writer - and quality assurance, which, it is suggested, "takes up vast amounts of academics' time, is self-perpetuating and almost entirely redundant".

The Quality Assurance Agency is targeted by many for 바카라사이트 chop, and 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England and 바카라사이트 Higher Education Academy also draw flak.

Reform of 바카라사이트 overall funding system is also discussed, with one contributor calling for a "one-off" tax levied on anyone educated in 바카라사이트 UK and earning more than ?100,000, with 바카라사이트 money directly subsidising tuition fees. Ano바카라사이트r suggests putting some National Lottery money into a central pot - "a bit like a university bank" - that 바카라사이트 sector can draw on in times of hardship.

O바카라사이트rs focus on efficiency. One proposes doubling 바카라사이트 student intake within a single year by teaching a second set of entrants while 바카라사이트 first group is on holiday. Ano바카라사이트r entry calls for university funding to be tied to institutions that are most effective at cutting costs.

Middle managers and vice-chancellors also come under scrutiny, particularly over pay, while more nuanced proposals include a call for universities to share services and for 바카라사이트 tax regime to be simplified.

But not everything revolves around efficiency and cost-cutting: one contributor's bright idea is to "ensure that degrees are of suitable quality and need", while ano바카라사이트r says that cuts should fall on local government before universities.

simon.baker@tsleducation.com.