The Budget: Remembered for Slower Growth, Fuel Cuts, Changing Research or Elizabeth Taylor?

This was the third major financial statement from Osborne since the coalition came to power 10 months ago. And this first year has not gone as well as he would have hoped. Economic growth has been slower, unemployment still rising and cuts still to take full effect. The Labour chants of ‘same old Tories’ (dull and untrue) and the Tory response ‘look what we inherited’ (dull and not completely true), is becoming repetitive and makes many political followers lose interest due to the lack of change in the argument.

Conversely, there is some positive new for universities. Increasing the number of University Technology Colleges, increasing the number of apprenticeships and a vocal (if not always financial) commitment to research and education. The Higher Education sector has already suffered but there was no changes in the scholarships available for students under the new funding regime or new funds for research. I also doubt that there are any new funds available for departmental research budgets. What there is, however, is a commitment to research in the UK and investing in business to undertake research.

There has been much discussion that the government is funding science/technology research at the expense of arts/humanities/social sciences. I think the policies are seeing a movement of research away from the university. Whether there can be enough, quality researchers (particularly at doctoral level) if there is not sufficient funding in universities can be left to be questioned. Business will fund research which makes money, it is yet to be clear what will happen to other research which has a cultural, society impact. That said, I doubt this nuance will make tonight’s news.

I think there is probably enough to hold off political attacks on the Tories for a little more time due to the fuel tax cuts. However, in the longer term they have got to hope that the activity which they have chosen will actually stimulate some growth in the economy. If stagnation continues then the criticisms that the Tories are harsh and failing will not be able to be washed away with attacks on the previous government.

That said, the announcement of the death of Elizabeth Taylor during Osborne’s speech may be a great stroke of luck and cause some distraction from the detail of today’s speech. The fortunate timing of some sad news, just needs to be backed up with some luck with the economy for the Chancellor over the next quarter.

I can think of some news editors who might be scratching their head on how to order tonight’s bulletins: Fuel, down grading growth or Taylor to be the top story?

Budget 2011 - Rolling Blog

Once again, a rolling blog as things unfold today during the budget announcement; most recent posts are at the top.  Mostly copied from my twitter feed but also with some more extend sections of analysis, particularly looking at the impact of the Chancellor's announcement for Higher Education. 

1455 @cjgrinbergs

My Blog: #Budget: Remembered for Slower Growth, Fuel Cuts, Changing University Research or Elizabeth Taylor? http://tinyurl.com/4k57op7



1343 @cjgrinbergs
@BigBigBen Given technical nature possibly but traditionally felt moreof a heavyweight speaker needed as such fundamental issue.

1342 @cjgrinbergs
RT @BigBigBen Ta for all those reminding me that the leader of the opposition responds to the budget. Would make more sense for the Shad Chancellor, no?

1342 @cjgrinbergs
@BigBigBen Leader of the opposition always replies to budget statements (though not to spending reviews).

1338 @cjgrinbergs
RT @BigBigBen Why isn't Balls responding? #budget11

1333 @cjgrinbergs
Content light from Leader of the Opposition - waving finger going quickly. #budget

1332 @cjgrinbergs
Fuel duty reduced by 1p/litre from 6pm & stabiliser to be introduced. #budget

1328 @cjgrinbergs
RT @BBCLauraK So here we go on fuel duty ...#BBCBudget
RT @Peston Here comes the big one: fuel duty. #bbcbudget

1321 @cjgrinbergs
Is the coverage of #budget today going to be overshadowed by sad death of Elizabeth Taylor. Osborne may be relieved.

1319 @cjgrinbergs
RT @fieldproducer ABC News reports that Elizabeth Taylor has died

1312 @cjgrinbergs
24 (up from 12) new university technical colleges. #budget

1311 @cjgrinbergs
Undertrained & under-educated citizens is one of the main challenges for the growing economy #budget

1309 @cjgrinbergs
Can business guarantee the quality of research without well qualified people from #universities? Need money for Unis, too. #budget

1305 @cjgrinbergs
All these #budgets changes to research seem to be confirming that research is no longer sole domain of #universities

1303 @cjgrinbergs
Osborne: "Research should not take place in our great universities" & increases support for business-based research. #budget #universities

1301 @cjgrinbergs
9 new #universities centres for innovative manufacturing. Some good news for Higher Ed. #budget

1252 @cjgrinbergs
RT @TheReverendDan Corporation Tax cut by 2% - 'BRITAIN IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS'. #Budget

1249 @cjgrinbergs
As predicted, Treasury to investigate merging National Insurance & Income Tax but without affecting those who do not pay NI. #Budget

1243 @cjgrinbergs
RT @MrUJOldfield These are quite modest revisions from the OBR. I wouldn't be as modest. There'll be growth but not as strong as 2.5% #bbcbudget

1241 @cjgrinbergs
Office for Budget Responsibility: Good way for Chancellor to avoid tricky #budget questions.

1240 @cjgrinbergs
Economic stats not good but could be worse. And it is not Osborne's numbers - the EU ones are also bad. #budget

1237 @cjgrinbergs
Live on My Blog: Rolling blog for #budget analysis including impact on #universities http://tinyurl.com/6bd492f

1234 @cjgrinbergs
So last #PMQs reply allows a final attack on the Labour #budget record but will the Chancellor be under attack himself now?

1230 @cjgrinbergs
#PMQs getting louder & attacks on Labour's eeconomic record become more regular as #budget approaches.

1224 @cjgrinbergs
RT @BBCLauraK PMQs always a bit strange before budget - everyone waiting for main event...wide range of questions tho

1218 @cjgrinbergs
Cameron hints at Council Tax freeze & investment in sci/tech local. Will #universities have access to the latter? #budget

1217 @cjgrinbergs
Good discussion on Libya in PMQs & some good answers from Cameron once again. #PMQs #Budget

1215 @cjgrinbergs
So PMQs has few bits on defense, disability allowance & other areas which may hint at #budget but noisy & little detail.

1151 @cjgrinbergs
All the BBC predictions say that the economy is not doing as well as Osbourne might have hoped so #budget tricky game.

1150 @cjgrinbergs
BBC pre-announcement predictions: possible good news for education but not sure that will extend to #universities #budget

1144 @cjgrinbergs
My Blog: Rolling blog for #budget analysis including impact on #universities http://tinyurl.com/6bd492f

1130 @cjgrinbergs
@chrisgolds @mattkmoore And now the BBC - too - good to know the Licence Fee can afford it (may have to be grounded after the budget)

1129 RT by @cjgrinbergs
chrisgolds “@mattkmoore: Sky News have a Budget Day skycopter! For an event that is both indoors and sedentary...” Brilliant! Made me LAUGH OUT

1030 @WellMax81
For those at work who want updates on the #budget2011 follow @cjgrinbergs for concise updates and analysis. (he's also a very nice chap)

0926 @cjgrinbergs
Despite #Budget2011 tweets also off to @IOE_London open evening.Will tweet reflections on my research, doctoral work & #universities generally

0925 @cjgrinbergs
Income Tax/National Insurance: politically introduced, politically removed. Who cares: still money out of pay packet. #Budget2011

0922 @cjgrinbergs
Changes to income Tax/National Insurance makes little dif to my work bar reducing to single calculation. #Budget2011 #universities

0920 @cjgrinbergs
Sci/tech/business will continue to be focus but perhaps a surprise few pounds in student fee wavers for lib dems? #Budget2011 #universities

0915 @cjgrinbergs
So far #bbcr4 predicts money for science & regions: no surprise but doesn't help arts/humanities research. #Budget2011 #universities

0900 @cjgrinbergs
Well it's budget day so I'll be tweeting on & off, especially on any Higher Education announcements. #Budget2011 #universities

Adding Morals to Markets: Why markets and neo-liberalism are evolving and not dying

There seems to be a whole body of discussion on whether we are post neo-liberal now or in a revised form of it. But what on earth is neo-liberalism? It may be seen as the dominant political context but few people seem to define it.
Neo-liberalism – for me – is about a market-lead approach, freeing the markets to lead economic growth and service provision. It is also about rendering the individual citizen a contributor and beneficiary of a market system.

Now many against neo-liberalism argue that all values thus become economic, driven by targets and other social and philosophical values are lost.

Those in favour, see it as method for financial gains individually and nationally, smaller, more efficient government which leaves the citizen in control.

During the economic crisis it was deemed that neo-liberalism had failed; leaving banks and markets to decide the worth of anything lead to a melt-down. But it has to be questioned what form of neo-liberalism failed as it has gradually evolved.

Thatcher and Reagan are seen as the original creators of neo-liberalism though they themselves would not use the term nor particularly see themselves as liberals. They lead the large-scale opening up of markets, encouraging home ownership (and thus individual participation in a market) and changed our relationship with public services.

This model was then revised by Clinton and Blair with the so-called ‘third way’: put simply, market liberalism with a social conscience which meant more state investment in services. And yet for some this lacked the economic rigour for some and thus was doomed to failure.

The thing is that we are yet to see a huge divergence away from the models identified above. Despite the cycles of market growth and constriction, it appears to have worked as a model for increasing wealth. Indeed it is still ensuring huge growth in China, India and Brazil.

What 2008 did was make excessive money (and particularly bankers) look wrong and cause people to ask that a wider set of values be attributed to our markets, governance and, indeed, our lives. I can see neo-liberalism evolving to take on these values; causing a third stage of the concept’s development.

As someone researching European Higher Education, many of the key questions tied to it are attributed to neo-liberalism: the current form of the EU, globalisation, the market approach to HE, the understanding of education/learning etc. My tutor (rightly) argues that I need to challenge these ideas and look for alternative models. My problem is this: I have this feeling that, from my perspective, neo-liberalism works and – with the above evolution – should work better.

Due to neo-liberalism (though some would say despite it), universities have grown and been successful, people are more mobile and aware of the world and the individual’s capacity to bring about change have become clear.

There are faults and the current coalition government are aware of them. But what’s required is a revision to the neo-liberal model - rather than a whole scale scrapping of it as it remains an important model for our universities, country and world.

Tuition Fees & Future University Funding: Rolling Blog

This is a rolling blog during the 36 hours ahead of the Government vote on tuition fees on the evening of Thursday 9 December 2010. This will try to cover & discuss the national day of action by the NUS (Wednesday 8 December), any news from London, the Universities of Westminster (my work institution) or Roehampton (my PhD institution) and any news on the political negotiations. All opinions my own, keep an eye on my twitter feed @cjgrinbergs and remember all new entries will appear at the top so read from the bottom for the start of the story.

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1905 My Blog: What the #tuitionfees protests mean for social media & citizen journalism http://tinyurl.com/38d98v3

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1859 My Blog: Why I don't want this vote to spell the start of the end of coalition politics: http://tinyurl.com/38d98v3
09/12/10 1830 So the vote has taken place and there was a majority of 21 (323 for, 302 against) which is a reduced governmental majority from 84.  Apparently 21 Lib Dems voted against.  The policy has got through and so the university system can now start to move on and adjust to its new funding regime. 

I think there are some issues that have been raised about the wider political and media fall outs from this. 

Firstly, this has been one of the first protests organised and covered using social media (including blogs and tweets like this).  Though the shots of police charges and demonstrators are reminiscent of the protests over Poll Tax and the numbers involved remind us of the Iraq protest, this protest is different.  It is on a scale not seen for a while, a violence not seen for 20 years and organised using media that we didn't know exist.  The issues of impartiality of the broadcasters (the BBC will come in for criticism again) will never go away but their role as a reporter of facts looks secure.  However, as at the election, the use of social media & 'citizen journalism' to provide alternative comment & to 'rally the troops' is becoming more important, as seen today in the interactivity and organisation of the opposition to the tuition fees vote. 

For the political, this is one of the first tests of coalition government.  Neither side have found this easy and this falls into a wider shift in the Lib Dem's politics to the right.  It's not an easy shift and one which may end up damaging the party at its core but one which has been on the cards for some time.  Whether the Lib Dems will hold together is going to dictate how long this coalition lasts.  From my perspective, their 'liberal' input to Tory politics is the sort of impact I want them to have and if today signals the start of the end of that alliance, then it is a shame.  Coalition politics could be far more interesting and representative if we allow it to develop. 

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1836  @thisisdavid Always a problem. As is fact most camera shots are from behind police so students look like they 'attack' & not police charging

Twitter @thisisdavid 09/12/10 1832 @cjgrinbergs agreed that both sides have had time. But during the peak of the reporting it wasn't balanced.

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1830 @thisisdavid But leaders of NUS & UCU given airtime + full interview with Simon Hughes last night. Balance is seen over days not minutes.

Twitter @thisisdavid 09/12/10 1829 @cjgrinbergs on the ground they were grabbing whoever. There was no parity.

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1828 RT @jason_manc Ed Miliband wants it both ways. Condeming the HE changes but refuses to guarantee he'd reverse it. Pathetic, opportunist student politician.

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1827 Interesting vote: 21 majority says worrying things about strength of coalition. what will happen on issues like voting reform? #tuitionfees

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1824 @thisisdavid But plenty against fees on the ground interviewed by BBC news this pm including very good interview with NUS vice pres.

Twitter @thisisdavid 09/12/10 1823 BBC news please spend as much time finding student voices as you have for the other side. No one against fees in studio yet.

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1612 Just as the protests get hotter outside, so are things within the Lib Dems. Impact of the #tuitionfees vote getting worse.

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1611 Lib Dem Resignation from Government: Mike Crockart to go. #tuitionfees

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1553 RT @journotutor Live blog of student #demo2010 from @JUS_news http://bit.ly/gCqn8i

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1545 RT @joshuwahwah Why would they charge the crowd with horses? This is only going to inflame the situation.

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1543  Police horses charging students reminds me of Poll Tax riots. Not good publicity for protestors or government. #tuitionfees

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1541  RT @BBCLauraK Best current guess: 16 lib ministers vote yes, a few other b'benchers too, 15 or so vote against, leaving about 20 abstensions: a guess!

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1530  Reply Retweeted (Undo) Still on My Blog: Rolling information & analysis as we prepare for the #tuitionfees vote http://tinyurl.com/38d98v3

09/12/10 1230 So the day has arrived and the debate has got under way.  I have a day full of meetings and business to cover but in the odd moment am catching up with what is happening out there. 

Victoria station was once again filled with students - mainly of school age who are realising that they are the ones to be particularly hit by this.  I am sure they are off to a protest and will join those already in universities and some academics. 

From an internal point of view, all University of Westminster staff have received an email from the Vice Chancellor saying that the institution is personally campaigning as well as via Universities UK against the reforms and will continue to do so.  He concludes:

We would go further and criticise the current Government for the imposition of the disproportionate Comprehensive Spending Review outcome for higher education. We will continue to argue for a rebalancing of the public-private contributions to HE that would have benefit for all students and all universities.

Though the vote takes place this afternoon, I am sensing this may not be the end of the battle and there may be more battles to be won.  08/12/10 2230 Just back from lectures at Roehampton University and I have to admit that both there and at the University of Westminster, there is little evidence of protests.  The tube had a few extra students on it and every meeting or session one attends, both academic and non-academic staff have it in their minds.  Indeed, some academics have told me they intend to campaign tomorrow in Parliament Square - one of the benefits of a central London setting.  That said, when in discussion with my own line manager, he reminded me that we really do not have to consider this as the end of the discussion on university funding: the issue of research and other funding has still to be resolved.  Though this is the most important part of the news, we cannot forget that the funding for research is also decreasing by 36%. 

There seems to have been a good 'discussion' (possibly a tad too generous a term) at both PMQs and a variety of venus outside Parliament.  There seems to be some forgetful Labour politicians who said they would take on board the Browne Review.  They are not in power so can make the grass look greener on their side.  That said, I have just heard that the government is confident to win the vote (ITV news) as they are not calling the Environment Minister back from Switzerland to vote. 

So, for all the political heat, a quieter day than some expected.  I suspect that tomorrow will be a little busier. 


08/12/10 1431 Just led session on research impact & funding: appropriate when we're talking about future of unis. #tuitionfees

08/12/10 1147 From 5live callers, Clegg not getting message over. Failure of communication rather than policy for government? #tuitionfees

08/12/10 1142 Just had a note round at work that Cable has confirmed that Part time students will get 25% funding, new students will need to repay when earning above £21,000 and existing students will pay from £15,000 but this will increase with inflation 2012-16.  On one level seems a better situation for those affected but not sure that if this will relieve the fact that more will have to be paid back. 

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 08/12/10 1141 Update at work - Cable: Part time students to get 25%, new students threshold £21k, existing £15k to increase with inflation

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 08/12/10 1136 More students & police than usual at Victoria Station on commute. Off to #tuitionfees protest or preparing to flood tube?

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 08/12/10 1134 My Blog: Rolling information & analysis as we prepare for the #tuitionfees vote http://tinyurl.com/38d98v3

08/12/10 1113 The UCU report on Universities at Dangeris interesting and a good read but I personally think that it misses out on certain aspects. The report examines the number of students from the Browne's 'favoured' and 'at threat' subject areas, the amount of income from the teaching grant and the number of non-EU international students. However, comprehensive though this number is, I think the report does not consider the financial situation of each of the institutions. Take Roehampton which was founded by three church organisations and therefore its finances are different to the mainstream. It's foundation basis mean that its financial calculations are different despite emphasis on the liberal arts. Also, the report does not examine the impact on the number of fee paying students and part-time students (which may go up with increased support).


Finally, it is unclear what level of debt the universities already have and what steps have already been undertaken by institutions to protect themselves in the cuts which is not surprising given this is a quantitative and not qualitative report. Certain universities have larger debts and less time, therefore, to address the current situation. Let's not get this wrong, we are looking at smaller universities (due to the research cuts as well as due to the changes in student funding) and a change in the emphasis of certain subjects get but this report does not show the entire story.

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 08/12/10 1109 Clegg says #tuitionfees situation not a crisis.

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 08/12/10 1105 Roehampton has backing of 3 churches which will affect how it goes forward & thus is not like others in UCU's risk list.

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 08/12/10 1103 Read UCU's Report http://alturl.com/2v2wz: interesting but not convinced by some of the analysis #tuitionfees

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 07/12/10 0953 Did Norman Baker et al really expect NOT to compromise on gov payroll? He should stop blackmail & resign. #libdems #tuitionfees

08/12/10 0937 Rolling Blog Live: Reading the UCU report and what it means.

Using the Comprehensive Spending Review to Assess Higher Education's Priorities

There's been a lot in the news about universities and their funding over the last few days.

From the results of the Browne Review and the subsequent increases in student fees to the predictions of £4.2 billion cuts (three quarters of which come from the teaching budget) ahead of the full announcement on Wednesday, much of the focus has been on teaching.

Which brings me back to my old problem with higher education: what do we want it to do and for whom? And that's a question the politicians, the academics, the university administrators, business, students and the wider population should be asking. Much of what has been discussed thus far has focussed on the teaching aspects - and particularly the teaching of those leaving school at 18. Universities have a far broader output - research, knowledge transfer into business/industry or cultural impact on the worlds around them. Yet, when examining the media output, the 'additional' areas are overlooked and their contribution to world-class teaching is not to be underestimated. To have good teachers, you need them to be at the front of their discipline.

There are concerns in the academic world that disciplines that are not obviously having an economic impact (the arts and humanities in particular) will be cut ahead of the sciences and technology areas which are deemed to bring in more money. Now these arguments are well rehearsed but worth remembering: research may not have an obvious or an immediate impact but that is not to say it is worthless.

So what do we want our institutions to do? Some may become teaching only with only a select few carrying out research. Some may want our student population to shrink and in its place a more vocational option for tertiary education developed. In all likelihood we will see a reduction in the number of institutions (with mergers etc.), in the number of students (fees will put off a few) and a rationalising of the subjects available (institutions focussing on a few areas, rather than all subjects).

On Wednesday we will get the broad headlines of how the Comprehensive Spending Review will be making cuts but it may take us some time to find out specifically which budgets are being cut and over what time. Over recent years there have been a number of reports on aspects of Higher Education (from Student Funding to Skills, Business Engagement to Research). All of these have been important and have built on the expansion of the Robbins Report in the 1960s. But few have taken the broader look, simply due to the size and complexity of the sector. Perhaps it is time for that to change and to capitalise on the cuts as a moment to fundamentally examine the sector.

There are not many academics who are interested in researching their own sector (though I hope to add to the number who actually are). But perhaps it would be a good time to use that intellectual capacity to fundamentally discuss the future of Higher Education system whether that be in terms of teaching, research or all the other activities currently undertaken.

Challenges in Global Education

A friend of mine has recently written a short piece for a course in reply to the question “Describe what you think are the main challenges for your institution in terms of competitiveness in and relevance to global education.” She focussed on the cuts to UK education and the need to correctly define & target a market. Though I agreed with the second point, the former I saw as a bit of a red herring as though the cut of 35% to universities’ funding will affect research budgets and slightly UK student numbers rather than international education.  This got me thinking: what would my reply be within the 500 world limit set. So here goes:

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have been engaging for years in ‘global education; this is here understood here as the involvement of those from outside the UK in a UK HEI’s education remit. This can take several forms including:
- Mobility of students INTO the UK
- Delivery of Education OUTSIDE the UK by a UK HEI
- Collaborative Education, delivered jointly by UK and international partners
Traditionally, UK universities have a single office mainly focussing on the first of these. Increasingly, ‘international’ is seen as forming part of curriculum, the mobility of students and the exchange of research by academics, all of which is delivered by multiple departments right across an institution. Perhaps, to be truly ‘global’ educators there is a need to focus on the processes behind this (and the process of globalisation) and therefore focus on the off-shore and collaborative education (points 2 and 3 above).

Institutions are challenged currently by their very understanding of ‘global education’; many have international policies which are often bureaucratic statements of utopic aspiration or false reviews of activity and do not really understand the situation. Part of the challenge facing a University is engaging and educating staff in this broader sense of ‘international’; at a time when staff are squeezed, there will be fewer staff to cover ‘core’ teaching and learning activity and not the broader set of activities needed to deliver a truly global education. Institutions need to be careful in defining a market which makes them stand out and the current practice of institutions delivering nearly all subjects should not continue: specialist and unique should become more important.

I see three medium-term threats to global education:
- Economic: With less funds available, will students have the money to travel or governments to support them (take the cancelling of Chevening Scholarships and various British Council streams).
- Security (terrorism will remain a risk and increased border security will make it harder for physical mobility to take place).
- Environmental (probably the longest issue but increases in air fares and fuel insecurities will threaten travel).
To combat this, HEIs need to plan that in the long term physical mobility may be limited or impossible and should invest in technology & remote provision in anticipation. What is key is that this will take imagination and creativity as well as an understanding that there will be failures. The main challenge for institutions with regard to global education may be learning to take a risk.

410 rather broad words but in a time when spending reviews are about to be announced, a new way needs to be found into Higher education.

Listening to Administrators about the Future of Universities

At a recent team meeting, my head of department pointed out that the University of Westminster was unusual in that the ratio of academics to administrators fell in the academic’s favour.

Now I can hear academics everywhere starting to spin at the suggestion that they do not universally dominate the staff at Higher Education Institutions. There would be multiple reasons for this not least that they are the intellectual capital in terms of research and teaching. And in many ways it surprised me in that I have always believed that we cannot deliver projects as that is the role of the academic.

However, perhaps I am being a little unduly subservient. The reason that there are often more administrators is partially down to the changing roll of academics: as Bruce Macfarlane points out much of the soft skills (‘careers advice’, ‘study skills’, ‘counselling’ etc.) is being heavily supported by non-academic staff. Also, much of the mark processing, research administration and financial work which used to be primarily focussed on the academic now needs to be supported. Also, society more widely has become more bureaucratic and to ensure legal compliance, Quality/Standards Assurance, Human Resources and Finance Departments have needed to expand. However, not least of this is that we are asking academics to do more as new areas within the university have also grown up, not least my own of research/enterprise/knowledge transfer/business development which requires specialist support. All of this requires detailed knowledge and understanding of universities, how they work and knowledge across a whole host of different disciplines which an individual academic or administrator cannot hold.

And yet, both professionally when discussing projects (‘you can’t understand you’re not an academic’) and academically (‘you struggle to move between your professional and academic lives’), I have been criticised for seeing the world through an administrator’s eyes. Whilst I would agree that I have to be careful in how I see the world, not allowing me to see it and analyse it as an administrator is almost impossible. Just, as I argued at a recent seminar, as it is impossible to ask a Muslim student not to see the world, universities and research through the paradigm of their faith so it is impossible to see the world through anything but the paradigm of an administrator. Humans cannot easily compartmentalise like that. By condemning the administrative aspect of my work, people are limiting the world I can analyse and participate in by reducing and condemning the field within which I operate.
Not only is not possible, it may not be desirable. One of the best academics I know founded the academic enterprise department at Roehampton and has gone on to internationalise Fontys OSO whilst not sacrificing her academic values or quality. By limiting the perspectives with which the world is analysed we risk cutting out cross-sector work and really seeing how Higher Education could work. At a time of budget cuts perhaps all visions are needed rather than one particular type of vision. I have been lucky to be listened to but perhaps this antagonism between academic and non-academic needs to move forward: both sides need to learn.
So, as part of my research I need to find a paradigm that allows for individual perspectives and views of the world, that allows and acknowledges me as a researcher and administrator. In my last blog I mentioned Newman’s ‘Idea of a University’ and he said in this work:

“Nothing is more common than for men to think that because they are familiar with words they understand the ideas they stand for.” (Newman)

Perhaps with some re-thinking I can show that academics alone are not the right people to decide what words stand for.

The Idea of a University

As you will know, I have written about some academics looking at the universities of the past with rose tinted glasses and looking to create a golden past that doesn’t really exist. Thus, when I learnt of Roehampton’s conference on ‘The Idea of a University’ (John Henry Newman’s work on academia) I was intrigued as to what they would present and what vision would come forward.

Now, sadly, I was unable to attend despite a number of the papers sounding interesting. In a blog about the event (which includes a variety of discussions on Catholic-related issues), there is an engaging summary. The conference seems to have discussed the changing face of the university and the challenges to it in the face of ‘globalisation, commodification and bureaucratisation’. Yet, as they point out on the blog, the man who inspired the conference (Newman) did himself not hold sufficient ‘financial or administrative acumen’ (dare one suggest ‘bureaucratic’ traits) to be a University Rector. However, one can easily see the thrust of the argument: that the number of forms, checks and balances in existence can distract from the true job of researching & educating; that defining academic importance on financial income (either to the university or society) can mean the loss of certain disciplines & contributions to civilisation.
This ties into a recent seminar I attended at the University of Westminster where 2 sociologists had analysed their changing student body. Though a little thin on actual data or analysis from the interviews, there did seem to be a feeling that things were better ‘in their day’. They quoted Churchman & King (who I must look up) as saying that there is a difference between what the public and what the academic perceive as their role (the public do not see academics as teachers rather as researchers). They went on to challenge the fact that the public sector is expected to learn from the private and, indeed stated that, central control is “not what the public that requires this at all”
I mentioned both Ken Robinson (who argues that our education system is designed to create professors and not educate the mainstream) and Bruce Macfarlane (who argues some administration is part of ‘academic citizenship’ and should not be shunned). Just as with the ‘Idea of a University Conference’, I felt that academics sometimes we feel comfortable in the idealised university of yesteryear or the utopic vision of the university of tomorrow. We are educating far more students than a generation ago (about five times as many) and institutions which were originally about teaching a few to be researchers, lawyers or clergymen, are now teaching thousands in a whole variety of careers. Universities, once institutions of academe, have been forced to take on the ‘teaching and learning’ agenda and skills have taken over knowledge.

My argument would be, far from being a bad thing, this realignment could be positive. Now I am sure the academics would say that they are not defending the past and that their view of how academia should be is for the sake of the sector rather than anything else. But, if done correctly, this shift can bring knowledge and skills to a new population. The skills gained need to be in today’s context rather than yesterdays (else institutions would only teach law, the humanities and theology as they did in the middle ages).

All this has left me wondering if a pro-modern university argument/thesis exists. When I was at the AURIL event chaired by my line manager, I was impressed by the innovative activities out there but the majority of the speakers were non-academics. Most of the academic papers produced in this area adopt a stance which questions (if not down-right condemns) certain aspects of the modern university with few suggestions on how things could be changed or what alternative courses could be taken.

You see, there are common themes I feel between these ‘Ideas of a University’; at the conference it is reported that Mike Castelli spoke on “The Idea of faith Dialogue in the University” and highlighted four pedagogical qualities for such dialogue:

- Seriousness with regard to meaning making
- Humility in our approach to dialogue and learning
- Hesitation which arises from the realization that our knowledge is partial and contingent
- Articulation in being literate and able to communicate well about our subject and ideas

The blog goes on to point out that these work for all academic disciplines and the more one things about it is true. What I would like to do is prove that these are not damaged by current trends in academia. Indeed, that these ‘skills’ and ‘attitudes to knowledge’ still prevail in academia and that the modern university brings them to a wider cross-section of society.
Now I am not well versed (yet) in the discussions around the university but I would like to see if a justified, logical and convincing argument can be made in favour of the modern, business linked, student focussed university with its insensitivities and bureaucracy. Does a pro-neo-liberal history need to be written? Do 21st century and not 18th century values need to be used to define the modern ‘Idea of a University’?

Post Budget Analysis - Rolling Notes

1345 Summary of Measures:
VAT up 2.5% from Jan 2011
CGT up 10% from midnight
Bank Levy from Jan 2011
Child Benefit Frozen
Variety of Business taxes eased
25% cut over 4 years in Deparment Budget bar Health and International Development
2 year freeze of Public Sector Pay

1355 Instant Analysis:
Chancellor banking on the Coalition lasting for 5 years as would not want to go to the country with this set of cuts.  And without seeing if this has worked.  Rather than dripping cuts this seems to be all in one go - as recommended by Canadian and Irish models. 

Risk is a double dip recession but hopefull the honesty will avoid that rather than causing long-term uncertainty. 

Lib Dem impact is not clear - felt a very Tory budget: helping business, creating smaller government and removing some allowances. 

Higher Education: Department of Business, Innovation and Skils budget has been cut by 25% despite increases in some funds for business creation.  Instant thought is that there will have to be at least a 25% cut for UK's universities.

1403 Just done word search in the actual Budget Document for Universities and Higher Education.  Only a couple of references and the key one of which is the selling off of Part of the Student Loans Company.  No surprise but yet another prediction of the Browne review.  Hopefully, lots of clauses to protect the loans from too large an interest rate on the loans.

1413 FTSE down about 1.3%, GBP/USD up 0.2% GBP/Euro up 0.4%.  Nothing too serious thus far.  Waiting for people to go through the detail.

1430 So quite a busy day over at Westminster, the media village is going mad on our boxes and I suspect the Palace is buzzing.  From my point of view, I suspect that the University of Westminster is busy working out what the impact is and awaiting the details of the specific budgets to come out of government departments.  It's not looking good for the sector in terms of pay, in terms of finding new income and in terms of the service we can offer.  More to follow, I am sure but off to take stock after what has been a fascinating and, once again, historic few hours.  Coalition Government and an economic crisis have led to some interesting times.

1500 Deloitte Poll (which is probably mostly answered by Business Folk) has come out saying that the budget is tough but fair (70% agree to 30% against).

1658 So Universities UK have published some reaction to the Budget.  They criticise the VAT increase as damaging some of the cost basis and has worked out that a 25% cut equates to £3.6bn for the sector.  Finally, they emphasise the impact that knowledge and research hs to the income.  Nothing surprising but there is a feeling that there is not much to be done.

1713 FTSE ends day down just short of 1% and Stirling down less than 1cent against the Euro & Dollar.  A very calm reaction and hopefully indicating no concern so far on the part of the markets. 

The Budget - Rolling Notes

Throughout the general election and various other news events, I have kept a note pad with the key issues at timed intervals, as I used to do as a journalist during a 'big story'.  Normally these have been for my own consumption.  Today I'm going to try this with the blog and will be focussing on issues to do with Higher Education. 

1213 Budget Programme start on the BBC - predicting major cuts and probably VAT.  Hints at where the cuts might be but BBC predicting generation shifting speech n the public finances.

1222 BBC's Nick Robinson says that the Lib Dems have gone thoroughly through each line of the budget to make sure it does not affect the young and the elderly - first example of the Lib Dem's softening the Tory's actions?

1230 HE has seen cuts in the number of undergrad places in the first £6bn cuts and the Uni Enterprise Fund in the next £2bn.  What will we lose today?

1233 And of we go ... crossed fingers...

1234 3 mins of flannel to start though the BBC are saying VAT going up.

1243 Current deficit to be illiminated by 2015/16 ... only half a decade of suffering then.  Still seems very wordy and little content.

1247 No Euro in this parliament as stated in the coalition agreement: the Lib Dem concessions will be elsewhere!

1249 £30bn reductions per year in public spending over next 5 years.

1252 Queen's budget sticks at £7.4m and look for other efficiencies.  So Her Majesty keeps the same income - unlike her people who will get less.

1253 Public sector pay freeze for 2 years.  Constraining public pay and pensions.  Public sector has ben insulated from cuts which the private section has been through.  The country was living beyond its means - though perhaps not the people it employs who just balanced the books.

1259  £250 increase for poorest public sector employees? £20 a month? Will it be noticed?

1303 Child Benefit frozen but a variety of other welfare benefits cut.  Not quite sure on what happens to disability allowance but suspect it will be cut within those £11bn just announced.

1307 Variety of (small) changes to help business creation.  Could universities link to Small and Medium Sized enterprises be continued?  We'll see.

1310 So Banks to have to pay more.  Is this retribution?  Is this to kick a common enemy? Is it unwise without international agreement?  Or good economics?

1313 Clegg keeps his rail link to Sheffield? At least someone will be moving faster!

1316 VAT TO INCREASE TO 20% FROM JANUARY 2011.

1322 We hardly noticed a 2.5% cut in VAT last year: will anyone notice a similar increase?  As Cardiff Blogger points out Denmark & Finland are at 25%

1327 Tax Free Allowance up by £1000.

1328 Chancellor sits down after 55 minutes.  Not as long but just as significant as many expected.

1330 Don't envy Harriet Harman ... will she be to come up with policy suggestions rather than empty attacks? 

1337 Harman says budget attacks young & elderly: I think Lib Dems did good job of protecting them as best they could.

1339 Harman attacks coalition & Lib Dems rather than policy. Not what Clegg wanted. And shows no sustance from Labour.

The Economic Downturn

The emergency budget is scheduled for a couple of week's time but already parallels are being drawn and recommendations shared; the BBC have this excellent article on Canada's cuts between 1992 and 1996. 

Two things strike me: firstly, the international dependence on the UK and other world financial systems which is very interesting and something I share from my research - the UK does not stand alone. 

Secondly, the reference to Canada scrapping separate Special Educational Needs classes.  This is a policy which a former tutor of mine advocated with the main-streaming of all children as a key priority.  She argued in an article that very often financial expediency forced changes rather than genuine belief in them.  It was true of Canada and SEN in the 1990's; will it be true of the UK and cutting chunks of HE (or other budgets) in the 2010's?