24 July 2014 Matt Sisson, Projects and Membership Manager
The Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) is considering bringing the final-salary element of the scheme to a close, amidst continuing concerns over the fund’s financial sustainability. The THE has articles both for, and more critical of, the proposed changes.
This year’s VAT and Property Conference, previously run by Tolley, will be held on Thursday 6th November, at Ambassadors Bloomsbury. The event features contributions from HMRC policymakers, a commercial perspective on student accommodation from Balfour Beatty, and BUFDG regulars Andrew Hitchmough QC and Martin Scammell. BUFDG members are entitled to a 30% discount, which brings the early-bird price down to £350 (no VAT) for one delegate, or £665 for two. For full details of the event, and to book your place, please click here. To claim your discount, simply write ‘BUFDG discount’ on the booking form or, if booking via Eventbrite, enter the promotional code OrcaBUFDG30pc.
Every OFFA-assessed HEI (apart from two – Sunderland and University College Birmingham) will charge £9,000 fees for at least some courses for 2014/15 with a third charging £9,000 for all courses, the THE reports. The THE calls the situation one of “history’s spectacularly inaccurate predictions" after reminding readers that, at the launch of the fees policy four years ago former universities minister David Willetts said that £9,000 fees would only be charged “in exceptional circumstances”.
Following attempts to clear up the precise role of Greg Clark, the new minister for Universities (and Science, and Cities?), the THE have raised another question. The cabinet reshuffle on the 15th July saw the appointment of George Freeman MP (mid-Norfolk) to the role of Life Sciences Minister. The consensus appears to be that this is ‘just politics’, and an official confirmation of Mr Freeman’s previous role as a life sciences adviser to the prior universities minister. Kieron Flanagan, lecturer in science and technology policy at the Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, said it would be “completely bonkers” if the government actually split the research and science portfolio between Mr Freeman and the new minister for HE.
Greg Clark believes that Scottish research funding could be at risk if Scotland votes for independence in the forthcoming referendum, the THE reports. Speaking at a meeting at the University of Glasgow, Mr Clark said that “there is no international precedent for sharing or replicating a system on the scale of the current UK funding streams across international borders” and that, as a result, the disproportionately large amount of research funding that Scottish HEIs receive under the current system could be under threat. You can read more about the implications of Scottish Independence in BUFDG’s own guide.
Our Jobs of the Week for this week are for two graduate trainees as part of the NEUPC graduate training programme. All the other vacancies (all 64 of them...) are on the BUFDG jobs page.