Strategies for a successful University – David Willetts MP

Reforms are taking root, fears have been proved to be misplaced. UCAS figures conform record application rates (UCAS spoke yesterday and I blogged that). Double the rate of disadvantaged applications have been received.
All three parties have concluded that graduates must pay for the hE system if they gain high earning jobs. On removing the cap, courses should be available to all those wishing to take them (Robins report). In 2014 – 2015 places available are up by 30K and by 2015 the cap on student places goes entirely. The exact number of places taken up will be decided by supply of HE and demand. Of course we heard this before with Tony Blair setting a target of 50%. Willetts says this approach isn’t a top down target.
Damaging the quality of the teaching experience must be avoided. This is mitigated by students bringing the resource (9K) with them. The treasury is providing 5.5 billion in loan subsidy. On high cost subjects as band A and B (chemistry, physics etc) 185 million is being invested and more going into STEM.
The HEFCE grant letter is coming (much laughter – this is awaited with serious anticipation by members). Expect commitments to the opportunities fund, specialist institutions with overall cash increases in total resource from grant and loans. Also the ring fence for science etc will remain. There is a long term commitment to HE.
Continuing pressures to increasing effectiveness and efficiencies – Diamond is to carry on with further effort. This is Diamond 2 and I think UUK will be heavily involved with assistance from Jisc.
Pressure on pensions in Universities are ‘challenges’ that need to be ‘addressed’.
Willetts has had his ear bent over lunch about the data collection burden on HEIs. For Willetts the most important data streams are about teaching and teaching quality. Note for Jisc to help with student engagement and student experience enhancements with associated objective measures. The KIS is a useful step forward but it is only a start. Evidence and information on teaching quality needs more effort.
Willetts has requested a formal letter from Planners (HESPA?) to address their concerns.

Q. Decline in part time and mature learners – what is the policy response, the supply side may dry up
A. Lack of mass communication exercise on effect of fees and loans. Target has been to schools and colleges by recent graduates. Result is 18 year olds understand they won;t need to pay up front. Parents haven’t got the message. Part time and mature students are harder to reach. The loan scheme has been extended and the ELQ grant has been extended. Willetts wants to go further on this.

Q. Cap on fees but no on places
A. 9K gives a fair amount of headroom. No indication of a rush to increase this. The efficiency review will enable to focus on how much resource is needed to education a student in England today. That will feed the fee amount.

Q. Data collections and public information for students. What role for NSS, student surveys and student opinion in data collections?
A. Discussion with NUS reveals a well informed and legitimate opinion on real issues at universities that affect students. ‘Academically Adrift’ addresses that if we believe that university attendance is a transformational experience we should be able to assess this at entry and exit. This could be a national assessment of educational gain and could become important. Willetts suggests that universities ‘get ahead of the curve’ by looking into this.

Q. Are EU students free of the cap as are UK
A. Not possible to impose a cap on EU students. To get he maintenance grant students must have been resident in the UK for 3 years. Evidence to support this is actively being sought and this will be a focus.

Q. Impact agenda and REF – future research funding and the impact agenda
A. REF experts must now do their work. 2020 REF won’t automatically be identical to the most recent one. Some sort of impact in real world activities as a result i=of research are important. Willetts states that the metrics debate is back on the table. Analytics are far advanced of what they were. Could teh REF go international? Is the research agenda focused too much on atomised competition between academics. Does it support collaboration enough, multi disciplinary teams enough? The paradox is that the research environment is hyper competitive and designed by academics. The teaching environment isn’t anything like as competitive. Willetts sees this as an area of interest.

Q. Gender bias with boys falling behind girls (See yesterdays UCAS post)
A. It is a concern. Working class boys are a new disadvantaged group being behind most ethnic minority groups. Partly sue to the way that the school system has been constructed. Continuous assessment may favour girls. Career structures are an impact. Nursing and teaching ‘are clearly university based activities’ (though I wander why nursing has become so). Apprenticeships are not.