New rules

As the Westminster government finally releases its response to the Augar review, and sets out its stall for higher education reform for the next several years, we are gathering to unpack the settlement and look ahead to what comes next.

The review of post-18 education and funding and its response from government has been long-gestating, which has meant government policy has been in the deep freezer for far longer than ideal. And with the threat of major cuts hovering, as ministers came and went, universities have been watching on anxiously.

The new package – though far from perfect – gives some certainty, and although some of the worst fears have not been realised, there’s a lot of detail that needs serious scrutiny as consultation gears up and the public debate moves on to other things.

At New Rules, we’ll look at the proposals on quality, funding, graduate repayment and towards our future of a more flexible and modularised system with the Lifelong Loan Entitlement. We’ll hear from experts and sector leaders, and from Philip Augar the person charged with leading the review, to reflect on its legacy and what comes next.

Agenda

09.30 Welcome and recap of everything announced and where we stand – Debbie McVitty, editor of Wonkhe

09.45 Philip Augar, chair of the independent panel on post-18 education and funding, in conversation with Mark Leach

10.15 How to read a new political settlement for universities in England

10.45 Fiscal illusions – how the new system impacts on the Exchequer, universities, students and graduates

11.15 Break

11.30 More means better? Quality, minimum eligibility, and student number controls

12.15 A more flexible future – enter the Lifelong Loan Entitlement

13.00 Close