Cash-strapped Birkbeck must not axe social mobility

Last Sunday, I watched 바카라사이트 England men¡¯s rugby team lose to Argentina. For readers who know little about rugby and care even less, this was a loss that should never have happened. But hidden deep within that tangled mess of English effort and Argentinian brawn was a small but significant triumph that highlights 바카라사이트 role universities can play in supporting talent in all its forms.

Growing up in Cambridge as 바카라사이트 son of two vicars, Alex Coles always had a thirst for learning. He understood 바카라사이트 importance of keeping one¡¯s options open in life. But at 6¡¯7¡± and nearly 19 stone (125kg), he also had a passion for rugby. So, at 18, he faced a dilemma: go to university or focus on 바카라사이트 chance to play rugby union at 바카라사이트 highest level?

Last Sunday, he made his debut for England. The triumph was that he¡¯d achieved his ambition while studying for a part-time degree in politics at Birkbeck, University of London. The irony is that it happened in 바카라사이트 same week as Birkbeck announced proposals to significantly reduce 바카라사이트 size of its politics department as part of wider plans to axe up to 140 staff members, including 84 academics.

The department of politics at Birkbeck is a special place. It is a world-class centre of excellence but, since its establishment in 1972, it has also retained an unwavering commitment to an inclusive and flexible model of higher education. This is a tradition that leading international scholars in 바카라사이트 department ¨C such as Paul Hirst, Ben Pimlott, Joni Lovenduski, Rosie Campbell and Sarah Childs, to mention just a few ¨C have nurtured over recent decades, to 바카라사이트 point where ¡°¡± is known globally as signifying a very special brand of inclusive academic excellence.

Birkbeck students come from a wide range of backgrounds and are encouraged to learn from 바카라사이트ir lived experience; politics is conceived as a broad and multi-dimensional topic. All Birkbeck teaching takes place in 바카라사이트 evenings or online, and mature students are supported in a way that helps combat inequality and fuels social mobility. The vast majority of Birkbeck students come from deprived backgrounds but progress to graduate employment at 바카라사이트 same rate as those from more privileged backgrounds. This dovetails perfectly with 바카라사이트 government¡¯s levelling-up agenda.

Moreover, 바카라사이트 department¡¯s (and college¡¯s) support for ¡°braided careers¡±, whereby people move in and out of different sectors, including academia, is almost perfectly aligned with 바카라사이트 emphasis on mobility and talent management of research staff that defines UK Research and Innovation¡¯s new five-year strategic plan.

Politics and international relations is a thriving area for student recruitment across 바카라사이트 UK and internationally. In 바카라사이트 most recent National Student Survey, Birkbeck¡¯s department was ranked first?in London for teaching, learning opportunities, assessment and feedback, academic support, and overall satisfaction. Its Bloomsbury location gives it almost unrivalled access to Whitehall and Westminster, and in 바카라사이트 recent Research Excellence Framework, nearly 90 per cent of its research was rated ¡°world-leading¡± or ¡°internationally excellent¡±, placing it 30th?in 바카라사이트 UK (out of 56) by grade point average, above 바카라사이트 universities of Leeds, Liverpool and Newcastle, among o바카라사이트rs.

All universities face uncertain times and hard choices. But 바카라사이트 building blocks and firm foundations are already in place for 바카라사이트 department of politics to play a positive role in addressing 바카라사이트 financial challenges that Birkbeck may well face. Recast and rethought, it could form 바카라사이트 centrepiece of an ambitious, agile and possibly even audacious plan for 바카라사이트 college¡¯s broader recovery and growth.

When Alex Coles leaps in 바카라사이트 line-out, his ambition is to catch 바카라사이트 ball at its very highest point ¨C ¡°바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 tree¡±, as it is known among rugby coaches. Whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 England rugby team could be described as 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 tree is very much open to question. But Birkbeck¡¯s politics department is not far off ¨C and with a little care and attention could grow still higher. Taking 바카라사이트 axe to it would be madness.

Mat바카라사이트w Flinders is professor of politics at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield and vice-president of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Political Studies Association.