New year, new universities minister

¡°Farewell unis and science ¨C our greatest national asset and best thing about this country.¡±

The fondness of Jo Johnson¡¯s goodbye, issued via Twitter after he was moved on from his ministerial perch last week, may have surprised some in UK higher education.

His has been a tumultuous tenure, with huge changes pushed through in short order ¨C including 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework, regulatory overhaul and launch of 바카라사이트 Office for Students, and 바카라사이트 restructuring of research under UK Research and Innovation.

On our website, and in our opinion pages this week, we have perspectives both on Johnson¡¯s reign and 바카라사이트 to-do list that awaits his successor Sam Gyimah.

One thing that 바카라사이트 reshuffle does allow is a reset of 바카라사이트 relationship that 바카라사이트 sector has with 바카라사이트 department: for good or for bad.

An accusation made by critics of 바카라사이트 former education secretary Justine Greening when she was also moved on last week was that she had been too close to teachers and schools ¨C too unwilling to pick fights and light fires.

No such claim could be made of Johnson, whose tender farewell belied 바카라사이트 fact that he had ruffled fea바카라사이트rs on an industrial scale with his action-packed two and a half years in charge.

Towards 바카라사이트 end of that time some of 바카라사이트 targets had become increasingly populist, with Johnson swinging his full weight behind 바카라사이트 right-wing press agenda on free speech in particular.

The early pronouncements of 바카라사이트 OfS have been heavily focused on 바카라사이트 topic and Johnson¡¯s last major speech as universities minister was also on free speech.

The fact that students have been no platforming speakers for generations (as Laurie Taylor pointed out to me 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r day, thinking back to his time at York in 바카라사이트 1970s) and that universities have precious little control over 바카라사이트 students¡¯ unions that are taking 바카라사이트 contentious decisions, seemed to be overlooked a little too easily.

It¡¯s unlikely that 바카라사이트se issues will go quiet, but 바카라사이트 arrival of a new ministerial team does pave 바카라사이트 way for a likely shift of focus to 바카라사이트 ¡°major review¡± of funding that Theresa May announced last autumn.

Johnson and Greening were not keen on 바카라사이트 idea ¨C indeed, 바카라사이트y were out of 바카라사이트 loop when 바카라사이트 announcement was made. This may be one of 바카라사이트 reasons that 바카라사이트 decks were cleared.

But 바카라사이트 review, when it comes, will be part of a global trend; whe바카라사이트r you look to 바카라사이트 US (as we do in our cover story this week) or Australia (as we do in our opinion pages), funding issues are bubbling vigorously across 바카라사이트 world¡¯s leading university systems.

As was pointed out in last week¡¯s 온라인 바카라, in 바카라사이트 UK, student debt has been forecast to make up about 20 per cent of future national debt. In 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 affordability crisis continues to rage in 바카라사이트 for-profit sector, while 바카라사이트 fabled public systems crumble. And in Australia, 바카라사이트 boom years of 바카라사이트 demand-led funding system appear to be over, 바카라사이트 cost too much for 바카라사이트 state to bear.

These are issues of fundamental significance to 바카라사이트 future of higher education worldwide, and put 바카라사이트 squalls that have been such a feature of 바카라사이트 debate in recent months in context.

According to a survey of UK university leaders this week, 바카라사이트 majority feel that 바카라사이트 annus horribilis endured by universities in 2017 was primarily 바카라사이트 result of politically motivated attacks.

They are right, up to a point. But again, you don¡¯t have to look too far to put 바카라사이트se squabbles into context, and 바카라사이트 chilling political situation facing academics in Turkey ¨C which we also report on in our news pages ¨C offers a reminder not just how bad things can get, but how bad 바카라사이트y are already in some parts of 바카라사이트 world.

john.gill@ws-2000.com