In the news at the moment is a story around universities, specifically 'Russell Group' elite universities being given control over A-Levels, by the Education Secretary Michael Gove ...
Uclan PRF (Pedagogic Research Forum) A Higher Education blog linked to the PRF at the University of Central Lancashire.
Showing posts with label government. Show all posts
Showing posts with label government. Show all posts
Tuesday, 3 April 2012
Thursday, 9 February 2012
Challenges facing Higher Education
The HE Guardian has come up with this great infographic detailing the research they did on the challenges facing HE today. The changes in the sector section indicated that most people think things are getting worse and that the coalition government has no coherent set of policies to see HE through this turbulent time.... but
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Alternative White Paper!
In defence of public Higher Education
Hundreds of academics have signed an alternative white paper which claims that the government's planned education reforms are fundamentally misguided. They state nine propositions in defence of public Higher Education, and draw a clear definition of what a university is and does.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/interactive/2011/sep/27/higher-education-alternative-white-paper?CMP=twt_gu
1. Higher education serves public benefits as well as private ones. These require financial support if these benefits are to continue to be provided.
2. Public universities are necessary to build and maintain confidence in public debate.
3. Public universities have a social mission, contributing to the amelioration of social inequality, which is the corollary of the promotion of social mobility.
4. Public higher education is part of a generational contract in which an older generation invests in the wellbeing of future generations that will support them in turn.
5. Public institutions providing similar programmes of study should be funded at a similar level.
6. Education cannot be treated as a simple consumer good; consumer sovereignty is an inappropriate means of placing students at the heart of the system.
7. Training in skills is not the same as a university education. While the first is valuable in its own terms, a university education provides more than technical training. This should be clearly recognised in the title of a university.
8. The university is a community made up of diverse disciplines as well as different activities of teaching, research and external collaboration. These activities are maintained by academics, managers, administrators and a range of support staff, all of whom contribute to what is distinctive about the university as a community.
9. Universities are not only global institutions. They also serve their local and regional communities and their different traditions and contexts are important
What do you think of the above points?
Is the government confused on the real purpose of Public Higher Education. What about for profit providers should they be treated the same as public universities would they bring the same benefits?
Hundreds of academics have signed an alternative white paper which claims that the government's planned education reforms are fundamentally misguided. They state nine propositions in defence of public Higher Education, and draw a clear definition of what a university is and does.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/interactive/2011/sep/27/higher-education-alternative-white-paper?CMP=twt_gu
1. Higher education serves public benefits as well as private ones. These require financial support if these benefits are to continue to be provided.
2. Public universities are necessary to build and maintain confidence in public debate.
3. Public universities have a social mission, contributing to the amelioration of social inequality, which is the corollary of the promotion of social mobility.
4. Public higher education is part of a generational contract in which an older generation invests in the wellbeing of future generations that will support them in turn.
5. Public institutions providing similar programmes of study should be funded at a similar level.
6. Education cannot be treated as a simple consumer good; consumer sovereignty is an inappropriate means of placing students at the heart of the system.
7. Training in skills is not the same as a university education. While the first is valuable in its own terms, a university education provides more than technical training. This should be clearly recognised in the title of a university.
8. The university is a community made up of diverse disciplines as well as different activities of teaching, research and external collaboration. These activities are maintained by academics, managers, administrators and a range of support staff, all of whom contribute to what is distinctive about the university as a community.
9. Universities are not only global institutions. They also serve their local and regional communities and their different traditions and contexts are important
What do you think of the above points?
Is the government confused on the real purpose of Public Higher Education. What about for profit providers should they be treated the same as public universities would they bring the same benefits?
Friday, 23 September 2011
UUK response to HE white paper: changes needed!
The Higher Education White Paper promises to put students at the heart of the system. Universities always have been and remain unequivocally committed to delivering this. What the white paper doesn't do is think through the process properly and its actions do not match its aims!
http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/Publications/Documents/ResponseToTheHigherEducationWhitePaper.pdf
White Paper fails to capture the full extent of the contribution that universities make to society and to the economy. Too much focus is given to the Undergrad recruitment and teaching. This is a large part but by no means the only thing universities do, and should not be isolated from the rest of the universities activities!
"The excellence of the UK university system, and the value it creates for the economy and for society,
is based not just on the exceptionally high quality of undergraduate teaching, but on a range of factors, including:
a. the inter-connection between teaching and research, and the fact that all teaching in UK universities takes place within a research informed framework
b. the contribution that universities make to their communities, to citizenship, and to the wider social and public good
c. the transformative impact that the university experience has on those who pass through the system"
The UUK has come up with a well thought out and reasonable response to the HE white paper. Lets just hope the Government listens!
Thursday, 11 August 2011
Less money more control?
Plans for Hefce hegemony spark sector fears
"Plans to hand greater power and responsibility to the English funding council HEFCE are a "death warrant" for the self-regulation of higher education and could persuade universities to opt out of the state-funded system."
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=417090
Universities are taking less money from the government since teaching funding was drastically cut, and yet the government wants to exert even more control! The most worrying part of this story is "The ability to fine universities that fail students" which is going to lead to worthless degrees as some institutions short cut quality and support and just pass everyone! Buying a degree without doing any work is fast becoming a scary reality!
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