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Richmond upon Thames Liberal Democrats:Covering the constituencies of Twickenham and Richmond Park |
Vince Cable speech - HEFCE Annual Conference - Aston University
April 7, 2011 6:06 PM
• [Apr 06] Vince Cable: NEXT month, the Coalition Government will mark its first year in power. Today, I want to reflect briefly on what has been a somewhat frenetic period in higher education, consider some of the challenges we face ahead of the incoming funding system, and signal where we want to get to by the end of this Parliament.
Making the higher education system more responsive to students - your consumers - is not something we can achieve overnight. Yet that is one of the central purposes of our reforms - and we will clarify that through the forthcoming White Paper, which will contain further proposals on competition and the future shape of the sector.
Coalition achievements: Let me assess recent events first . .
Conclusion: These ideas, then, indicate the direction we're heading in and the destination we wish to reach.
By mid-decade, I want to see a sector whose global reputation is enhanced beyond current high levels; whose contribution to economic growth is commensurate with its potential to stimulate growth; a competitive sector - with a healthy presence among FE colleges and private providers - where institutional autonomy means more than it does now, because there are fewer price or number controls; and a sector in which student choice extends beyond subject and location to mode and length of study.
Every Government in living memory has spoken about the decisions of students having a real impact on HE - as did both Robbins and Dearing. We will finally make this happen. Supply-side reform, flexibility of student numbers, needs-blind off-quota places, more HE in FE, better part-time and two-year degree funding are all means to that end.
I'm the first to acknowledge that the pressure on the sector is considerable right now. I've no guarantee that there won't be difficult times ahead, but my wish is that these changes bed down sooner rather than later. David Willetts and I will do everything within our powers to facilitate that - and we continue to welcome your full input.
• Vince Cable speech - HEFCE Annual Conference - Aston University
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