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John Rushforth Director: Widening Participation. Protecting Mathematics in Higher Education. Strategically important subjects identified by the Secretary of State. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics
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John RushforthDirector: Widening Participation Protecting Mathematics in Higher Education
Strategically important subjects identified by the Secretary of State • Science, technology, engineering and mathematics • Arabic and Turkish language studies and other Middle Eastern area studies, former Soviet Union Caucasus and central Asian area studies • Japanese, Chinese, Mandarin and other far eastern languages and area studies • Vocationally oriented courses of particular interest to employers in industries that are of growing importance to the UK economy; for example, the cultural and creative industries, and e-skills. • Courses relating to recent EU accession countries, especially those in Eastern Europe and the Baltic
What are strategically important subjects? • Subjects acknowledged as strategic on grounds of wealth creation; and those important on diplomatic, international relations or cultural grounds • Currently vulnerable in relation to national capacity and/ or regional availability • May be identified at the national or the regional level (these will not necessarily be the same)
What has HEFCE done to protect subjects? • Minority subjects (for subjects with < 100 FTE UK-wide) • Non-formula funding schemes for former Soviet and East European Studies • Chinese Studies • Restructuring and Collaboration Fund/Strategic Development Fund to support subject area restructuring • Institutional premia for small institutions with a narrow range of subject provision
Ground rules for future HEFCE intervention • Funding body without planning powers • Working in a market environment • Must understand the nature of the problem • Working in collaboration with other agencies • Must look holistically • Evidence based
What could we do • Strategic Development Funding • Additional Student Numbers • Realignment • Innovation • Teaching Funding Review • Aimhigher (eg. Royal Society of Chemistry)
What could we do? (2) • Centres of Excellence in Teaching and Learning • Higher Education Academy • Lifelong learning networks • Work with RDA and SSCs • OU
The Next Steps • Report from the strategically important subjects advisory group • Developing a strategic approach in partnership with the sector and other agencies • Build a strategic approach in partnership with subject communities • CSR