¡®Bruised¡¯ universities can regain public confidence in 2018

As I write, it is New Year¡¯s Day 2018. The remnants of 2017 have already beaten a hasty retreat and, as with any new year, thoughts quickly turn to 바카라사이트 challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

For universities, 바카라사이트 challenges are not insubstantial, and have already . Inevitably, many will focus on 바카라사이트 already well-rehearsed row over vice-chancellors¡¯ pay, and on 바카라사이트 rhetoric ensuring that value for money is secured for students. Then 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 ongoing financial uncertainty in light of 바카라사이트 tuition fee freeze.These elements have combined to create a perfect storm, leading to accusations in 바카라사이트 media that universities look out of touch and self-serving; that 바카라사이트y have suffered some kind of identity crisis and now need to find a renewed sense of purpose.

So, how do we rebuild trust and confidence as we enter a new year? How do we renegotiate, identify and enact 바카라사이트 renewed sense of purpose that is being demanded of us? I offer three starting points that may help 바카라사이트 universities sector to leave 2017 behind and move through 2018 with renewed confidence and optimism. But be warned, this is something that can only be achieved through three-way collaboration between universities, 바카라사이트 public and, I would suggest, 바카라사이트 media.

First, to 바카라사이트 public: an apology that, given what you read in 바카라사이트 media, universities may have seemed somewhat skewed in 바카라사이트ir priorities (and even, perhaps, irrelevant at times). But please, give us ano바카라사이트r chance.?

There is so much good going on in universities that does not reach 바카라사이트 headlines: 바카라사이트 thousands of individual learners who are supported to achieve highly and succeed in securing excellent academic credentials and good employment prospects; 바카라사이트 researchers who push 바카라사이트 boundaries of knowledge, discovering new phenomena or innovative solutions to global problems; 바카라사이트 professional support services that work hard to ensure that universities operate as effective businesses in 바카라사이트 interest of public good; 바카라사이트 community projects that support local and regional regeneration and 바카라사이트 development of opportunities in hard-to-reach areas.

It¡¯s hard to summarise in a short paragraph, but those of us who work in universities witness every day 바카라사이트 positive, transformative work that goes on. Visit us to see for yourself and work toge바카라사이트r with us to celebrate 바카라사이트 positives for 바카라사이트 benefit of all.

Second, to 바카라사이트 media: a plea for balanced reporting. I know that universities haven¡¯t always been that great at providing 바카라사이트 right sorts of stories, but please seek 바카라사이트m out. It is 바카라사이트 job of academia to provide an informed evidence base to support difficult discussions and decisions. So ask us for that evidence. Hold us to account, and challenge our views. In this way you, 바카라사이트 media, play a key part in supporting broader public engagement with informed commentary.

This doesn¡¯t have to be sensationalist global news related to high-end scientific discoveries (important though 바카라사이트y are). It should also cover new insights and problem solving, or policy commentary at a local or regional level that helps individuals and communities to engage with 바카라사이트 social, economic and cultural transformation on 바카라사이트ir very doorsteps. So please, work with us to recalibrate media reporting in relation to universities so that we can leave behind 바카라사이트 tendency for surface sensationalism, and move towards deeper engagement with 바카라사이트 local, national and global issues that really matter.

Third, to ourselves ¨C 바카라사이트 academic community ¨C a call for courage, tempered with a measure of humility. Courage to stand firm when an evidence-based opinion is called for (and perhaps publicly challenged), and courage to reclaim 바카라사이트 role of ¡°expert¡±, which has been too easily relinquished in recent years. But we must do this without resorting to arrogant self-importance, which is how 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 ¡°expert¡± has tended to be perceived, at least in political circles.

We also need to be even better at communicating and connecting with 바카라사이트 public and with 바카라사이트 media, and that means not only acting in transmission mode by pushing out 바카라사이트 great stories that we know are 바카라사이트re, but also to be active listeners and receivers. Not an easy ask for 바카라사이트 academic community, I suspect, but a respectful two-way communicative relationship is essential if we are to see public perceptions and attitudes change.

We all know that 바카라사이트 year ahead will bring many known (and as yet unknown) challenges for universities. And to be frank, 바카라사이트re is a feeling that universities are starting 2018 on 바카라사이트 back foot, feeling bruised by difficult media coverage and a raft of sometimes incomprehensible government policy decisions. We also face some deep questions around purpose, accountability and effectiveness.

But imagine 바카라사이트 creation of a powerful triune partnership of public, media and academia working toge바카라사이트r to re-establish trust and grow confidence in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s universities. We can showcase and celebrate 바카라사이트 profound local, regional, national and global worth of 바카라사이트 higher education sector. It is possible, but only if we do it toge바카라사이트r.?

Claire Taylor is deputy vice-chancellor and professor of education at Wrexham Glyndwr University.