Sancho Panza Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 Was having a chat with an LA last week who was telling me that in Leicester they normally offload all Student Lets by January for the following academic year.He informed me they still had some on their books for this September. This coincided with numerous tales of job losses at Leicester Uni due to declining foreign student numbers. Leicester Uni 20/6/16 'Union calls for halt to loss of 150 jobs at University of Leicester The University and College Union (UCU) has urged managers at the University of Leicester to halt plans to cut around 150 jobs, and reverse its decision to close the university’s lifelong learning centre. The university has announced the job losses and centre closure as part of a restructure designed to reduce staff costs by 4.5%, citing a loss of income from overseas student fees as the main reason for the cuts. A voluntary severance scheme was initially offered to staff, but has now closed and the university has indicated that compulsory redundancies will still be required. The university has also announced that it will close the Vaughan Centre for Lifelong Learning, which currently provides a range of adult learning and professional development courses. The closure will affect around 100 staff, and the union has warned that it will have a serious impact on the university’s efforts to encourage local people to consider higher education. UCU regional official, Sue Davis, said: ‘The planned job losses are devastating for staff, and the union remains wholly opposed to any compulsory redundancies. Closing the Vaughan Centre will also be a massive blow to the local community, and will have a serious impact on the university’s efforts to widen participation and encourage local people into higher education.’ ‘The best way to attract more students to the university is not to cut staff numbers and close courses. The university management urgently needs to halt its plans and sit down with UCU to look at alternatives to these damaging job losses.’ The Union rep clearly not getting that local people have worked out most degrees aren't worth £27,000. HESA Data 'The total number of HE enrolments at UK HEPs stood at 2,266,075 in 2014/15, a decrease of 1%, 33,280 in overall numbers, from 2013/14. This overall decrease is mainly due to a decline in undergraduate enrolments which fell by 2% and part-time enrolments which decreased by 6% between 2013/14 and 2014/15.' Chart 2 first year numbers down by over 100,000 since 2010/11 The impact of International Branch Campuses 'Branch university campuses are in many ways a win-win-win phenomenon. For the university, they mean more students and stronger ties with other countries. For the host nation, they’re a quick way of boosting higher education standards and attracting more students, both local and international. As for students, the prime attraction has already been mentioned: a degree at an internationally ranked university, in a location where this was not previously possible.' As discussed on here previously,big corporations are now providing student accomodation with link ups to Uni's.Clearly,having an impact on old school Student LL's. Interesting times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 I am told that Swansea Uni is having a panic over losing EU money. Have heard sums of 30 to 40 percent of budget coming from EU bodies - but that seems excessively high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cashinmattress Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 Maybe they will stop counting foreign students as immigrants to scare all the old white people? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/11053743/Foreign-students-should-not-be-classed-as-immigrants.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knock out johnny Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 I am told that Swansea Uni is having a panic over losing EU money. Have heard sums of 30 to 40 percent of budget coming from EU bodies - but that seems excessively high. I have it on very good authority that the British Library will be pretty much mothballed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
interestrateripoff Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 Still at least they are aiming to ramp up UK fees that should help... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reddog Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 (edited) good, a lot of university courses could easily be taught via youtube videos, and you would get a better understanding at the end of it, if you were motivated enough. Edited July 5, 2016 by reddog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandwiches33 Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 good, a lot of university courses could easily be taught via youtube videos, and you would get a better understanding at the end of it, if you were motivated enough. Yup, I have learned loads from youtube vids, most recently I have been enjoying a channel called "engineering explained"...I need to get out more. spending a few hundred quid on local community college courses is a far better investment doing hands on stuff. Welding? carpentry? vehicle maintenance ? plumbing etc plus you can work while you still do them and build a skills base you can either sell or use in life to save yourself money. or spend 30k on a degree in poetry to make coffee for boomers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The XYY Man Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 I have it on very good authority that the British Library will be pretty much mothballed Aw that's excellent news Knock-out - my books were due back in September 1992...! XYY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debtlessmanc Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 I am told that Swansea Uni is having a panic over losing EU money. Have heard sums of 30 to 40 percent of budget coming from EU bodies - but that seems excessively high. I just got an email to say that for the first time ever uk researchers can apply for joint funding with the US national science foundation. This cannot be a coincidence. One large research funding avenue closes another even larger one opens... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenDevil Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 With the pound down getting onto 15%, that makes fees for students going down for overseas students, perhaps its just Leicester, after all if i was looking for a uni course, i think Leicester would be at the bottom of my list about level along with hull... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rahhhh Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 We caught the spy as when I asked if she went to one of the top universities. Oxford, Cambridge or Hull she didn't notice that only two of those are top. Well of course everyone knows Oxford is a dump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foreverblowingbubbles Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 The idea of the British library being mothballed is scary. Such a useful free resource if you're looking to start a business. Their business and entrepreneurs centre is a God send if you're researching a new idea on a budget. And the coffee is decent too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sancho Panza Posted July 5, 2016 Author Share Posted July 5, 2016 I just got an email to say that for the first time ever uk researchers can apply for joint funding with the US national science foundation. This cannot be a coincidence. One large research funding avenue closes another even larger one opens... Was hoping you might drop by DM.Now the Ayatollah B no longer posts we lack primary sources. I've been told Leicester has suffered because a new rule allows unlimited places at Uni's.Is this true?Does it mean the better insitutions will prosper while others suffer? Also,is the drop in foreign students for 2016 only at the odd Uni or is it nationwide-ie is there a deeper underlying cause? Thanks if you can help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sancho Panza Posted July 5, 2016 Author Share Posted July 5, 2016 With the pound down getting onto 15%, that makes fees for students going down for overseas students, perhaps its just Leicester, after all if i was looking for a uni course, i think Leicester would be at the bottom of my list about level along with hull... You would have thought that would be the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knock out johnny Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 The idea of the British library being mothballed is scary. Such a useful free resource if you're looking to start a business. Their business and entrepreneurs centre is a God send if you're researching a new idea on a budget. And the coffee is decent too! Maybe they'll have the sense to keep that section open - I really don't know how it's setup/laid out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiveinHope Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 (edited) I just got an email to say that for the first time ever uk researchers can apply for joint funding with the US national science foundation. This cannot be a coincidence. One large research funding avenue closes another even larger one opens... That is good news and makes any (potential) loss of EU funding and its associated bureaucracy of contrived partnerships totally, worthwhile (IMO). Edited July 5, 2016 by LiveinHope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinker Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 The idea of the British library being mothballed is scary. Such a useful free resource if you're looking to start a business. Their business and entrepreneurs centre is a God send if you're researching a new idea on a budget. And the coffee is decent too! Washington Monument Syndrome? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Monument_Syndrome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knock out johnny Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 Washington Monument Syndrome? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Monument_Syndrome Possibly - but the way this information was intimated tells me it's not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debtlessmanc Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 Was hoping you might drop by DM.Now the Ayatollah B no longer posts we lack primary sources. I've been told Leicester has suffered because a new rule allows unlimited places at Uni's.Is this true?Does it mean the better insitutions will prosper while others suffer? Also,is the drop in foreign students for 2016 only at the odd Uni or is it nationwide-ie is there a deeper underlying cause? Thanks if you can help. I can't speak for Leicester I don't know anyone their well enough to ask. As a university it seems to have gone downhill somewhat. Overseas Students- we can't handle the demand, around 60% China the rest subcontinent then Malaysia/ Indonesia. The students want to study at a well ranked English speaking university in a western country. Imperial college tried to put them off by raising fees- their applications went up! I honestly can't see it being a problem in the brave new world. Indeed as it is an export it will get more priority. The only complaint we get from overseas students is that they want to meet more "English people" whilst on the course. I'll leave it to your imagination what they mean by that.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knock out johnny Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 The only complaint we get from overseas students is that they want to meet more "English people" whilst on the course. I'll leave it to your imagination what they mean by that.. Because they don't want to go back home speaking Engrish you iriot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spyguy Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 I can't speak for Leicester I don't know anyone their well enough to ask. As a university it seems to have gone downhill somewhat. Overseas Students- we can't handle the demand, around 60% China the rest subcontinent then Malaysia/ Indonesia. The students want to study at a well ranked English speaking university in a western country. Imperial college tried to put them off by raising fees- their applications went up! I honestly can't see it being a problem in the brave new world. Indeed as it is an export it will get more priority. The only complaint we get from overseas students is that they want to meet more "English people" whilst on the course. I'll leave it to your imagination what they mean by that.. China seems to be rumbling at the nubmer of students at Western unis. Im not sure what they can do about that in less than 50 years though. Maybe set up an English speaking one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thirdwave Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 I am told that Swansea Uni is having a panic over losing EU money. Have heard sums of 30 to 40 percent of budget coming from EU bodies - but that seems excessively high. This could affect the uni in the long run but judging from the ever increasing numbers of Chinese around town,student numbers must be well up on last year.Demand for student accommodation has also been reasonably steady from what I've heard.I do agree with the basic premise that Swansea Uni is f***ed but you may have to wait a few years yet for it to play out fully Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snugglybear Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 I just got an email to say that for the first time ever uk researchers can apply for joint funding with the US national science foundation. This cannot be a coincidence. One large research funding avenue closes another even larger one opens... That's not the agreement that was signed in September 2013, between the NSF and the UK Research Councils, is it? So in place for almost 3 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
long time lurking Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 I just got an email to say that for the first time ever uk researchers can apply for joint funding with the US national science foundation. This cannot be a coincidence. One large research funding avenue closes another even larger one opens... Wow ..you are not going to see that one in the headlines though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debtlessmanc Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 (edited) That's not the agreement that was signed in September 2013, between the NSF and the UK Research Councils, is it? So in place for almost 3 years. No - that was a particular call and was open to many other countries including the uk- I actually ended up in Washington DC sitting on a panel to rank the grant proposals. I've been on Canadian panels too which are closely modelled on the UK system. This appears to be something new and particularl to the uk. But it is not totally clear yet. My young colleague has been in touch with his collaborator at MIT already to try and find out what's up. Edited July 5, 2016 by debtlessmanc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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