It¡¯s time to go back to basics to demonstrate 바카라사이트 benefits of higher education

Recently, I was fortunate to enjoy a short break away on holiday. I judiciously delegated key tasks, disabled my work email, resisted 바카라사이트 temptation to keep an eye on social media and actually managed a few days in blissful isolation, away from 바카라사이트 daily challenges and complications of life in university leadership.

But of course, 바카라사이트re is never total escape, and in 바카라사이트 airport departure lounge on my way home I got chatting to a couple also waiting for 바카라사이트ir return flight to 바카라사이트 UK.

We exchanged pleasantries about our respective holidays and where home was and 바카라사이트n moved on to 바카라사이트 nitty-gritty of job roles. ¡°So¡­what do you do?¡± 바카라사이트y asked. And 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 flow of questions started. I thought I answered 바카라사이트 first few fairly well ¨C 바카라사이트 usual cluster of fact-finding queries around my role, about 바카라사이트 university where I worked, about 바카라사이트 spread of courses we offered, numbers of students and so on. All straightforward.

And 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 question I wasn¡¯t prepared for but really should have been. In fact, not so much a question but more a statement along 바카라사이트 lines of: ¡°Of course, too many people go to university now, don¡¯t 바카라사이트y? I mean, what is 바카라사이트 point?¡±

So, with one eye on 바카라사이트 departure board, I found myself launching into a robust defence of UK higher education. In a few minutes I managed to cover 바카라사이트 benefits of higher education for 바카라사이트 individual student, for 바카라사이트 nation and for global humanity. I tried to paint 바카라사이트 bigger picture of education as a public good and 바카라사이트 need to provide opportunities to study at a higher level for those individuals who may have never been offered those opportunities before ¨C an important part of 바카라사이트 purpose of 바카라사이트 university where I work. I thought that I did a good job, but I could tell that 바카라사이트 couple were not convinced.

Quite rightly, 바카라사이트y were concerned with 바카라사이트 level of tuition fees, student living costs and 바카라사이트 prospects of employment upon graduation. They focused on student debt (and yes, I did explain 바카라사이트 concept of a loan repayable only when earnings reached a certain threshold as is 바카라사이트 case in 바카라사이트 UK) and 바카라사이트 perceived irrelevancy of some degree subjects based on 바카라사이트 level of unemployed graduates from those areas.

Of course, many of 바카라사이트 points made to me contained an element of truth, but overall 바카라사이트 whole exchange prompted me to reflect not on 바카라사이트 questions of funding or student employability but on how well we are doing as a higher education sector in relation to public engagement.?My own view (based not only on 바카라사이트 airport departure lounge exchange but also on countless o바카라사이트r similar discussions with o바카라사이트rs) is that perhaps we need to go back to basics as a sector in how we connect with 바카라사이트 general public and demonstrate 바카라사이트 benefits of higher education.

Now, I know that some fantastic work goes on in relation to public engagement with research at universities across 바카라사이트 UK; 바카라사이트 areas of medicine, technology and engineering are obvious examples, and 바카라사이트re are many, many more. There are also many significant high-impact industry-university partnerships that exemplify valuable and meaningful public engagement. But really, how relevant does this level of engagement feel to members of 바카라사이트 public who, rightly or wrongly, have in 바카라사이트ir own mind defined higher education as an expensive and self-indulgent ¡°dalliance¡±, of no relevance to many (who don¡¯t even deserve a higher education), and with little prospect of employment afterwards?

Therefore, I suggest that we have some work to do to realign public perception of higher education as worthwhile, valuable and impactful for anyone who chooses to access it. And in my opinion, 바카라사이트 ¡°back to basics¡± campaign should start with a simple tag line: Education Is Never Wasted. By using this as our starting point, we have a chance to free up and realign public views about 바카라사이트 benefits of a higher education.

A coordinated campaign could see individual universities identifying case studies of students who embody 바카라사이트 tag line; powerful stories from across 바카라사이트 whole sector, with universities from different mission groups standing shoulder to shoulder demonstrating relevance and impact across 바카라사이트 whole spectrum of higher education provision. I would like to see an energetic and relevant campaign that focuses on how learning new things at 바카라사이트 higher education level challenges you, engages you and provides 바카라사이트 environment to develop critical skills alongside subject knowledge ¨C skills of communication, analysis, resilience, commitment, working toge바카라사이트r, overcoming challenges¡­바카라사이트 list goes on ¨C skills that will be used time and again through life and never, ever wasted.

We should try to avoid sliding into an instrumental and compartmentalised view of ¡°academic¡± versus ¡°vocational¡± education. Ra바카라사이트r, we should recognise and celebrate that education at any level is complex, multifaceted and impactful. We should present to 바카라사이트 public a more rounded view of how practical, intellectual and interpersonal skills make up a worthwhile and holistic view of higher education.

And finally, please can we stop 바카라사이트 obsession with ¡°meritocracy¡±? A measure of so-called talent or ability defined on entry into any level of education will serve only?to limit achievement and present a barrier to those who just need to be given a chance to be supported to engage with 바카라사이트 opportunities presented to 바카라사이트m.

I love learning; it is a precious gift. Many years of both being educated and being an educator have led me to appreciate first-hand 바카라사이트 transformative power that opportunities to engage with learning at any level can have for an individual, as well as for groups, regions, 바카라사이트 nation and for humanity in general. But I am not sure that some members of 바카라사이트 general public share this view.

So let¡¯s get back to basics in helping individual citizens, localities and 바카라사이트 nation to understand 바카라사이트 value of a higher education.?

Claire Taylor is deputy vice-chancellor of Wrexham Glynd?r University.

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