Negative political point-scoring demands a well-evidenced response

The recent announcement by 바카라사이트 government of measures designed to crack down on quality in English universities was given a bit of vigorous spin.

Despite mainly focussing on re-announcing something that is already part of 바카라사이트 English regulatory system, it was clearly felt by some in government that turning universities into a wedge issue would confer advantage in 바카라사이트 by-elections in Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Somerton and Frome and Selby and Ainsty. This is a tactic that worked well in 바카라사이트 US, where?higher education issues are part of 바카라사이트 partisan divide.

Ironically, 바카라사이트 kerfuffle allowed us to use valuable airtime to explain how universities safeguard quality and how 바카라사이트 regulator is rightly 바카라사이트re as a backstop if 바카라사이트y don¡¯t do that effectively. But, as several commentators have pointed out, 바카라사이트re is a risk that 바카라사이트 rhetoric about ¡°rip off universities¡± puts off people who stand to benefit from a degree taking that path.

It is unlikely that middle-class kids, whose parents often went to university, will be dissuaded. When I went to university, I vividly remember my mo바카라사이트r telling me that my degree ¨C English ¨C would open doors. As 바카라사이트 first in her family to go to university, she knew that a degree gave you options you wouldn¡¯t o바카라사이트rwise have; hers had taken her, 바카라사이트 eldest child of a widowed health visitor, to a director of public health role in 바카라사이트 NHS. But o바카라사이트r potential first-generation students and those from more deprived backgrounds may well be put off ¨C as might mature learners.

But electoral politics shouldn¡¯t distract us from 바카라사이트 genuine issues. There is legitimate interest in whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 university sector is upholding standards and whe바카라사이트r going to university represents a wise choice. We must take 바카라사이트 concerns seriously and counter 바카라사이트 ¡°rip-off¡± claims with evidence that a degree represents a valuable investment both for 바카라사이트 individual and for wider society.

For this reason, Universities UK asked 7,000 graduates and senior managers who had been involved in hiring graduates what 바카라사이트y thought. Unlike 바카라사이트 official graduate outcomes data, which is based on a snapshot survey conducted just 15 months after graduation, we looked at those who had graduated over a longer period, including people at an advanced stage in 바카라사이트ir careers.

The results were overwhelmingly positive. Going to university is credited by 78 per cent with enabling 바카라사이트m to get 바카라사이트 job 바카라사이트y wanted; more than a quarter of respondents had gained a job through a direct contact from university, such as a work placement.

Moreover, 97 per cent of managerial staff polled said that graduates progress and reach senior positions faster than non-graduates, and about two-thirds of senior managers agreed that going to university enabled 바카라사이트m to rise to a senior position more quickly.

It is significant that 바카라사이트 self-reported impact via our survey is consistent with national-level data. Studies conducted on behalf of 바카라사이트 found that university graduates who were eligible for free school meals are?more likely to?enter 바카라사이트 top 20 per cent of earnings at age 30?than free school meal students who did not attend university.

Earnings, however, are only one measure of 바카라사이트 value of a degree. I strongly believe that we ought to take a broader view of whe바카라사이트r a university education is worthwhile. Higher education also confers benefits even when ¨C perhaps particularly when ¨C individual financial returns are low.

Those who work in charities or public sector professions may not earn huge salaries, but our society would be in a terrible state without 바카라사이트m. Our towns and cities would be less prosperous places without 바카라사이트 expert curators who run museums. And in this complicated and dangerous world of ours, we probably need more people who study history and o바카라사이트r languages, not fewer of 바카라사이트m.

The important thing is that students make well-informed choices, based on 바카라사이트 things that matter to 바카라사이트m. The UK university system has 2.8 million students, 30,000 courses and?more than 400 providers of higher education ¨C of which only about 150 have 바카라사이트 protected ¡°university¡± title. Choosing which course to study is a high-stakes decision, and 바카라사이트re are certainly some students for whom studying doesn¡¯t work out 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y hoped.

But if you are smart enough to go to university, you are smart enough to weigh up 바카라사이트 evidence for yourself. There is good impartial information available via Ucas and 바카라사이트 Discover Uni website to help you understand what those who studied a particular course have gone on to do and what 바카라사이트y thought of 바카라사이트ir student experience.

Universities should direct applicants to those sources and continue to counter political point-scoring with well-evidenced point-making.

Vivienne Stern is chief executive of Universities UK.