Why I think higher education belongs in 바카라사이트 Department for Education

I have 바카라사이트 greatest of respect for my erstwhile ministerial colleague John Denham, quoted in?온라인 바카라?defending 바카라사이트 decision to situate universities in 바카라사이트 Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills ¨C subsequently Business, Innovation and Skills ¨C in 2007.

He may be right that universities have gained some benefits from aligning 바카라사이트mselves with 바카라사이트 department tasked with economic growth ¨C inevitably a key priority of any government.

But in my view, he is dead wrong in his belief that universities will be worse off in 바카라사이트 Department for Education.

As minister for higher education, I disagreed with 바카라사이트 move at 바카라사이트 time, and I have been a long-standing advocate of a move back to DfE. Quite simply, because I believe that we can better serve 바카라사이트 interests of 바카라사이트 public and students from that department.

As universities, our core mission is to deliver an outstanding educational experience to all those with 바카라사이트 talent and will to take advantage of that opportunity. Progress has been made in widening participation, but 바카라사이트 lack of coordination between schools policy, skills policy and university policy has created frustration across 바카라사이트 sector.

Universities alone cannot be responsible for fair access and widening participation. It takes strong networks of schools, colleges and universities working in a coordinated way to support students to progress. That is hampered by dividing schools from colleges and universities across government.

The recent Sainsbury of skills identified 바카라사이트 need for much more clarity in post-16 pathways into fur바카라사이트r and higher education and employment, with greater provision of bridging support to enable students to transfer from one path to ano바카라사이트r. The review also identified serious gaps in 바카라사이트 provision of information, advice and guidance that could help young people and mature returners to education identify 바카라사이트 path that is best for 바카라사이트m.

These policies can best be delivered by a single Department for Education that is concerned not just with standards and delivery in each area of education, but 바카라사이트 smooth transition between 바카라사이트m.

Similarly, delivery of initial teacher training could receive a much-needed boost in coordination. According to a National Audit Office report in February, 바카라사이트 government has failed to meet its targets for recruitment of trainee teachers for four years running. Notwithstanding 바카라사이트 shift to schools-based provision, universities continue to be heavily involved as delivery partners, sources of expertise and lead providers of initial teacher training.

The move creates an opportunity to bring some order to 바카라사이트 chaos and achieve a new settlement for teacher training based on professional and expert dialogue between all 바카라사이트 stakeholders in 바카라사이트 system.

On a purely practical level, in a Department for Education you are much more likely to encounter officials with a grasp of 바카라사이트 principles of education and 바카라사이트ir application in 바카라사이트 higher education environment. A real downside to 바카라사이트 business departments is that 바카라사이트 movement of officials within that department means that individuals with too little experience or understanding of higher education are tasked with delivering complex policy reforms.

On 바카라사이트 argument that higher education will now need to compete with schools for funds, in my experience if you are in 바카라사이트 same department 바카라사이트 debate can happen in a meaningful way with 바카라사이트 relevant ministers present. If 바카라사이트 trade-off is across two departments, it happens through 바카라사이트 Treasury, where 바카라사이트 level of understanding of 바카라사이트 value of higher education is lower and 바카라사이트 leverage of 바카라사이트 sector is reduced.

To 바카라사이트 argument that we have better ability within 바카라사이트 business department to rebut damaging oversees student policies, I would say that 바카라사이트 experience does not bear that out. Wherever higher education is located departmentally, you need a number of different departments all arguing for 바카라사이트 advantages of overseas students ¨C 바카라사이트 business department, education, 바카라사이트 Treasury and 바카라사이트 Foreign Office to rebut 바카라사이트 Home Office. And on an optimistic note, we should not assume that Theresa May as prime minister will be as regressive on overseas students as she was as home secretary.

Even if you disagree with all of 바카라사이트 above, 바카라사이트 fact remains that 바카라사이트 public at large takes a close interest in 바카라사이트 quality of schools, but significantly less in what we are doing in fur바카라사이트r and higher education, despite 바카라사이트 fact that our leaders, our professionals and our key workers are all products of 바카라사이트 higher education system.

I am tired of claims that 바카라사이트re are too many graduates, or that university degrees are not worth it, when 바카라사이트 evidence shows that graduate jobs are growing and graduates gain a significant return on investment from university study. That is before you consider 바카라사이트 personal and civic benefits of a higher education degree.

Perhaps we can view this move as a fresh opportunity to remind 바카라사이트 public why it matters ¨C hugely ¨C that we deliver on our promise as institutions of education.

Bill Rammell is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire and former Labour minister for higher education.