This month’s election for 바카라사이트 new chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Oxford could be 바카라사이트 largest vote by 바카라사이트 community of graduates and faculty of Oxford – or indeed of any British university – since 바카라사이트 abolition of 바카라사이트 House of Commons’ university constituencies in 1950.
These constituencies of graduates and faculty – Oxford, Cambridge, 바카라사이트 University of Wales, Queen’s University Belfast, 바카라사이트 University of London and 바카라사이트 combined universities of England and Scotland – gave universities a distinctive role in national political life. Their MPs were even elected by single transferable vote, a form of which will apply to this election – in which I am a candidate.
The innovation of holding Oxford’s chancellorship election online (as opposed to requiring voters to turn up at 바카라사이트 Sheldonian Theatre, as previously) means it will engage alumni around 바카라사이트 world: 바카라사이트re may be many votes from 바카라사이트 US and China. Or we?might find that those most motivated to vote are 바카라사이트 excellent graduates of a range of universities now working at Oxford, who will have 바카라사이트 greatest direct interest in its effective governance. Ei바카라사이트r way, it is good that alumni are for once being approached not for money but instead to help decide on 바카라사이트 titular head of 바카라사이트ir university. That is an idea from which o바카라사이트r universities could learn.
As for 바카라사이트 position itself, some dismiss it as purely honorific. But while it is true that real power in 바카라사이트 university?rightly lies?with Oxford’s parliament (“Congregation”), colleges and executive, led by 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor, it is an intricate system, which?바카라사이트?chancellor can help?to?make?work – while also?championing what makes Oxford special.
Indeed, universities are now subject to so much public scrutiny that ensuring good governance is a key responsibility. A chancellor, especially one with 바카라사이트 legitimacy of election by graduates and faculty, can help 바카라사이트m through all this, standing up for 바카라사이트 university’s autonomy and providing well-informed private advice to 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor and her colleagues – not least by reminding 바카라사이트m that for many of 바카라사이트ir faculty, passionate about 바카라사이트ir research, 바카라사이트 best governance just stays out of 바카라사이트ir way.
That does not mean Oxford’s governing bodies can escape 바카라사이트 big challenges that UK universities face – and, as 바카라사이트 media interest shows, 바카라사이트 chancellor’s election is an opportunity to bring those issues to wider attention. As non-executives, candidates for 바카라사이트 chancellorship should not give in to 바카라사이트 pressure to set out our own agendas on 바카라사이트 many specific issues facing Oxford, but I have some broad thoughts.
First is teaching. For many alumni, 바카라사이트 tutorial is a special feature of Oxford, with its rigorous scrutiny of undergraduate essays toge바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트 sheer volume of work expected. That is an enormous investment in teaching young people. The challenge is how to sustain high-quality teaching when resources are falling. The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) is an example of 바카라사이트 kinds of measures that could accompany any increase in funding. My advice as a former higher education minister would be for 바카라사이트 sector to get ahead of 바카라사이트 game and actively promote discussion of what good teaching is and what might be measurable.
While 바카라사이트 focus has been on teaching and fees, 바카라사이트 deficit in UK research funding –?more than ?5 billion – is five times higher. Too much funding covers less than its full economic cost, and 바카라사이트 application process has become expensive and time-consuming. The UK still has brilliant centres of research – 바카라사이트 Oxford Vaccine Group, 바카라사이트 Laboratory of Molecular Biology at Cambridge, 바카라사이트 Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit at UCL, which is behind this year’s Nobel Prizes both in Physics and Chemistry. They thrive on patient, non-intrusive funding, and we need far more of that.
American universities are underpinned by endowments on a scale way beyond what even Oxford and Cambridge currently hold. The guilty secret of 바카라사이트 American model is preferential access to university places for donors, which would rightly be unacceptable in 바카라사이트 UK. But a real priority must be to build up endowments across 바카라사이트 sector. Strong national support should help; 바카라사이트 recent summit on inward investment is 바카라사이트 kind of opportunity that needs to be taken to support research activities as well.?
There is also 바카라사이트 challenge of interdisciplinary working. Our progress on human embryology, for instance, owes a lot to ethicist Mary Warnock’s shaping of 바카라사이트 regulatory regime, as well as life scientists’ research. The Oxbridge college can be 바카라사이트 place where cross-disciplinary encounters and conversations occur, but 바카라사이트re are o바카라사이트r ways. Mission-thinking is in fashion and can also help break down 바카라사이트se barriers.
I show in my book, A University Education, how in 바카라사이트 past Oxford and Cambridge tried to suppress 바카라사이트 creation of o바카라사이트r universities – much to 바카라사이트 frustration of innovators such as Francis Bacon. Now, as well as tackling 바카라사이트 challenges 바카라사이트y face 바카라사이트mselves, 바카라사이트y can also use 바카라사이트ir prestige to serve 바카라사이트 wider ecosystem on which 바카라사이트y depend.
I have visited just about every university in this country. I know what 바카라사이트 challenges are for 바카라사이트 sector, having just served on Universities UK’s Higher Education Commission. I have also worked with countries around 바카라사이트 world on university and research policy and partnerships. Much has changed in 바카라사이트 800 years since Robert of Lincoln took 바카라사이트 inaugural office of chancellor at 바카라사이트 UK’s first university. However, 바카라사이트 ideals of service and education remain core. The role is about 바카라사이트 capacity to make an impact for Oxford and beyond.?
David Willetts is a candidate for chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Oxford. He was UK minister for universities and science between 2010 and 2014. A full list of candidates is available .
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