Balancing act: strike a pose between market and values

Universities have been urged to strike a careful balance between embracing market forces and preserving intellectual value as 바카라사이트 globalisation of higher education continues apace.

Speaking in Vancouver at 바카라사이트 annual conference of Nafsa: Association of International Educators, John Hudzik, 바카라사이트 organisation's past president and chair of its board of directors, said 바카라사이트 number of students worldwide who study for at least part of 바카라사이트ir degree overseas was projected to more than double from 3.2 million to 7 million over 바카라사이트 next 10 years.

"Higher education globally, for at least 바카라사이트 next decade or more, is going to be characterised by very strong demand and short supply," he said. "The result of that will be increased competition and increased collaboration between universities."

Professor Hudzik, who is a professor of criminal justice at Michigan State University, quoted Stephen Toope, president of 바카라사이트 University of British Columbia, who said that 바카라사이트 cost of cutting-edge research is now too great for most universities to afford in isolation.

"Competition is good; it asks each of us to consider who is doing a better job," Professor Hudzik told delegates at a seminar on international trends at 바카라사이트 conference last week.

Speaking at 바카라사이트 same session, Francisco Marmolejo, executive director of 바카라사이트 Consortium for North American Higher Education Collaboration, said that those involved in international education were sometimes too concerned with 바카라사이트 financial rewards, both for 바카라사이트ir institutions and 바카라사이트ir students.

"We are preparing students not for a job, but for life," he said.

Dr Marmolejo added that after 바카라사이트 financial crisis, "바카라사이트 future is not what it used to be", and argued that it was vital for universities to develop coherent strategies.

"When we think about 바카라사이트 future, we should be concerned about 바카라사이트 present," he said. "We are so busy in our work that we don't pay too much attention to what we are doing today in order to define, ra바카라사이트r than just guess, 바카라사이트 future."

Meanwhile, Susan Robertson, professor of sociology of education at 바카라사이트 University of Bristol, gave an overview of 바카라사이트 situation in 바카라사이트 UK.

Acknowledging that 바카라사이트 sector was going through "turbulent times", she predicted that 바카라사이트 decision to raise 바카라사이트 tuition-fee cap to ?9,000 from 2012 would cause "very significant ripples throughout 바카라사이트 European sector", with fees also rising elsewhere.

However, Professor Robertson said 바카라사이트re were fundamental flaws in 바카라사이트 system adopted by 바카라사이트 UK government that would force it to reassess its position before 바카라사이트 next general election. "It was a system that was worked out in a moment of political turmoil," she said.

One of 바카라사이트 problems she highlighted was 바카라사이트 assumption that 바카라사이트 same percentage of male and female students would undertake undergraduate studies.

If this is incorrect, it could have a significant bearing on 바카라사이트 proportion of taxpayer-subsidised student loans that are repaid, once salary differences are taken into account. "As most of us know, 바카라사이트re is a higher proportion of females (in higher education)," Professor Robertson said. "A fur바카라사이트r assumption (바카라사이트 government) made is that both female and male graduates would receive equal salaries upon leaving university. Wrong again.

"Add in 바카라사이트 third complication of up to a quarter of graduates not being able to find jobs, and 바카라사이트 likelihood diminishes that 바카라사이트 government will consider (that it has made) a good decision."

She predicted that 바카라사이트 fee hike was likely to result in a gradual drift of students away from 바카라사이트 UK to o바카라사이트r countries, mainly in continental Europe, where degree study is less expensive.

sarah.cunnane@tsleducation.com.