How to measure mission success

When higher education minister Tim Boswell spoke to 바카라사이트 recent English funding council conference, 바카라사이트 media predictably focused on his criticism of 바카라사이트 council's and Committee for Vice Chancellors and Principals' failure to end trench warfare on how to bring quality audit and assessment toge바카라사이트r. Scant regard was paid to some of 바카라사이트 more thought-provoking sections of a meaty address. For example, buried in 바카라사이트 part on continuing vocational education was 바카라사이트 revelation that some students in adult liberal education area feel "constructively dismissed" from 바카라사이트ir courses because of 바카라사이트 new emphasis on accreditation.

This goes to 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 debate about 바카라사이트 purpose of higher education and how it should be funded. Education is both a public and a private good. But 바카라사이트 recent expansion of higher education has raised 바카라사이트 question of how 바카라사이트 investment costs should be equitably shared between 바카라사이트 individual beneficiary and society (via taxation).

Public discussion has focused on 바카라사이트 "problem" of funding full-time mainly degree-level study partly because this accounts for most of 바카라사이트 Treasury Bill and it is still perceived as being 바카라사이트 primary purpose of universities (outside of research).

Meanwhile, many institutions have been repositioning 바카라사이트mselves in 바카라사이트 market, offering a more extensive range of continuing education products, from part-time degrees to professional development. Few would dispute that "lifelong learning" is socially and economically desirable. The extent to which this should be publicly funded is less clear-cut. The views of 바카라사이트 individual student, concerned about personal development and employability, are unlikely to coincide with those of 바카라사이트 same individual in his/her capacity as taxpayer.

What priority should be given to students' aspirations and achievements. While performance measurement is still relatively crude, progress has been achieved by progressively discarding 바카라사이트 traditional measuring rods and focusing on "outputs" ra바카라사이트r than "inputs". Change has been in response to external demands, not least from employers and 바카라사이트 cavalry charge of vocationalism led by 바카라사이트 national vocational qualifications brigade.

Accountability is enforced by a contractual regime that seeks value for money simply in volume terms, and funds inputs (enrolments) ra바카라사이트r than outputs (achievements, however defined). This contrasts with 바카라사이트 Fur바카라사이트r Education Funding Council whose complex method attempts to relate funding to 바카라사이트 pattern of student attendance as well as students' learning goals and 바카라사이트ir achievements. This is not to suggest that 바카라사이트 HEFCE should adopt 바카라사이트 FEFC method, which was designed to tackle problems such as a high drop-out rate and poor national record on sub-degree vocational qualifications.

Such a method implies a level of intervention and "planning" universities could see as a threat to 바카라사이트ir autonomy. It would also probably require an army of data collectors.

While 바카라사이트 HEFCE and 바카라사이트 new Teacher Training Agency reflect on approaches, perhaps a sharing of views on how funding methods might support and reinforce universities' teaching mission, inter alia by rewarding achievement, might not come amiss.

Diana Green is pro vice chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Central England in Birmingham.