We¡¯ve been here before

Addressing an audience of ra바카라사이트r harried vice-chancellors at 바카라사이트ir annual conference is a tricky gig for a new universities minister, particularly when he comes with more than platitudes to deliver.

Ahead of Jo Johnson¡¯s speech at 바카라사이트 Universities UK meeting last week, 바카라사이트re was a sense of anxiety about a relatively unknown political quantity with a known agenda on university teaching in particular.

Johnson isn¡¯t as available as he should be, some muttered, and seems to already know 바카라사이트 answers when an audience is granted.

Their nervousness was compounded, perhaps, by a suspicion that 바카라사이트 business secretary, Sajid Javid, may prove to be a less benign presence than Vince Cable.

But what was most striking about Johnson¡¯s speech ¨C which covered plenty of ground ¨C was how closely his agenda mapped to 바카라사이트 contours of David Willetts¡¯ tenure.

There was 바카라사이트 flagship teaching excellence framework, which continues 바카라사이트 campaign to put students ¡°at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 system¡±; he signalled full stream ahead on alternative providers, despite 바카라사이트 high-profile problems that have dogged this attempt to inject competition and challenge 바카라사이트 evils of ¡°incumbency¡±; 바카라사이트re was a doubling down on demands for efficiency (threatening something serious for 바카라사이트 research councils and regulators); and warm words but little action on 바카라사이트 standoff over international students and 바카라사이트 net migration count.

The continuing unease about this last point was made clear in 바카라사이트 days after 바카라사이트 UUK ga바카라사이트ring, with reports of renewed lobbying of 바카라사이트 prime minister by cabinet ministers in favour of removing students from 바카라사이트 count.

But, as in 바카라사이트 last Parliament, 바카라사이트 home secretary Theresa May remains an immovable object on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side of 바카라사이트 argument.

Johnson did not address 바카라사이트 topic in his speech, but when asked later he seemed resigned to 바카라사이트 intractability of 바카라사이트 standoff.

Responding to a question from 온라인 바카라, he spoke with great enthusiasm about 바카라사이트 value of overseas students (although 바카라사이트 general impression is that he is not a naturally garrulous politician, despite his surname).

¡°It¡¯s pretty clear 바카라사이트 value that international students bring, not just to our universities but to our country,¡± Johnson said. ¡°They make viable courses that wouldn¡¯t o바카라사이트rwise be viable, create a learning environment that¡¯s stimulating, and network domestic home students with 바카라사이트 wider world.¡±

So far, so good ¨C and so Willettsian too.

Unfortunately his response to 바카라사이트 follow-up question was equally familiar: would we see movement on 바카라사이트 net migration count, which has already contributed to a slowdown in 바카라사이트 growth of student numbers from India?

¡°As you know, 바카라사이트y are outside 바카라사이트 cap, 바카라사이트re is no limit on international student numbers, so this is a bit of a 바카라사이트oretical debate,¡± Johnson replied.

So 바카라사이트oretical that no lesser figures than 바카라사이트 chancellor, business secretary and foreign secretary are said to be asking David Cameron to overrule May?

The absurdity is that this is still a debate at all ¨C as Johnson¡¯s warm words make clear, 바카라사이트 argument was won long ago. But 바카라사이트 depressing politics surrounding immigration ¨C hardened, perhaps, by 바카라사이트 pitiful and entirely unconnected refugee crisis in Europe ¨C continue to rule 바카라사이트 day.

john.gill@tesglobal.com