This year’s A-level result day will be the last before the new graduate finance system arrives in 2012. Against a backdrop of Government reforms and predictions of increased competition this year because of the fee increase next year, the question of the value of degrees is again being challenged. As Vice Chancellors and universities, we […]
University Alliance response to the Department for Education consultation on ‘Training our next generation of outstanding teachers’ (see the DfE website for more details). Download the University Alliance response here.
Vince Cable visited Plymouth University yesterday where he announced they were the first successful project to be awarded Regional Growth Fund money. While on his visit, Business Secretary Vince Cable announced the opening of the Plymouth University and Western Morning News Growth Fund (PWGF) – the first project to successfully secure funding from round one of […]
‘Surprising’ Hefce data may leave some research intensives’ ‘cores’ exposed. Simon Baker reports – read full article here. Libby Hackett, director of the University Alliance, said problems will start to arise from running the AAB and price-margin systems “side by side” if the government rolls it forward over a number of years. “You quickly […]
University Alliance Response to HEFCE consultation on allocation method for postgraduate research funding from 2012-13 Consultation question 1: Do you agree that for 2012-13 we should increase the value of the RDP supervision fund, by up to £35 million? Consultation question 2: Which of the options we have described for linking the allocation of RDP supervision […]
Offa data raise fears that universities offering access bursaries will suffer, writes Simon Baker – full report here. Libby Hackett, director of the University Alliance group of institutions, all but one of which has an average fee above £7,500, said the government’s policy “makes no sense” and would strip out the middle part of the […]
University Alliance claims focusing funding on large units may stifle research base. Paul Jump reports – read full report here. Concentrating research funding on large departments would not improve research quality or productivity, according to a report commissioned by the University Alliance. The mission group, which represents 23 “business-engaged” universities, most of which have relatively […]
This week’s blog post is taken from a piece I wrote for the Guardian. Research was notable by its absence in the HE white paper, leaving a large hole in the government’s plans for the sector. Recognition of its importance to higher education and its inter-relationship with issues related to the teaching of undergraduates, which […]
University Alliance’s report. Funding Research Excellence, finds no relationship between size and quality of research departments. Mark Leach discusses the findings – read full report here. Research was notable by its absence in the HE white paper, leaving a large hole in the government’s plans for the sector. Recognition of its importance to higher education […]
University Alliance today publishes a new report that shows when it comes to research excellence, size doesn’t matter. Funding research excellence, conclusively demonstrates that the Government should not bow to pressure to fund research on the basis of scale; there is no evidence to support the claim that this would produce better research. On the […]
