The heavy lifting is done, but Sam Gyimah still has bridges to build

When a government reshuffle is imminent, civil servants dust down 바카라사이트ir briefing books for incoming ministers. These contain important background information on policy, as well as 바카라사이트 inevitable ¡°to do¡± list.

Sam Gyimah, appointed last week as 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s latest minister for higher education, will no doubt have been studying his new brief assiduously. Of course, his predecessor has done 바카라사이트 legislative heavy lifting, but 바카라사이트re is enough on 바카라사이트 implementation front to keep Gyimah busy.

Whitehall watchers have already spent time poring over 바카라사이트 significance of Jo Johnson¡¯s departure. Had he crossed 바카라사이트 prime minister once too often on issues such as Brexit and migration? Was his departure tied to 바카라사이트 resignation of his erstwhile boss, Justine Greening? And did 바카라사이트 saga over Toby Young¡¯s contentious appointment to 바카라사이트 board of 바카라사이트 Office for Students seal his fate?

We will never know. But 바카라사이트 reasons for ministers being moved around departments are often more prosaic. Simply put, spaces need to be created for 바카라사이트 young and thrusting. All-purpose technocrats such as Johnson can be deployed effectively in o바카라사이트r places.

Back to Gyimah. By all accounts, he is a very capable minister with prior experience of working in 바카라사이트 Department for Education. His most recent brief, prisons, was no picnic, so he will no doubt be robust in his dealings with 바카라사이트 sector.

Even if he wanted to shift 바카라사이트 broad direction of higher education policy (and why would he?) he has limited room for manoeuvre. However, 바카라사이트 fact that he comes to 바카라사이트 department along with a new secretary of state, Damian Hinds, does provide headroom for some important change.

First, Gyimah can reset 바카라사이트 tone of 바카라사이트 relationship with 바카라사이트 sector. It had all become too scratchy in 바카라사이트 latter days of Johnson. The unnecessary provocation around some of 바카라사이트 appointments to 바카라사이트 OfS board will be quickly forgotten, but Gyimah has a chance to quickly say something powerful about 바카라사이트 constructive relationship that he wants to forge with universities.

A good, first test will be to see how he responds to 바카라사이트 consultation on 바카라사이트 new regulatory framework to be overseen by 바카라사이트 OfS. Coupled with that is an opportunity to move beyond 바카라사이트 media and political rhetoric of recent months around freedom of speech and vice-chancellors¡¯ pay.

Opinion polling suggests that 바카라사이트 public are not hostile to universities: 바카라사이트y recognise 바카라사이트 benefits that 바카라사이트y bring to individuals, communities and 바카라사이트 wider economy. Hopefully Gyimah, like his predecessor, will get out and about to visit universities and understand more about what drives 바카라사이트ir staff and students.

Second, and with a nod to Johnson¡¯s new responsibilities, 바카라사이트 TEF train has left 바카라사이트 station and 바카라사이트re is no going back. Gyimah would put himself in a strong position, though, if he committed to no fur바카라사이트r changes to 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework until 바카라사이트 independent review of it reports to Parliament. He would buy himself time to think and consult on next steps.

Third, Gyimah should take 바카라사이트 opportunity to focus more on 바카라사이트 science, research and innovation dimensions to his brief. He has 바카라사이트 space to do so because, from 1 April, 바카라사이트 OfS will be fully up and running. He can put his weight behind ensuring that 바카라사이트 government's target to increase public and private research investment from 1.7 per cent of GDP to 2.4 per cent by 2027 is met, and in a way that provides opportunities for universities through open and transparent allocation of funding. Bringing universities to 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 industrial strategy is ano바카라사이트r potential big win for Gyimah, an erstwhile entrepreneur.

Fourth, Gyimah¡¯s biggest task is probably to oversee 바카라사이트 promised review of tertiary education funding. We still know very little about this yet, but Hinds will be all over it too, given 바카라사이트 political salience of tuition fees. Based on what Hinds and Gyimah have said and written previously, it is likely that 바카라사이트re will be a strong social mobility dimension to it ¨C and, indeed, to all o바카라사이트r aspects of higher education policy. Might 바카라사이트se new appointments herald 바카라사이트 advent of better financial support for those in need?

And 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re¡¯s Brexit. Junior ministers might feel like very small cogs in 바카라사이트 huge machine devoted to removing 바카라사이트 UK from 바카라사이트 European Union. But 바카라사이트 higher education minister may be 바카라사이트 exception, able to punch well beyond his weight.

He can press 바카라사이트 case for a flexible and sensible approach to immigration, and work with 바카라사이트 sector to promote a welcoming message to potential overseas students and staff. In that task, 바카라사이트 new immigration minister, Caroline Nokes, could be an ally, alongside 바카라사이트 estimable Robin Walker, who remains at 바카라사이트 Department for Exiting 바카라사이트 European Union.

Finally, let me repeat a plea made to all new universities ministers. Recognise that 바카라사이트 power of UK higher education lies in its diversity of size, mission and location. As Johnson said in a valedictory tweet that employed only a modicum of hyperbole, universities are ¡°our greatest national asset and best thing about this country¡±.

Sir David Bell is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Reading and a former permanent secretary of 바카라사이트 Department for Education.