Stop grandstanding and nurture growth asset, Truss ministers told

The Conservative Party conference brought frustration over ministers “grandstanding” by attacking English universities rather than seeing them as drivers of growth, while big questions on funding remain unresolved and planned entry restrictions are tipped to be dropped by the Truss government.

A Tory conference fringe event on Brexit saw the skills minister, Andrea Jenkyns, claim that universities offer “anti-British history and sociological Marxism”, while the home secretary, Suella Braverman, pledged action on visas for students and dependants because “too many students [are] coming into this country who are propping up…substandard courses in inadequate institutions”.

Although Liz Truss has pledged that her government will be “unashamedly pro-growth”, that vision remains focused on tax cuts and deregulation rather than encompassing the roles of universities.

Sir Chris Husbands, vice-chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University, said it was “obviously extremely disappointing that at a party conference people think there’s mileage to be had in grandstanding with ideas about courses, access and students”.

“The facts are that UK higher education is a major export industry, a major driver of growth and a major resource for UK soft power,” he said.

Lord Willetts, the Conservative former universities minister, argued that Ms Jenkyns’ role at a University of Bolton thinktank had given her understanding of “diversity of provision” and that her comments did not “reflect her approach to HE from my conversations with her over the years”.

But on student visas, he said, “being realistic, it is possible we will now get a slight reversion” after the “wonderful liberalisation” under the Johnson government: “I would attach a bit more weight to Suella’s comments than Andrea’s,” Lord Willetts said.

Diana Beech, chief executive of London Higher and former adviser to Conservative universities ministers, noted that in contrast to Ms Braverman, Ms Jenkyns spoke of international education’s value to the UK. A “consistent framework” across government would take time to emerge, involving compromise in Whitehall, “and who wins will only become clear as the new government beds down”, she said.

There was also “an element of playing to the core membership” at party conferences, she added, “so whatever is said [at conference] is not necessarily going to be translated into policy, as officials in Whitehall play a key role in setting out options for ministers and mitigating risks”.

Meanwhile, intentions to set minimum entry requirements and student number controls to tackle “low value” courses, where the Johnson government had planned legislation, might not survive the exits of former higher education minister Michelle Donelan and her adviser Iain Mansfield from the Department for Education. No bill had been drafted before their departures.

This plan, said Dr Beech, was “probably off the agenda – if only because this government is going to have to prioritise what is deliverable within the next 18 months” before the next general election and “without legislation drafted, HE reform is going to be timed out”.

The Lifelong Loan Entitlement, a Johnson government plan with major sector implications, is included in the list of Ms Jenkyns’ ministerial responsibilities and its architect, Baroness Wolf, remains skills and workforce adviser in the No 10 Policy Unit.

The future of teaching funding and research funding – where the Truss government is tipped to reverse Johnson government investment pledges as it seeks big savings – remains a major concern.

“There are some big decisions needed about HE policy, and if they aren’t taken, the sector will drift,” said Sir Chris. “There’s a responsibility on the sector to engage with government, but a responsibility on the governing party to nurture a major national asset.”

john.morgan@timeshighereducation.com