Comments on: Tough questions for government and institutions to fix higher education’s finances

By: Dominic Newbould

Dominic Newbould — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 01:31:33 +0000

The Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) student retention model is impressive, but how well do you know the structure and shape of student support at The Open University? Their innovative approach over 5 decades has proved highly successful and it could well be that other HEIs might benefit from sharing the student support service offered by the OU.

By: David Hughes

David Hughes — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 06:41:35 +0000

Thanks Alastair – good to nudge the discussion towards what universities can do, need to do, if the tuition fee stays at £9,250 for the next few years and international student numbers drop further. Cost savings, restructuring within institutions, reducing duplicative and costly regulation are all important. I would add that there is a need for more binding agreements with local colleges to work together to grow local labour market focused HE in the college and the university, each playing to their strengths – with people of all ages in work who need new skills to stay relevant in a changing labour market. That collaboration could bring new income from employers and use capacity that will overall reduce costs per student

By: Julian Gravatt

Julian Gravatt — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 19:29:01 +0000

Increase in TPS contributions from 16.48% in late 2010s to 28.68% in mid 2020s caused entirely by reduction in discount rate from CPI+3% to CPI+1.7%. Discount rate used in public sector schemes is based on long term growth rate. If a different basis for selection was used in future, or better still, long term growth forecast improved, then TPS contribution rate might fall

By: alex

alex — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 13:13:14 +0000

Thanks for this – I would say though that sharing services is already quite prevalent and the use of purchasing consortia does allow for substantial efficiencies. Also, as well as TPS, government is supposedly still consulting on mandatory LGPS membership, though this seems well and truly in the long grass. But it could provide much assistance with running costs if not mandatory and would avoid any workarounds – like creating more subsidiaries – which are the only option for some HEIs.

By: Andy Youell

Andy Youell — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 09:37:33 +0000

Thanks for posting this Alastair – a good assessment of the sort of issues that we face….and some sense of optimism that these issues are solvable.

Perhaps unsurprisingly I will pick up on the regulatory data burden.

You’re absolutely right that there is scope for significant savings in this space, based on the amount of duplication that providers face across the myriad of data machines that we have to engage with. It is perhaps a consequence of a siloed approach to funding and regulation (OfS, ESFA, SLC etc…) and is likely to require a significant push from a new Minister if meaningful rationalisation is to be achieved.

We need to shift the data conversation from “reducing burden” to “reducing duplication” if we are to unlock any meaningful change in this space. I set out the details a few months ago here: https://wonkhe.com/blogs/what-would-it-take-to-shift-the-dial-on-data-burden/