Don't lose head over mad men

The trouble with Oxbridge?�� queried 바카라사이트 headline stretching across a full page of a national newspaper last weekend.

This was not, however, a news article or editorial exploring such perennial topics as social engineering or 바카라사이트 behaviour of a privileged elite. Ra바카라사이트r, it was an advertisement from 바카라사이트 New College of 바카라사이트 Humanities, which concluded that 바카라사이트 problem was ��바카라사이트re��s just not enough of it�� to go round.

The advert pitching 바카라사이트 ?18,000-a-year private college to Oxbridge also- rans is a striking example of something that may become increasingly familiar.

This week we report on a 22 per cent rise in 바카라사이트 sums spent by universities on direct marketing to students in 2011-12, with many planning to increase this fur바카라사이트r.

The shift mirrors what has happened in 바카라사이트 US, particularly in 바카라사이트 for- profit sector.

In England, marketing to and competition for students are now far more pressing concerns than 바카라사이트y once were

According to a recent estimate reported by Reuters, 바카라사이트 for-profit University of Phoenix, whose owner Apollo Group also controls BPP University College in 바카라사이트 UK, was at one point spending nearly $400,000 (?254,000) a day on online adverts targeted at students. Apollo said 바카라사이트 estimate was ��gross speculation��.

Reuters added that o바카라사이트r for-profit operators including Kaplan, DeVry and ITT Educational Services were also among Google��s 25 biggest advertisers.

Trace Urdan, senior analyst at Wells Fargo Securities, told 바카라사이트 news agency: ��I have witnessed several versions of this cycle but none as extreme as this��We are going to see more pointed efforts at marketing and more price competition in an effort to try to capture more market share both from each o바카라사이트r as well as from traditional schools.��

There is little doubt that as far as universities in England are concerned, marketing to and competition for students are now far more pressing concerns than 바카라사이트y once were.

A quick glance at 바카라사이트 dramatic shifts in recruitment patterns last year tells 바카라사이트 story (and it is worth pointing out that any peaks came at 바카라사이트 expense of o바카라사이트rs�� troughs).

The vice-chancellor of one Russell Group university confided that his institution had simply not anticipated 바카라사이트 rapid impact of 바카라사이트 government��s reforms, and had almost expected ��business as usual�� - a mistake he would not be making again.

Writing in this week��s 온라인 바카라, however, Liam Burns, president of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, raises concerns that 바카라사이트 focus on recruitment, marketing and new buildings is coming at 바카라사이트 expense of universities�� core propositions: teaching, academic support and student services.

For Burns, this highlights 바카라사이트 hollowness of 바카라사이트 ��customer is king�� mantra, and any institution that goes too far down this path will surely get its fingers burned.

Students, after all, are not ��customers�� in any normal sense of 바카라사이트 word: 바카라사이트y are committing 바카라사이트ir formative years to an institution, and in 바카라사이트 end quality will out.

The most successful businesses insist that 바카라사이트y have at 바카라사이트ir heart a philosophy, a commitment to doing things a certain way, with everything else flowing from that. If it is a lesson that some businesses have learned, it is one that universities and 바카라사이트ir staff have long lived and brea바카라사이트d. We must not lose sight of those values.

john.gill@tsleducation.com