Lord Mandelson has launched Higher Ambitions – The Future of Universities in a Knowledge Economy, the Government’s vision for the future of Higher Education in the United Kingdom.

Higher Ambitions sets out a strategy for universities to remain world class, providing the nation with the high level skills needed to remain competitive, while continuing to attract the brightest students and researchers.

Links:

Higher Ambitions executive summary (pdf) – http://www.bis.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/publications/Higher-Ambitions-Summary.pdf

Higher Ambitions full report (pdf) – http://www.bis.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/publications/Higher-Ambitions.pdf

Lord Mandelson’s statement – http://services.parliament.uk/hansard/Lords/bydate/20091103/mainchamberdebates/part008.html

(more…)

The four UK higher education funding bodies are currently consulting on proposals for the Research Excellence Framework (REF), which replaces the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). The consultation sets out proposals for all key aspects of the framework and invites responses from across the UK.

Responses are invited from the higher education sector as well as organisations with an interest in the use and impact of research – from the private, public and third sectors.

HEFCE 2009/38 sets out proposals for all key features of the REF. These include:

• defining research excellence and the key features of the assessment framework
• assessing the quality of research outputs – including the use of citation information
• assessing the impact of research on the economy and society
• assessing the research environment •the overall outcomes of the assessment
• the configuration of panels and Units of Assessment (UOAs), and how to achieve appropriate levels of consistency between these
• measures to promote equalities and diversity
• the timetable for implementation of the REF
• the accountability burden implications of the REF.

Responses to the consultation should be e-mailed to ref@hefce.ac.uk by 16 December 2009.

Link to HEFCE 2009/38: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2009/09_38/

Link to an overview about the consultation: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/research/ref/develop/

Link to a brief guide on the REF proposals (PDF): http://www.hefce.ac.uk/research/ref/resources/REFguide.pdf

Also of interest is the JISC infoNet case study about the ICT impact of REF, featuring the University of Birmingham: http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/case-studies/ref/birmingham

New research conducted by Ipsos MORI on behalf of JISC, SCONUL and UCISA shows that, although university library and Information Technology (IT) services may not yet be fully feeling the ‘pinch’ of the recession, given the likelihood of deeper financial cuts being imposed in 2010/2011, it is clear that they will be impacted unavoidably in a number of ways, such as reduced opening hours, decreased opportunity for developing staff skills, and limitations in procuring and providing resources. Such impacts, certainly for libraries, are likely to be compounded by the decreasing value of sterling in an international market for acquisitions, and the ever-changing demands of students and academic staff on their services.

The impact of any cuts is likely to have wider implications on institutions’ delivery of their overall strategic aims, such as enhancing the student experience. However, it is not clear what impact this will have on these services and universities in the longer term, five or more years from now. Thus, a number of questions remain unanswered; for example, to what extent will access to resources be reduced as subscriptions are cancelled, and what impact will this have on future users; will workstations for students and staff be underpowered because replacement cycles are lengthened; and will services be able to operate satisfactorily if significant staff redundancies occur?

This project was designed to determine the impressions, opinions and plans of senior managers working in university information services, through a qualitative approach, to gather sufficient depth of information. This briefing paper outlines the key findings.

Further information available from:

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/publications/documents/libsitimpactsbp.aspx

Full report available from:

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/publications/libsitimpacts.pdf

JISC Legal has published a short four page paper that considers the legal issues which may arise in relation to the use of e-assessment in further and higher education. The document (PDF format) can be accessed at:

http://www.jisclegal.ac.uk/Portals/12/Documents/PDFs/Legal%20Aspects%20of%20e-assessment.pdf

The JISC invites institutions to submit funding proposals for projects to explore aspects of Green ICT in higher and further education in the UK as outlined below:

Study of Ownership and Responsibility for Energy Costs: Total funding of up to £90,000 is available for this study – including £50,000 for undertaking the study and recruiting the case studies and £40,000 for the case studies (at £10,000 per case study). The study will run for 18 months.

Small Scale Exploration Studies of Aspects of Green ICT: Total funding of up to £300,000 is available to fund between 5 and 8 projects at between £30,000 and £70,000 per project. Projects will run for between 4 and 12 months.

Demonstrator Projects: Total funding of up to £300,000 is available to fund 6 projects at £50,000 per project. Projects will fun for 12 months.

The deadline for all proposals is 12 noon UK time on 28 October 2009. All projects are expected to start on 18 January 2010.

Proposals may be submitted by Higher Education (HE) institutions funded via HEFCE, SFC, HEFCW and DEL Northern Ireland, and by Further Education (FE) institutions funded via SFC, DCELLS Wales and DEL Northern Ireland. FE institutions in England that teach HE to more than 400 FTEs are also eligible to bid provided proposals demonstrate how the work supports the HE in FE agenda.

Further information and full funding call available at:

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/Home/fundingopportunities/funding_calls/2009/09/0909greenict.aspx

A joint consultation between HEFCE, Universities UK and GuildHE on developing a carbon reduction target and strategy for higher education in England has been opened. The consultation asks for views on proposed sector-level targets for the reduction of carbon emissions and a proposed strategy for achieving these targets.

Lord Mandelson, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, said: ‘Universities can play a vital role in our economic recovery, especially in advancing a strategy for real and lasting change in order to reduce our carbon footprint. The results of this consultation will be awaited with enormous interest.’

Particular points to note include:
The strategy aims to focus efforts in areas that offer the greatest potential carbon reduction return, such as: energy use within the estate; transport; water consumption; waste; and procurement, through technical, structural and behavioural solutions. It also aims to identify issues that need further consideration and support.

The consultation sets out areas where HEFCE, Universities UK and GuildHE will work with institutions and other stakeholders to achieve carbon reductions. It will be for individual institutions to decide, within the national set of targets, how to reduce, measure, review and report progress on their own emissions.

The major impact for HEIs will be required to have carbon management plans and performance against these plans will be a factor in capital allocations from 2011, as requested by the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills in HEFCE’s 2009 grant letter.

Further details: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/news/hefce/2009/carbon.htm

The importance of the Green IT agenda continues to be made apparent as further Salix funding is announced.

Salix, an independent publicly funded company, was set up to accelerate public sector investment in energy efficiency technologies through invest to save schemes. Funding comes directly from the Carbon Trust and a new temporary fund of £51.5m has been made available until 17th July 2009.

 http://www.salixfinance.co.uk/home.html

There was overwhelming success last year with over 30 college applicants from across the educational sectors. Those providers are eligable to apply for separate projects this year. This time round the fund allows for applications to enable green thin client technology and print management solutions.

 The one-off funding, allocated on a first come first served basis, lasts for a set period and is available to all public sectors including

Further Education, Higher Education and schools.  There is a minimum claim of £5000, but no maximum limit available.To qualify all projects must be able to pay the interest-free loan back within five years through the savings made.

 Full details of the fund 

- Salix Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme

 Explanations of the process and the projects that can be applied for –  

Loan Process

At the launch event of the Edgeless University publication, David Lammy Minister for Higher Education and IPR announced a new £20m open learning innovation fund for UK universities.

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/Home/news/stories/2009/06/podcast83davidlammy.aspx

Just published by the London based think-tank Demos, The Edgeless University argues that this can be a moment of rebirth for universities. Technology is changing universities as they become just one source among many for ideas, knowledge and innovation but online tools and open access also offer the means for their survival.
Malcolm Read OBE, Executive Secretary for JISC, which supported the research, said:

‘The UK is a leading force in the delivery of higher education and its universities and colleges have been punching well above their weight for some time. Safeguarding this reputation means we have to fight harder to stay ahead of developments in online learning and social media, and embracing the Web 2.0 world.

‘This is a great opportunity for UK universities and colleges to open up and make learning more accessible to students who would not traditionally stay on in education. ‘Edgeless universities’ can transform the way the UK delivers, shares and uses the wealth and quality of information its institutions own.’

Download the report:

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/edge09

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/publications/edgelessuniversity.pdf

A recent output from the JISC Learner Experiences of e-Learning research programme is a range of recommendations or guides aimed at teachers/practitioners, researchers and institutional support/policy-makers within post-16 education. The guides including, ‘Responding to Learners: a guide for institutional managers in further education‘, are available from:

https://mw.brookes.ac.uk/display/JISCle2g/Guides