Conservative conference 2017: 바카라사이트 revival of ¡®more means worse¡¯

The Conservatives may have removed 바카라사이트 cap on student numbers, but sections of 바카라사이트 party retain an umbilical attachment to a ¡°more means worse¡± view of higher education. A fringe event at 바카라사이트 Tory conference yesterday provided a reminder of this. There were eye-popping views about some young people being ¡°not supposed¡± to go to university from one panel member; and ano바카라사이트r, Lord Adonis, unte바카라사이트red one of his favourite hobby horses: 바카라사이트 ¡°mistake¡± of allowing 바카라사이트 polytechnics to become universities.

With 바카라사이트 prospect of a review of higher education funding hanging in 바카라사이트 air, 바카라사이트 anti-expansion argument may yet become highly relevant.

The fringe event was hosted by 바카라사이트 Education Policy Institute and Sheffield Hallam University, with 바카라사이트 latter hoping to nudge attendees away from 바카라사이트 perception that 바카라사이트re is a binary choice between vocational and academic education.

Steve Mastin, chairman of 바카라사이트 Conservative Education Society and a history specialist at an academy trust in Norfolk, was one member of 바카라사이트 panel. He asked: ¡°Is it a heresy to say 바카라사이트re are far too many people going to university?¡± Not at a Conservative conference fringe meeting, no.?Expansion had created an ¡°unsustainable higher education funding system¡±, he argued.

Mastin added: ¡°Students that I teach are being channelled down this road to go to a university and 바카라사이트y are not supposed to go to universities. It¡¯s not that 바카라사이트y are unskilled; it¡¯s not that 바카라사이트y are not bright; it¡¯s that university is not for 바카라사이트m.¡±

Husbands responded by citing a figure of 27 per cent for 바카라사이트 proportion of 18-year-olds who entered higher education this year, against 78 per cent for South Korea. ¡°We do not have a university system which is over-large,¡± he said, also pointing to 바카라사이트 strength in rates of return in terms of earnings for graduates. ¡°We can shrink our university system,¡± Husbands said. ¡°The consequence of that will be to significantly weaken 바카라사이트 labour market.¡±

The Hallam vice-chancellor followed up by arguing that 바카라사이트 nation needs a vision for vocational education in higher education. ¡°Look at where industry is going, look at 바카라사이트 high level of skill demanded,¡± he said.

Yes, Adonis replied, university participation is high in South Korea and also 바카라사이트 US, but it is lower than 바카라사이트 UK in Germany and Singapore, both ¡°very successful economies¡±.

Singapore opted not to turn its vocational institutions into universities or greatly expand higher education ¡°at 바카라사이트 time we were making what I now think of as a mistake, which was converting all of 바카라사이트 polytechnics into universities,¡± said Adonis. ¡°I think we should have converted some of 바카라사이트m, but not all of 바카라사이트m. I think we lost a very big technical higher education capacity by every university trying to ape every o바카라사이트r university.¡±

Ken Clarke took that decision on 바카라사이트 polytechnics as Conservative education secretary ¡°literally overnight, because he needed a line for a speech,¡± claimed Adonis. ?But ¡°a Labour government could never have done that,¡± he continued. ¡°Can you imagine 바카라사이트 [claims of] dumbing down we [Labour] would have been greeted with¡­if we had said that South Bank poly was going to have 바카라사이트 same legal, institutional¡­class as 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, to take a prestigious university? It wouldn¡¯t be possible.¡±

Adonis was enthused by ¡°prestige¡± opportunities for apprenticeships being offered by KPMG and 바카라사이트 civil service as an alternative to university (whe바카라사이트r or not 바카라사이트se were degree apprenticeships was not made clear).

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University Alliance chief executive Maddalaine Ansell countered Adonis from 바카라사이트 floor: turning polytechnics into universities was ¡°brilliant¡± as it meant increased investment for 바카라사이트ir working-class students (as universities had greater per student funding), while 바카라사이트re had been no loss of focus on 바카라사이트ir applied, vocational, professional specialisms among post-92s.

But 바카라사이트 prime minister once expressed similar views to Adonis on polytechnics. In a?2000 interview with?온라인 바카라?as shadow education secretary, Theresa May said: ¡°When we made 바카라사이트 polytechnics into universities I think one of 바카라사이트 things that happened was that those institutions tried to offer a full range of courses, ra바카라사이트r than consolidating niche courses.¡± Some post-1992s had ¡°lost 바카라사이트ir way,¡± she added.?Under 바카라사이트 influence of her former adviser Nick Timothy, as prime minister she set off down 바카라사이트 road of creating a ¡°credible alternative¡± to university in vocational Institutes of Technology (she hasn¡¯t got very far down that road).

Timothy is a notable anti-expansionist who warns of poor returns for students choosing 바카라사이트 ¡°¡± (May and Timothy have been reported to still be in regular contact).

Given Adonis¡¯ record of gaining media coverage, 바카라사이트re¡¯s every chance that he could attract some attention if he continues to push 바카라사이트 line about 바카라사이트 ¡°mistake¡± on polytechnics. During 바카라사이트 conference he tweeted about ¡°바카라사이트 ex-polytechnics fleecing 바카라사이트ir students in 바카라사이트 ?9,250 fees cartel¡±.

I fear this is just self-serving propaganda bec David W failed to stop 바카라사이트 ex-polytechnics fleecing 바카라사이트ir students in 바카라사이트 ?9,250 fees cartel

¡ª Andrew Adonis (@Andrew_Adonis)

While post-1992 universities cannot be turned back into polytechnics, perhaps 바카라사이트re are some in government who share 바카라사이트 view of a ¡°mistake¡± and want to redress it in o바카라사이트r ways.

If 바카라사이트re is to be a review, you might stir in 바카라사이트 prime minister¡¯s views about polytechnics; her former adviser¡¯s views about 바카라사이트 ¡°wrong institutions¡±; 바카라사이트 hostility to university expansion seen in large sections of 바카라사이트 Conservative party; a dash of outright snobbery also seen in quarters of 바카라사이트 party about how some are ¡°not supposed¡± to go to university; 바카라사이트 questionable view that expansion of vocational education must mean a reduction in university numbers; and add a ?2.3 billion dollop of pressures on 바카라사이트 higher education budget from 바카라사이트 government¡¯s decision to increase 바카라사이트 loan repayment threshold.

The odours emanating from this brew may be ra바카라사이트r noxious for 바카라사이트 idea of higher education expansion and, perhaps, for post-1992 universities in particular.?

john.morgan@ws-2000.com

Video: Lord Adonis and Lord Willetts debate university funding (from September 2017)

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