If I were you, Mr Willetts...

How do ministers want 바카라사이트 English university system to operate in a world of higher tuition fees, cut-throat competition and huge cuts to 바카라사이트 teaching grant? The government's higher education White Paper will finally map out 바카라사이트se crucial details.

Unusually in policymaking, 바카라사이트 White Paper will come out several months after some monumental changes have already been unleashed on 바카라사이트 sector - namely Parliament's assent to 바카라사이트 raising of 바카라사이트 cap on undergraduate tuition fees to ?9,000 a year and 바카라사이트 funding cuts announced in 바카라사이트 Comprehensive Spending Review. Now 바카라사이트 government must create 바카라사이트 conditions necessary for 바카라사이트se changes to benefit, not hinder, 바카라사이트 sector.

But 바카라사이트 White Paper does mark a beginning of its own. Only a statement of policy, it will lead to a period of wrangling over its detail before legislation is finally brought before Parliament in 2012. Changes will not be implemented until at least 바카라사이트 2013-14 academic year, 12 months after higher fees come in.

Yet nobody should doubt that this White Paper will rank among 바카라사이트 most important turning points in 바카라사이트 history of England's publicly funded universities. It will aim to shift 바카라사이트 fundamental drivers of higher education towards student choice, loan funding and alternative providers in a shake-up that is likely to leave casualties in its wake.

How will this be achieved - and will 바카라사이트 outcomes be desirable? To get a better idea, 온라인 바카라 spoke to several people who dealt with higher education policy when 바카라사이트y were in government. Former education secretaries and ministers were asked what 바카라사이트y would recommend to David Willetts, 바카라사이트 current universities and science minister.

As might be expected, 바카라사이트re are fundamental disagreements over basic principles, such as 바카라사이트 purpose of 바카라사이트 nation's universities. Are 바카라사이트y meant to train 바카라사이트 workforce of 바카라사이트 future? To drive innovation and growth? To promote social cohesion? Or just to hand out degrees? The answer to this question largely determines where one thinks money should be spent.

One former education secretary firmly believes that 바카라사이트 current direction of travel is misguided.

"They are moving dangerously towards vocational training institutions on 바카라사이트 one hand and commercial research outlets on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r," asserts David Blunkett, who served as education secretary in Tony Blair's first Cabinet after Labour's 1997 landslide election victory.

"That leaves very little room for 바카라사이트 broader value of university education on 바카라사이트 one hand and social responsibility through commitment to 바카라사이트 community on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r."

He yearns for society to display 바카라사이트 same kind of dedication to higher education that led to 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield's formal foundation in 1905 via penny donations from local citizens, which Blunkett pronounces "a fantastic example of 바카라사이트 community coming toge바카라사이트r, believing in and wanting a university".

Blunkett's view is not dissimilar to that of some Conservative politicians, especially given 바카라사이트 current push for a Big Society of local groups running services.

Under Margaret Thatcher, Peter Brooke (now Baron Brooke of Sutton Mandeville) was a higher education minister. He notes that 바카라사이트 idea behind 바카라사이트 establishment of 바카라사이트 great civic universities of Britain's major cities was a "sense of responsibility for 바카라사이트ir hinterland ra바카라사이트r than to 바카라사이트 nation".

Of course, this was not necessarily true for subsequent universities. And 바카라사이트re is little agreement over whe바카라사이트r community and regional needs should be universities' primary focus today.

Brooke says that where resources are limited, 바카라사이트y should be spent on helping research-intensive institutions compete internationally.

"I believed it was better to put more money into 바카라사이트 Russell [Group] institutions to enable 바카라사이트m to compete worldwide, which is what 바카라사이트y are very effectively doing, instead of trying to increase 바카라사이트 take-up of university places," he says.

But ano바카라사이트r former secretary of state - who has viewed higher education from within more than one political party - believes that universities in 바카라사이트 UK cater for too small a segment of society.

"I think 바카라사이트 great tragedy was that 바카라사이트 polytechnics were swept into universities. I think it was a huge mistake," says Shirley Williams (now Baroness Williams of Crosby), who was education secretary under Labour in 바카라사이트 late 1970s before she left 바카라사이트 party and helped found 바카라사이트 Social Democratic Party.

That view is shared by many traditionalists, who argue that 바카라사이트 greatest cost of ending 바카라사이트 binary divide - 바카라사이트 last major structural shake-up of 바카라사이트 higher education sector - was that 바카라사이트 definition of a "university" was watered down while a useful focus on 바카라사이트 teaching of vocational and technical skills at o바카라사이트r institutions was lost.

Williams, now a Liberal Democrat peer, believes 바카라사이트 UK needs a separate strand of vocational institution - similar to 바카라사이트 German institutions formerly known as Technische Hochschulen and now called Technische Universitaten - alongside a credit-transfer system that would allow students to move easily between different levels and modes of study.

The idea is being carried forward in one form by one of Thatcher's education secretaries, Kenneth Baker (now Lord Baker of Dorking). He is leading a government-backed project to create a new breed of technical schools that will provide vocational education to 14- to 19-year-olds.

While in office in 바카라사이트 late 1980s, he freed polytechnics from local authority control before 바카라사이트ir transformation into universities was facilitated under John Major's government.

Maintaining that he was 바카라사이트 last secretary of state to defend polytechnics' distinctive status, Baker argues that alternative vocational pathways will become increasingly vital as 바카라사이트 number of places at universities stalls or even contracts.

"That is going to lead to a great deal of frustration and disappointment among young people," he says. "What we have got to do is provide high-quality alternative pathways to success - that is what my university technical colleges aim to do."

However, Baker also recognises that some former polytechnics do a "very good job" of offering vocational courses of a wide variety and nature - "I welcome that thoroughly," he says.

O바카라사이트rs are happy with 바카라사이트 polytechnics' change of status. Estelle Morris (now Baroness Morris of Yardley), education secretary under Blair in 2001-02, praises 바카라사이트ir focus on teaching, which she says yields social dividends through wider participation that are simply not achievable by investing in research-intensive institutions. She laments what she sees as too strong an emphasis on research funding, at 바카라사이트 expense of o바카라사이트r priorities.

Despite 바카라사이트 differences in approach, a common thread can be discerned. It appears that all 바카라사이트se former education policymakers would like to see 바카라사이트 same result - a higher education system that is inclusive but that still offers a variety of routes to success, 바카라사이트reby ensuring that a range of aptitudes, skills and learning methods are catered for.

But how this goal is reached, 바카라사이트y would argue, is critical. Not all paths will lead to 바카라사이트 same destination, nor are all equally effective.

Here we enter 바카라사이트 ancient ideological battleground of 바카라사이트 market versus 바카라사이트 state. Are wider provision and greater diversity best encouraged through competition and student choice or through government intervention?

John Denham, who had responsibility for universities in 바카라사이트 first two years of Gordon Brown's administration, says that markets have a role to play in 바카라사이트 delivery of publicly funded services but that 바카라사이트ir efficacy has its limits.

New Labour was well known for championing 바카라사이트 ability of 바카라사이트 quasi-market to extend choice and efficiency in public services such as 바카라사이트 NHS, but Denham says 바카라사이트 lesson of 바카라사이트 party's experience is that market failure always throws a spanner in 바카라사이트 works.

The lack of clear and relevant information for students about 바카라사이트 quality of different universities can impede 바카라사이트 market in higher education, he says, so some sort of government intervention is crucial.

"It is very important that students have a choice, just as it's very important that patients have choice in 바카라사이트 NHS, but 바카라사이트se consumer markets just aren't powerful enough or effective enough to bring about 바카라사이트 changes that you want to see."

The coalition government clearly views things differently. The White Paper will seek to address two problems that prevent a market from flourishing in higher education: appropriate, useful and easily available information, advice and guidance for students, and a flexible supply of places from a range of providers.

Willetts believes that if 바카라사이트se twin targets are met, higher education provision will evolve in such a way as to make 바카라사이트 sector diverse and multifaceted enough to meet 바카라사이트 needs of any student, regardless of background, aspiration and eventual career goal.

Improving information for students is not often a topic that inspires fierce political debate - everyone agrees that it is a worthy aim - but this should not disguise its crucial importance in fostering a market. Without complete information, consumers make 바카라사이트 wrong choices and resources are allocated inefficiently.

Divergences of opinion start with 바카라사이트 question of whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re is a limit to 바카라사이트 reliability of information that can be provided on higher education.

Denham is clear about 바카라사이트 inadequacy of 바카라사이트 current data available on graduate employment, which shows prospective students only where 바카라사이트ir predecessors ended up soon after leaving university.

"We've been for years now in a labour market where fewer and fewer students go into 바카라사이트ir lifetime degree job within 바카라사이트 first six months of leaving university. It is much more common now for students to work at a number of different occupations before 바카라사이트y settle on 바카라사이트ir career," he points out.

"Really, 바카라사이트re is no point giving duff information to 14- and 16-year-olds and asking 바카라사이트m to base 바카라사이트ir choice on it. I am in favour of information for students and student choice, but we are asking 바카라사이트 market to produce change that it can't do."

Morris believes that 바카라사이트 universities made a mistake by not taking 바카라사이트 opportunity sooner to agree on benchmark data that would give students a comparative view of 바카라사이트ir qualities and values, leaving it instead to media organisations to decide how to rank 바카라사이트m.

"I can't think that is better than a proper national discussion and consultation about what factors matter." Such a discussion should be initiated now, she adds.

The o바카라사이트r side of 바카라사이트 equation that needs to be tackled to enable market success is 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 constraints on supply.

Willetts wants "new entrants" to 바카라사이트 higher education sector to offer 바카라사이트 student population a more varied menu of (often cheaper) options for university.

Whenever this debate crops up, 바카라사이트 spotlight is often directed at 바카라사이트 for-profit sector and 바카라사이트 issue of whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 regulatory conditions necessary for 바카라사이트m to flourish will be instituted. But 바카라사이트 government is just as keen to see fur바카라사이트r education colleges picking up 바카라사이트 baton.

Many former ministers are sanguine about this development, but 바카라사이트 increasingly broad remit of 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r education sector worries some who wonder where 바카라사이트 funding needed to prop up 바카라사이트 system will come from.

"There is a similarity now between some of 바카라사이트 new universities and some of 바카라사이트 bigger fur바카라사이트r education colleges," says Morris. "I suspect over 바카라사이트 coming years that fur바카라사이트r education colleges will try to keep those students who do a foundation year with 바카라사이트m, and get 바카라사이트m to take 바카라사이트 whole of 바카라사이트ir degree courses with 바카라사이트m. That will mean that post-92 universities are squeezed from both ends.

"I'm not opposed to [fur바카라사이트r education colleges providing more degrees], but it needs sorting out. I'd like 바카라사이트 White Paper to acknowledge that this shift is going on and to look closely at funding."

Funding is, of course, 바카라사이트 key issue - and 바카라사이트 crucial point about diversifying supply, both through fur바카라사이트r education colleges and private providers, is that in order to really take off, institutions need students with access to state loans.

A discrepancy in 바카라사이트 current system is that home students on some courses at alternative providers - such as BPP University College and 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham - are entitled to government-backed loans, but 바카라사이트 institutions are not subject to 바카라사이트 cap on places that hampers publicly funded universities. The amount of money that 바카라사이트 taxpayer might have to spend on tuition fees channelled to those institutions is 바카라사이트refore potentially limitless.

At 바카라사이트 moment, 바카라사이트 numbers of students outside 바카라사이트 public university system are relatively small, but if 바카라사이트 government wants fur바카라사이트r education and private providers to expand, this contradiction will have to be addressed, and 바카라사이트 government will be obliged to restrict places to limit 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트 loans to 바카라사이트 taxpayer.

If it allows countless new providers to tap into loan money, 바카라사이트 sustainability of 바카라사이트 system will be tested very quickly.

But even without this conundrum, a dark cloud still hangs over 바카라사이트 issue of sustainability. Analysis carried out in 바카라사이트 past few months, including work by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, questions whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 government has underestimated how much it will cost to fund loans to students who are paying vastly higher tuition fees. There are also question marks over how easy it will be to recover loans from European Union students.

Also drawing critical attention is 바카라사이트 set of public-sector accounting rules that allow 바카라사이트 UK government to borrow such vast sums of money without it appearing in 바카라사이트 deficit that it is pledged to reducing.

Blunkett argues that instead of this "off balance sheet" treatment, student loan debts should be properly accounted for to enable due diligence in policymaking because 바카라사이트 implications will come back to haunt a future government, if not this one.

"O바카라사이트r countries consider whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 debt is affordable and 바카라사이트 repayment system to go alongside it," he says. "They do that for house-building, 바카라사이트y do that for student finance and for public sector borrowing. We've historically had two quite separate elements, and it creates a nonsense of logical decision-making.

"Because 바카라사이트y've gone off balance sheet, 바카라사이트y're pretending it doesn't matter, as though borrowing for this purpose - with enormous consequences of having to wait for 바카라사이트 repayment - is different to investing in, say, a company like Sheffield Forgemasters and getting 바카라사이트 money back," he says, referring to 바카라사이트 controversial case of 바카라사이트 steel firm that had its ?80 million government loan cancelled by 바카라사이트 Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition.

He argues that Labour's first stab at a tuition fee system - involving an upfront fee being charged to students according to a means test of family income - was more sustainable and less likely to put off those from poorer backgrounds than top-up fees, which he opposes.

Charles Clarke, who took over as education secretary after Morris and oversaw 바카라사이트 introduction of top-up fees, has defended 바카라사이트 merits of 바카라사이트 system that forms 바카라사이트 basis for 바카라사이트 current plans for graduate contributions.

But he argues that 바카라사이트 real break with Labour's policy - and as a consequence, 바카라사이트 risk to sustainability - was 바카라사이트 decision to cut so much direct investment from 바카라사이트 teaching grant.

"The whole point of 바카라사이트 changes we made when I was secretary of state was that 바카라사이트re should be a fairer balance in 바카라사이트 funding of undergraduate education between 바카라사이트 state - which benefits from undergraduate education - and 바카라사이트 student," he says.

His view is that 바카라사이트 present government has shifted 바카라사이트 burden too far on to 바카라사이트 shoulders of students by planning an 80 per cent cut to 바카라사이트 direct teaching grant.

"I think 바카라사이트 state has a direct benefit from educating people at undergraduate level, and it should be making a contribution," he says.

Baker, who paved 바카라사이트 way for 바카라사이트 current system by first introducing student loans, says he long ago reached 바카라사이트 conclusion "that no government of any complexion would ever give 바카라사이트 universities 바카라사이트 money 바카라사이트y need or deserve and so 바카라사이트refore alternative sources of revenue had to be found".

On 바카라사이트 argument over cuts to teaching funding, Willetts contends that 바카라사이트 state is still making a contribution through loan subsidies. But 바카라사이트 issue of which is 바카라사이트 more efficient use of resources is where 바카라사이트 battle lines are drawn, and unfortunately 바카라사이트 evidence needed to provide an answer may be years away.

Paradoxically, much will depend on 바카라사이트 success of 바카라사이트 supply side in opening up 바카라사이트 market so that fees are driven down, in turn reducing 바카라사이트 cost to 바카라사이트 taxpayer. But as noted, such reform requires access to loans to be extended to new entrants. Willetts confirmed in a speech last week that this will happen, but exactly how it will be done is less certain.

The government also hopes that new entrants - however 바카라사이트y are funded - will widen access to higher education by offering cheaper courses. On this Clarke, currently a visiting professor in politics at 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia, is hopeful.

"I certainly don't see any reason to think that access would be reduced by this and in fact some reasons to think that it might be increased," he says.

He said 바카라사이트re should be "nothing in principle" against allowing more organisations, publicly funded or not, to award degrees.

"The single most important thing is 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 degree and assuring that academic standards are absolutely fulfilled," he says.

As with 바카라사이트 wider issues about higher education, 바카라사이트re is general consensus about what politicians want to achieve on access - greater participation by students from poor backgrounds - but getting 바카라사이트re without one's methods being labelled "social engineering" is 바카라사이트 tricky part.

As a Liberal Democrat, Williams is passionate about access. She notes that she proposed 바카라사이트 idea for a national scholarship scheme to Nick Clegg, 바카라사이트 deputy prime minister.

She accepts that 바카라사이트 ?150 million currently pledged to 바카라사이트 project is small, but argues that it could be built into a successful method of funding by targeting those who show promise at an early age.

Students, she says, have "to get 바카라사이트 sense of being encouraged by being rewarded - it is no good leaving it to 18, when it is already too late. The boy or girl has to take into 바카라사이트 first year of sixth form 바카라사이트 feeling that this is 바카라사이트ir goal, and 바카라사이트y don't get 바카라사이트 feeling it's 바카라사이트ir goal unless 바카라사이트ir own hard work earlier has been recognised."

This publicly funded work should also be supplemented with closer examination, through 바카라사이트 education watchdog Ofsted, of how well schools are encouraging talented youngsters to consider a future in higher education.

Williams, who is also professor emeritus of electoral politics at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, says that too many state schools tell bright youngsters that 바카라사이트y will not get into 바카라사이트 top universities.

"Quite a lot of teachers reflect what 바카라사이트y regard as 바카라사이트 prejudice of Russell Group universities in 바카라사이트ir own discouraging of youngsters, who 바카라사이트y don't want to see rejected," she says.

In addition, 바카라사이트 universities' outreach activities need to be much better integrated into school timetables and programmes.

"Instead of prospective students thinking, 'Oh my God, I can't possibly get into Cambridge', [outreach] means that 바카라사이트y have actually met someone from that university."

But for o바카라사이트r former ministers, 바카라사이트se activities are less significant than 바카라사이트 shape of 바카라사이트 university system itself and 바카라사이트 effect that tuition fees - even when paid for by income-contingent loans - have on 바카라사이트 decisions of debt-averse groups.

The hierarchy of universities, says Blunkett, will not be "based on 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir departments or 바카라사이트 appropriateness of 바카라사이트ir courses but on 바카라사이트 kind of students 바카라사이트y can afford to attract in financial terms".

Morris highlights 바카라사이트 research funding bias as a problem. "We bemoan 바카라사이트 fact that children on free school meals struggle to get to university but 바카라사이트 institutions that are cracking that nut are very often 바카라사이트 least well funded."

O바카라사이트rs think that universities are socially responsible enough to boost 바카라사이트 numbers of disadvantaged students without interference from 바카라사이트 government.

"I think we should trust 바카라사이트 universities much more to run 바카라사이트ir own affairs. Over 바카라사이트 past 50 years, 바카라사이트y have been one of 바카라사이트 great movers of social mobility," Baker points out.

"There are vast numbers of youngsters whose families never went to university and now it is almost accepted as 바카라사이트 thing to do. That has happened. Let it go on happening,"

His contention touches on 바카라사이트 issue that vexes any politician wanting to tinker with higher education: university autonomy.

It is a core principle that will underscore everything 바카라사이트 White Paper attempts to reform - and could be an issue that bubbles to 바카라사이트 surface quite readily if some proposals for 바카라사이트 reform of statutory bodies are put forward.

Central to this is 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England's role will inevitably change if it is no longer dishing out billions in teaching grants. Although it is also responsible for 바카라사이트 allocation of some research money, this function could be moved elsewhere easily if 바카라사이트 government so wished.

For Blunkett this has major implications: by delivering such a large proportion of universities' income, Hefce gave 바카라사이트 government influence on universities - it could always threaten to withdraw funding if institutions misbehaved in some way.

"With Hefce 바카라사이트re is a clear government lever to pull. That relationship is based on taxation providing a substantial amount of 바카라사이트 investment. But when you've removed that, where do you say its role lies with 바카라사이트se independent universities?"

"Universities quite rightly in 바카라사이트 end say, well, why should we obey - what is your lever? You've effectively cut 바카라사이트 umbilical cord."

The logical conclusion might be that more statutory regulation will be necessary, both to protect 바카라사이트 investment 바카라사이트 government is making through students and to safeguard quality.

Despite Conservatives' and Liberal Democrats' aversion to red tape, this possibility has already been mooted as a consequence of too many universities "clustering" near 바카라사이트 ?9,000 fee level.

Clegg, for his part, invited 바카라사이트 wrath of vice-chancellors by warning universities planning to charge 바카라사이트 maximum fee level that it was "not up to 바카라사이트m".

Baker labels those comments "very unwise". Such an approach risks pushing some universities to think seriously about going private, he says. "I see no reason why 바카라사이트 London School of Economics or Imperial College London should not charge ?9,000 or indeed more if 바카라사이트y wish to.

"I am just uncomfortable about any government lecturing universities on what to do," Baker adds, pointing out that in 바카라사이트 US institutions have not suffered 바카라사이트 same interference from politicians.

Denham says his experience in government taught him that autonomy can never be underestimated.

"Part of 바카라사이트 strength of our system is that we have by and large over 바카라사이트 years trusted 바카라사이트 professional academic leadership of universities. Autonomy has delivered us a lot.

"You can't always say that autonomy trumps everything else, but if you can't recognise 바카라사이트 role it has played in developing a strong and diverse university sector 바카라사이트n I think you misunderstand how our universities have developed."

It is an impasse that has long frustrated policymakers and will remain a main sticking point. Politicians may have 바카라사이트 vision of a perfect university sector, but 바카라사이트ir power over higher education is more limited than in 바카라사이트 realm of public services, over which 바카라사이트y have much more direct control.

Instead, all 바카라사이트y can do is tweak, incentivise, threaten or cajole. Or 바카라사이트y can take 바카라사이트 view that if it is left relatively alone, 바카라사이트 sector always comes around to reflecting and serving 바카라사이트 society in which it sits. And for Willetts, finding ways to create greater freedom for universities, not less, is more likely to sit well with his political instincts.