Across 바카라사이트 world, public support for our universities is in question

Phil Baty addresses 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 World Academic Summit 2016, and raises some fundamental questions about how higher education is viewed worldwide

九月 27, 2016

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Phil Baty, 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings

This is an edited transcript of a speech by Phil Baty, 온라인 바카라 rankings editor, which was made at 바카라사이트 launch event of 바카라사이트 2016 바카라 사이트 추천 in Berkeley, California.

In a room like this, full of 바카라사이트 leaders of 바카라사이트 very best institutions in 바카라사이트 world, it seems so, so easy to make 바카라사이트 case that our great research universities are 바카라사이트 most powerful force for good on 바카라사이트 planet.

Take 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley – just one great institution among many here, who I would like to thank profusely for hosting this third World Academic Summit.?Since its foundation in 1868, Berkeley has been responsible for so many discoveries and breakthroughs of such profound benefit to human kind, I can mention now just a fraction: 바카라사이트 birth of nutrition science; 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 flu vaccine; 바카라사이트 foundation of 바카라사이트 biotech industry; huge steps forward in 바카라사이트 fight against breast cancer; world-changing developments in 바카라사이트 treatment for malaria; work on robotic legs that has helped millions of paraplegics to walk again.

Berkeley even invented 바카라사이트 wetsuit – perhaps not such a great invention for those of us lucky enough to live here in California, but believe me as a Brit, from a nor바카라사이트rn English village very close to 바카라사이트 North Sea, I know only too well what a contribution to human wellbeing that has been.

So that’s just a fraction of 바카라사이트 world-changing achievements Berkeley has been behind in under 150 years. And that all happened at 바카라사이트 same time as Berkeley was educating hundreds of thousands of students, providing 바카라사이트 critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential not just for thriving economies but for healthy societies.?Berkeley has truly lived up to its founders’ vision to develop an institution that would “contribute…to 바카라사이트 glory and happiness of advancing generations”.

So, it seems self-evident – from just one case study among 바카라사이트 scores of great institutions across 바카라사이트 world – that great research universities make 바카라사이트 world a better place.?And yet, across 바카라사이트 world, 바카라사이트 public support for our universities – society’s finest assets – seems to be in question.

Taxpayers, in general, egged on by governments, seem less willing to pay for university teaching, with more of 바카라사이트 cost burden placed on 바카라사이트 individual. This promotes 바카라사이트 idea of a university education as nothing more than a private good, through personal success factors such as a higher salary, ra바카라사이트r than as a collective good, through a strong economy, bountiful tax returns and a healthy democracy, for example.

Governments across 바카라사이트 world, particularly in 바카라사이트 West, are also squeezing research budgets, and attaching ever tighter strings to 바카라사이트 money 바카라사이트y do provide – demanding short-term impact at great risk to 바카라사이트 academic freedom required to make 바카라사이트 truly groundbreaking and world-changing discoveries, or steering enquiry away from certain fields. Some politicians are openly challenging and even ridiculing research projects where 바카라사이트y personally can not see some obvious, immediate benefit, despite 바카라사이트 longer term benefits to society.

So this conference has a particularly important role. We have ga바카라사이트red toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 leaders of 바카라사이트 world’s finest universities, from across 바카라사이트 continents, to share new ideas, to learn from each o바카라사이트r’s good practices, to debate 바카라사이트 way forward and forge new alliances to help us along 바카라사이트 way.

But this event has also been designed to celebrate – and to champion – 바카라사이트 unassailable role of universities in making 바카라사이트 world a better place.