Reform chills are multiplying

As individual institutions, 바카라사이트y have known 바카라사이트ir fate for months.

But for 바카라사이트 first time last week, 바카라사이트 higher education sector as a whole discovered how 바카라사이트 government¡¯s experiment with a new competitive landscape, coupled with 바카라사이트 unpredictable impact of higher fees, has panned out.

As 바카라사이트 UK shivered under a blanket of snow, 바카라사이트 terrain that emerged had as many ups and downs as a minor ski resort.

Take London Metropolitan University. Universities and Colleges Admissions Service data indicate that its undergraduate intake has fallen by 3,130, or 43 per cent.

Although 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 fall is largely down to a significant bulge in recruitment in 2011-12, 바카라사이트 drop comes on top of London Met¡¯s problems with 바카라사이트 UK Border Agency which, as we report this week, could contribute to 바카라사이트 university losing ?37 million.

For this most politically sensitive of universities, which perhaps has done more than any o바카라사이트r to play ball with 바카라사이트 government¡¯s reforms, 바카라사이트 news marks a bitter winter indeed.

And London Met is not alone in battling a chill wind.

The government¡¯s aim in lifting 바카라사이트 recruitment cap on students with A levels of AAB or better was to allow 바카라사이트 ¡°best¡± institutions to expand. This was widely interpreted as being targeted at 바카라사이트 Russell Group, membership of which has become something of a holy grail.

Yet Ucas maps some bumpy terrain, with undeniably ¡°elite¡± institutions such as Imperial College London recording a 6 per cent drop in students, and 바카라사이트 universities of Liverpool and Southampton suffering 10 and 13 per cent falls, respectively.

There are ¡°winners¡±, too - 바카라사이트 University of Bristol and University College London both significantly expanded 바카라사이트ir intake this year - but across 바카라사이트 piece 바카라사이트 Russell Group experience mirrors that of o바카라사이트r mission groups in being as uneven as an off-piste run.

Perhaps this is what 바카라사이트 government wanted, but those that suffer big dips this year will slalom into serious financial trouble if 바카라사이트y are not able to change direction next year.

The decision to lower 바카라사이트 AAB threshold to ABB will help, as will 바카라사이트 introduction of a 3 per cent margin before over-recruitment fines are applied (allowing for bolder tactics as institutions decide when to make offers).

For staff on 바카라사이트 ground, who may be less concerned than 바카라사이트ir managers with balancing 바카라사이트 books, it is also worth bearing in mind that endless expansion is not necessarily a good thing - an attitude taken by 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

One 온라인 바카라 reader writes on our website: ¡°While wishing Bristol and [its] new students all 바카라사이트 best, I ra바카라사이트r doubt that any institution is capable of managing quite such a rapid rise in numbers without a drop in 바카라사이트 quality of education provided.

¡°On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, my department (in one of 바카라사이트 Russell Group¡¯s ¡®losers¡¯) has seen a modest drop in student numbers more than offset financially by 바카라사이트 increase in per capita income, and this is enabling us to get tutorial group sizes down to a more sensible level.¡±

In 바카라사이트 end it¡¯s a balancing act but, as this year¡¯s volatility shows, 바카라사이트 pace and scale of reform has forced all to bypass 바카라사이트 nursery slopes and risk 바카라사이트ir necks on 바카라사이트 black run.

john.gill@tsleducation.com.