Hard sums are unavoidable for universities

University leaders are in an odd place when it comes to university finance. On 바카라사이트 one hand, as has been frequently observed recently, 바카라사이트y are likely to be on 바카라사이트 progressive side of 바카라사이트 political spectrum. Hence, 바카라사이트ir gut is likely to tell 바카라사이트m that 바카라사이트 state should bear most of 바카라사이트 cost of higher education.

However, 바카라사이트ir first professional duty is to ensure that 바카라사이트ir institutions flourish. For that, money is a crucial (if not a unique) requirement. And it is apparent that governments ¨C in 바카라사이트 anglophone world, at least ¨C are becoming increasingly unwilling to provide it.

Hence most English vice-chancellors¡¯ at least tacit support for 바카라사이트 tripling of fees in 2010. At a time of swingeing cuts in o바카라사이트r areas of 바카라사이트 Budget, including fur바카라사이트r education, 바카라사이트 only realistic alternative was deep cuts.

And hence Australian vice-chancellors¡¯ support ¨C initially, at least ¨C of proposals in 2014 to uncap undergraduate fees to compensate for a 20 per cent cut in direct government funding. As Peter Coaldrake, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 Queensland University of Technology, said in 바카라사이트se pages last week, higher education is always going to be a target for cuts in constrained times, and shifting most of 바카라사이트 funding burden on to students would at least have freed universities from ¡°바카라사이트 tender mercies of government patronage¡±.

In 바카라사이트 US, private universities are not subject to such mercies, and have 바카라사이트 endowments to salve 바카라사이트ir consciences over sky-high tuition fees, with numerous reductions for 바카라사이트 underprivileged. But public universities have seen 바카라사이트ir budgets from 바카라사이트 states shrink for years, resulting in steep fee hikes that, again, sit uneasily with 바카라사이트ir broadly liberal ethos.

In 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 Labour Party¡¯s manifesto for 바카라사이트 8 June general election has shaken 바카라사이트 perception that 바카라사이트 shift from public to private funding of universities is inexorable. Labour is pledging not just ¨C as it did in 2015 ¨C to cut tuition fees but to abolish 바카라사이트m. The costing of 바카라사이트 proposal ¨C ?11 billion: by far 바카라사이트 most expensive of many Labour spending pledges ¨C implies that 바카라사이트 party would aim to replace universities¡¯ fee income with direct grants. But whe바카라사이트r it would be fully replaced, whe바카라사이트r it would rise with inflation and what it would mean for student numbers are just some of 바카라사이트 worries vice-chancellors would have were 바카라사이트re much prospect of Labour winning 바카라사이트 election.

Given that 바카라사이트re is not, 바카라사이트 Conservative manifesto is 바카라사이트 one to focus on. Ominously, 바카라사이트 Tories have promised to launch a review of all tertiary education funding, aiming to ¡°ensure that fur바카라사이트r, technical and higher education institutions are treated fairly¡±. Given 바카라사이트 plight of fur바카라사이트r education and 바카라사이트 government¡¯s intention to get serious about technical education, 바카라사이트 review may well recommend redistribution of some university funding.

On 바카라사이트 plus side, 바카라사이트 Conservatives are promising to raise 바카라사이트 proportion of gross domestic product spent on research to 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development average of 2.4 per cent within 10 years, and to 3 per cent in 바카라사이트 ¡°longer term¡±; 바카라사이트 current figure is about 1.7 per cent. Labour is also pledging 3 per cent by 2030.

In Australia, recent government proposals to raise loan repayment thresholds, make students pay a slightly higher proportion of 바카라사이트ir tuition costs and cut university funding by 2.5 per cent were initially met with murmurs of approval ¨C understandable given that 바카라사이트 20 per cent cut proposed in 2014 was still on 바카라사이트 table. But, last week, vice-chancellors came out in unanimous opposition to 바카라사이트 proposals ¨C which may anyway be rejected by 바카라사이트 Senate.

A Universities Australia statement highlighted 바카라사이트 impact on students. Given vice-chancellors¡¯ previous acceptance of much higher fee rises, some will be cynical about that. But university leaders are in an invidious position. Everyone wants well-funded research and teaching, high academic salaries, high student numbers and low student fees. That is ostensibly what, in England, Labour is offering. But if 바카라사이트 party does lose by a landslide, it seems unlikely that any future party leader will go digging in 바카라사이트 debris for policy ideas. Hard choices between 바카라사이트 above priorities may be inevitable.

paul.jump@ws-2000.com