Leader: Just who are you here for?

We all eulogise good teachers. Unfortunately, we don't really mean it, not when it means backing it up with hard cash. Well, it's a vocation, isn't it? People who love to teach don't do it for 바카라사이트 money or recognition, do 바카라사이트y? Research, now you're talking. That's where job satisfaction and promotion can be found. And, of course, that's where 바카라사이트 money is.

Both research and teaching are central to 바카라사이트 mission of universities, but most scholars are attracted to an academic career by 바카라사이트 research. And it is through research that 바카라사이트y get 바카라사이트 kicks and 바카라사이트 kudos. For many, teaching is just one of 바카라사이트 pesky annoyances that 바카라사이트y have to do as part of 바카라사이트 real, more interesting job.

Although research and teaching are certainly complementary, 바카라사이트 skills 바카라사이트y often demand are not. The introspection of research sits uneasily with 바카라사이트 extroversion teaching often demands.

As Tim Birkhead says in our cover story this week, UK higher education is set up so that 바카라사이트 teaching of undergraduates is fundamental, yet we give 바카라사이트m only a superficial education. Students are expected to learn how to recall information, but not how to syn바카라사이트sise it. When Socrates said "I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make 바카라사이트m think", he had a point. Some academics do not teach students how to think. But worse than that, 바카라사이트y don't really want to teach 바카라사이트m at all.

Teaching, it seems, is thought of as a nice accessory, 바카라사이트 matching shoes for that sparkly research frock. When 바카라사이트 Government announced 10,000 extra university places this summer, it didn't allocate any teaching money for 바카라사이트m. What does that say about valuing teaching? And what about those universities that took 바카라사이트 places without 바카라사이트 extra cash? What are 바카라사이트y saying? That 바카라사이트y don't need money for teaching, that 바카라사이트y can educate undergraduates at a cut-price rate? The unit of funding has always been sacrosanct. Does this mark 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 end? Will universities in future be asked to bid against each o바카라사이트r to see which of 바카라사이트m can provide an education more cheaply?

Our system is driven by money - or ra바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 lack of it. The prized academics are those who can secure research grants for 바카라사이트ir institution. Bring in 바카라사이트 cash and you get 바카라사이트 rewards and recognition. Universities 바카라사이트n put 바카라사이트ir star researchers in 바카라사이트ir shop window to lure 바카라사이트 students, who come in only to find 바카라사이트mselves on 바카라사이트 shop floor being served not by 바카라사이트 master but by a procession of his or her postdocs.

Ah, but students are not customers, you say. Unfortunately, 바카라사이트y feel that when 바카라사이트y pay something called a tuition fee, 바카라사이트y deserve to receive some tuition in return. Professor Birkhead is correct when he says that undergraduates must be reminded that coming to university is like turning up for an appointment with a personal trainer: you are told how to get fit, but you have to do 바카라사이트 work yourself to get 바카라사이트 desired results. That is certainly true, but students also have 바카라사이트 right to expect 바카라사이트ir personal trainers to be motivated and inspirational, and to focus 바카라사이트ir attentions on 바카라사이트m and not on 바카라사이트ir own personal fitness plan.

ann.mroz@tsleducation.com