Reforming higher education
The higher education sector needs to be transformed by focusing more on international connections and research. agendaNi unpacks the draft higher education strategy.
Danny Kennedy has said that now is an “opportune” time for higher education reform because “the economy has changed, expectations have increased, demand has risen and the world has become more globalised with continual advances in technology.” The reform will ensure that the sector is “responsive, flexible and accessible to all.”
The draft strategy examines the accessibility of higher education, its contribution to society, the economy and Northern Ireland’s international image. It also suggests how best to govern the sector and ensure that taxpayers’ money is spent appropriately and effectively.
It describes the main challenges facing the higher education as follows:
• the population of 18 year olds in Northern Ireland is expected to decrease by 15 per cent over the next 10 years;
• the sector needs to become more flexible to suit the needs of those leaving school and those still in work. It should expect more part-time students and more Open University students;
• competition will increase as UK institutions seek to fill their places from a shrinking catchment area;
• progress in BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) is increasing competition for jobs and capital;
• graduate jobs are no longer available in the public sector therefore many will leave Northern Ireland to seek work;
• students need more STEM and language qualifications. Northern Ireland has an above average concentration of graduates (within the UK) in medicine, dentistry, agriculture, architecture, business, mass communication, history and philosophical studies; and the income base will be “less secure” considering that a high proportion comes from government. (DEL provided £500 million to Queen’s University, the University of Ulster, Stranmillis College and St Mary’s College in 2008-2009. It provided £25.7 million to the six further and higher education colleges in 2009-2010).
The creation of a number of groups and committees to oversee collaboration between the higher education, business and voluntary sectors, is proposed. An Executive body should be set up to oversee the implementation of the recommendations emerging from the strategy.
Business links
A higher education, government and business group would be chaired by the Minister or a senior official to ensure it is viewed as a meaningful body. In addition, partnerships between higher education providers, businesses and development agencies should be developed. External engagement committees, chaired by Vice- Chancellors, should be created to connect government, higher education, business and civil society. These should include government and social partners; the Confederation of British Industry, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action and the Ulster Farmer’s Union. These committees would drive changes in political, social and economic policy in Northern Ireland. The draft strategy also calls on lecturers to forge stronger links with business and to engage with Invest NI.
Research
Research should be funded at an “appropriate level” to develop a world- class research base in Northern Ireland. A unique Northern Ireland higher education selling point should be developed to encourage more international students to study here because the region currently falls behind England, Scotland and Wales for its intake of international students. Institutions should also ‘internationalise’ their curricula and increase the number of Northern Ireland students having a period of overseas international experience. In addition, academic staff should travel abroad early in their careers to forge international relationships.
Because there is a disproportionate focus on medical, humanities and communications courses, all departments should work together, along with careers services to promote an interest in priority subjects from an early age.
The sector should focus on creating ‘distinct Northern Ireland graduates’ who will possess additional skills placing them at an advantage globally, according to the draft strategy.
An International Education Unit should be established. It would include the Department for Employment and Learning, the Department for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Invest NI, the universities and other stakeholders. They would liaise to co-ordinate trade, technology and investment missions overseas.
Ten per cent of postgraduate research studentships should be designated to support the recruitment of high quality international (including European) research students in STEM subjects.
Finance
Higher Education institutions should collaborate where possible and diversify to maximise their income. The department should amend the financial memorandum applied to institutions to ease the current excessive regulation on the sale, leasing and transfer of land and any obstacles to the implementation of the capital investment framework should be removed.
The funding model for higher education should be simplified so that it better reflects the need for part-time, modular study to ensure “flexibility, adaptability and responsiveness” in higher education. Future government funding models should be modified to ensure that the study of “economically relevant” courses is incentivised.
As a matter of urgency, the draft strategy proposes that DEL liaises with the department of Finance and Personnel and the Northern Ireland Audit Office to remove any obstacles to the adoption of the lighter touch Capital Investment Framework.
In England, capital funding is distributed to institutions by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) under the Capital Investment Framework. Institutions apply to be admitted to the investment framework and are assessed by HEFCE. If they are deemed capable of managing their physical estate in a strategic manner, funding is provided to them on a profiled basis across the spending review period. That process is deemed less bureaucratic than in Northern Ireland, where institutions must submit individual economic appraisals for each capital project and capital developments above delegated limits need to be referred to the Department of Finance and Personnel for approval.
The department should address the need for student loans for part-time study. This would facilitate the changing balance between full-time and part-time study which is likely to occur in the coming years.
The department should ensure that any competition between institutions, in particular Queen’s and Ulster, is healthy and productive, represents value for money for the public pound in the current economic climate and is beneficial to the Northern Ireland economy.
Because institutions are in competition with Great Britain and Ireland, fees should be consistent with those in England and Wales. Any increase in tuition fee levels in England (and Wales) should be mirrored in Northern Ireland, according to the draft strategy. The Minister is expected to make an announcement about fees soon.
The consultation ends on 15 April 2011.
