p11
PERSPECTIVE
education
Browne’s much awaited independent review
has, at the very least, raised the issues which
have built up over the years and resulted in an
unsustainable, cumbersome and ineffective
infrastructure. As leaders, we should welcome
the fact that this is a start.
Public/private partnerships
When we became BPP University College in
July 2010, we were the first private provider
in three decades to be granted this status.
In the weeks following the announcement,
I met many senior figures from publicly
funded higher and further education
organisations. They all shared the same
sentiments - they wanted to continue to
provide quality courses and training that
was in demand - but they were at risk of
failing financially should their funding be
cut. One senior manager informed me that
Hefce suggested exploring the option of
setting up a partnership with a private provider.
This type of approach is no different to what
a chief executive of any business might have
to consider. As leaders in education, some
of us are faced with similar challenges. We
shouldn’t overlook opportunities which may
seem against our principles initially, but, which,
in the longer term, could actually keep future
generations educated and put us ahead of our
global counterparts.
Findings from Lord Browne’s review show
cause for concern. On the numbers of people
who have the skills provided by higher
education, the UK ranks 15th among the 30
OECD countries. For 25 to 30-year-old workers,
the UK ranks 19th, which is down from 14th
five years ago.
When BPP’s university college status was
announced, we outlined our plans to extend
into healthcare and education, to complement
our existing business and law schools. We are
currently looking into opportunities to link up
with other organisations, and aim to progress
these further in 2011. We hope that this is just
the beginning.
Think like a business, act like a business
Last month, a journalist asked me about a
recently published report which stated that
two-thirds of deputy VCs felt their VCs were not
commercially minded enough to steer their
universities through the current environment
- the belief was that some would simply fail or
disappear. These findings do not surprise me.
From my own research, I have found that the
cost base of most universities is 25% more
than it should be. This is 25% of spending
which could be better used to provide what
the ‘customer’ values (or to reduce fees). If a
fees market envisaged by Lord Browne does
happen (and there is doubt, since most higher
education providers will rush to charge the
highest fee, regardless), then the ability to
differentiate price, based on the costs of higher
education operation, will become crucial to
long-term success.
Some organisations may think that cuts could
be made to teaching faculty numbers. My
belief is that you don’t need to reduce teaching
staff or teaching hours and class contact time
to make savings on your cost base - these areas
should be receiving even more investment.
There are other ways to achieve cost savings,
such as procurement (especially in the
current commercial climate, where suppliers
operate in a cut-throat environment). It’s not
the easiest management exercise to drive a
culture of spending money wisely through an
organisation, especially when so much excess
is identified at the top!
With a little help from my friends
I can’t write about higher education without
mentioning participation. We can have the best
business and funding models in the world, but
to overlook one of the most important aspects
of our system would be an offence.
Everyone who has potential should be able
to benefit from higher education - financially,
and in a way that will suit their learning and
personal needs. Provision for mature students,
funding part-time study the same way as
full-time, online learning and continuing
professional development (lifelong learning)
are all crucial.
I strongly believe that good leadership within
schools, education providers and private
businesses should drive participation and
access - we should not rely on the government
or the taxpayer to plug any gaps; instead, we
should take the initiative. Earlier this year, our
law school did just that. We linked up with a
law firm, an investment bank and an ethnic
minority group to run a competition for a
law scholarship for lower sixth formers who
showed potential and came from less-advantaged backgrounds.
2011 marks the beginning of a new decade,
and one that I am certain will bring some
new challenges to our sector - and new
opportunities for those who are prepared to
lead and pioneer in this brave new world. E
