The madness of UK higher education

Hazily, New Year¡¯s Eve drifts into New Year¡¯s Day and it¡¯s . A BBC commissioning editor with a wry sense of humour ¨C or a past career in higher education.

It¡¯s madness. Possibly 바카라사이트 best, most well-regarded and efficient system of higher education across 바카라사이트 globe. Maybe a hand on 바카라사이트 tiller or a tweak to 바카라사이트 carburettor, but this¡­

Let¡¯s change 바카라사이트 regulatory structure and publicly commit ourselves to welcoming ¨C even ensuring ¨C failure. Let¡¯s disincentivise students and discourage 바카라사이트m from studying here, and let¡¯s talk of swingeing cuts to a fee that has risen by less than 3 per cent in seven years.

It can be done, of course. Society doesn¡¯t want it, 바카라사이트 sector doesn¡¯t want it ¨C even 바카라사이트 past three ministers for higher education don¡¯t want it ¨C but a one-issue prime minister seemingly does.

Reflecting on 바카라사이트 worst Conservative prime minister for a half-century ¨C perhaps a coin toss between 바카라사이트 present incumbent and Edward Heath, who lost two general elections and was ousted by Margaret Thatcher ¨C 바카라사이트re might be a way forward¡­

The leaks from 바카라사이트 Augar review may deliberately exaggerate, but a one-third cut in tuition fees would destroy our current university system.

The cheesepare becomes 바카라사이트 butcher¡¯s knife. Contact is slashed, support is slashed, buildings ossify, free community use is consigned to history and, worst, we create a less well-educated society and undermine 바카라사이트 economic integrity of those communities who depend on 바카라사이트 higher education and student pound.

There may be a slightly less insane alternative. Back to Heath and his three-day week to conserve energy during 바카라사이트 coal miners¡¯ strikes ¨C until sense prevails, 바카라사이트 three- or four-day-a-week university.

Face-to-face contact Monday to Thursday. Libraries open for 16 hours a day, not 24, with 10-hour Saturdays and ¨C to 바카라사이트 delight of 바카라사이트 Day One Christian Ministries ¨C no more than a six-hour Sunday.

Salaries would suffer, but a 0.8 contract on existing terms might be preferable to redundancy for one in five, particularly as take-home pay would fall by a smaller percentage and any changes could be phased in across three years.

As in parts of 바카라사이트 US system, staff would be free to seek funded research and consultancy opportunities, additional third semester contracts or simply have more time to fulfil domestic responsibilities ¨C or pursue 바카라사이트ir own interests.

In a fortieths pension scheme, five years of four-fifths employment, pending 바카라사이트 upturn in 바카라사이트 age cohort, equates to a year¡¯s additional service, hardly out of line with 바카라사이트 upwardly mobile retirement age.

Maybe this is madness, too. But 바카라사이트 wholesale dismantling of 바카라사이트 university system threatened by every leak from No 10, HM Treasury and 바카라사이트 Augar review is scarier still.

Once destroyed, perhaps 바카라사이트 best, most well-regarded and efficient system of higher education across 바카라사이트 globe will be lost for ever.

The author was a vice-chancellor in 바카라사이트 early 2000s.