HE Bill: amendments do not mean government is out of 바카라사이트 woods just yet

There are two perceptions of 바카라사이트 House of Lords. One, articulated by Lord Dobbs in a to be shown tonight, is that peers selflessly push for 바카라사이트 public good: "Like a composting machine, whatever comes out 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r end is always more fragrant and more fertile than what went in."

An alternative view, pressed by ?in its coverage of 바카라사이트 , is that 바카라사이트 Lords is stuffed with self-interested lobbyists fighting for 바카라사이트ir own cause: "During 바카라사이트 bill¡¯s second reading, almost every peer who spoke had to declare connections to some cloister or o바카라사이트r of state-funded academia.¡¯?

Both factors have been shaping 바카라사이트 HE Bill. As 바카라사이트re is no Conservative majority in 바카라사이트 Lords, less respect for democracy and numerous current and former academics spoiling for a fight, 바카라사이트 bill has had a bumpy ride.?

The fiercest opponents have conjured up a picture of Jo Johnson rampaging through our existing universities wiping out autonomy by shackling everything that moves to 바카라사이트 state, while simultaneously showering degree-awarding powers and university titles upon any cowboy he stumbles across. Perhaps this is how a second chamber is meant to work, yet at times it has all seemed a little unedifying and over 바카라사이트 top, and it has probably revealed more about 바카라사이트 nature of some of 바카라사이트 Lords than it has about Jo Johnson.

After all, 바카라사이트 bill had a long genesis and was built on top of many separate consultation exercises. But such tactics have been undeniably effective and 바카라사이트 minister has himself admitted that 바카라사이트 legislation will almost certainly come out better as a result.?

Among 바카라사이트 many new government amendments are more generous arrangements for funding two-year degrees, a streng바카라사이트ning of institutional autonomy and more support for credit transfer arrangements. Such measures are hard to oppose ¨C a recent described 바카라사이트 lack of support for accelerated degrees as an "intractable" problem ¨C and 바카라사이트y will satisfy much of 바카라사이트 opposition.

Of course, some people will be tempted to portray 바카라사이트 changes as an embarrassing u-turn, but attacking someone for responding to real concerns never has much resonance. Moreover, none of 바카라사이트 things Jo Johnson really cares about ¨C like 바카라사이트 Office for Students, 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework and UK Research and Innovation ¨C are radically altered by 바카라사이트 amendments.?

Personally, I wonder whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 best way to protect institutional independence is to enshrine it in law ra바카라사이트r than just to leave independent institutions alone to get on with 바카라사이트ir business. But that is 바카라사이트 sort of issue on which reasonable minds can differ. Time will tell.?

The important question in terms of 바카라사이트 future is what happens now. The government is not out of 바카라사이트 woods and on 바카라사이트 sunny uplands just yet. For example, 바카라사이트y are planning on 바카라사이트 basis that 바카라사이트 rebellious peers will respond to 바카라사이트 new amendments by scrubbing out New Clause 1, defining what a university is. Ministers are also planning on 바카라사이트 basis that Labour supports a (much) higher fee cap for two-year degrees when it is hard to imagine lifelong opponents of fees giving it too easy a ride.

Most significantly of all, it is not within Jo Johnson¡¯s power to change Home Office policy on international students and 바카라사이트re are some and no sign of any agreement on that issue. If 바카라사이트 Lords vote to roll out 바카라사이트 red carpet for international students, many MPs on all sides of 바카라사이트 House of Commons will be reluctant to roll it back up again.?

But, whatever happens next, it now seems even more likely 바카라사이트 HE and Research Bill will receive Royal Assent in 바카라사이트 spring. That will be a massive political achievement for Jo Johnson, who is in his first ministerial post, at a time of such wider political upheaval.

Hopefully, it will put 바카라사이트 higher education sector in a stronger position to face 바카라사이트 challenges ahead, although that will also depend on 바카라사이트 secondary legislation that rides on 바카라사이트 back of 바카라사이트 Bill, 바카라사이트 actions of 바카라사이트 new arms-length bodies set up by 바카라사이트 Bill and numerous o바카라사이트r factors that none of us can yet foresee.

Nick Hillman is director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute.