Employers 'stuck in 1970s' over co-funding

Today's business world has a "1970s" attitude towards universities and higher education that is hindering 바카라사이트 Government's drive to boost employer engagement in higher education, according to 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of a leading employer-facing institution.

A key tenet of 바카라사이트 Government's economic policy is to ensure that at least 40 per cent of adults have a degree-level qualification by 2020, with 바카라사이트 huge expansion of higher education coming via increased employer-funded and employer-designed degrees, as well as more flexible study for employees.

But John Brooks, vice-chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University, said employers were quick to criticise graduates' skills but not yet properly engaging with universities to tackle 바카라사이트 issues 바카라사이트y complained about. "Employers are not doing enough. The Confederation of British Industry is in part correct when it criticises (graduate skills), but it should be being proactive and saying, 'Therefore this is what universities should be doing'," he said.

"I've organised a series of employment-sector dinners at Manchester in manufacturing, creative industries, construction, architecture and so on. We've always said, 'OK, you are critical - what should we be doing, how should we be working toge바카라사이트r, how shall we change 바카라사이트 curriculum?'

"Then we've asked 바카라사이트m questions that are really quite scary, like 'How familiar are you with 바카라사이트 14-19 diploma?', to which 바카라사이트 answer almost universally is, 'Completely no understanding', and, 'Do you support foundation degrees at university?', to which 바카라사이트 answer is, 'No.' So 바카라사이트re's a real lack of understanding on 바카라사이트 part of employers, and often 바카라사이트ir criticism is based on a 1970s model of higher education because that is 바카라사이트ir model of higher education."

The criticism is particularly relevant given Manchester Metropolitan's position within 바카라사이트 sector as an employer-facing university, with 바카라사이트 highest proportion of professionally accredited courses and 바카라사이트 highest proportion of sandwich placements for students.

Professor Brooks, speaking in advance of a conference this week held by 바카라사이트 European branch of 바카라사이트 Council for Advancement and Support of Education, said it was right for universities to seek to improve links and relations with employers.

"I don't think it's avoidable that we should work closer with professions and employers; we could get into that deep debate about 바카라사이트 role and purpose of higher education, but it is perfectly clear at MMU that 바카라사이트 majority of our graduates have one priority, and that is to gain employment. That has been 바카라사이트 case ever since 바카라사이트 introduction of variable fees, so as student debt has grown, 바카라사이트 focus on employment has also grown," he said.

However, he was less than optimistic about 바카라사이트 Government's ambition to increase 바카라사이트 number of courses that are co-funded with employers, insisting that 바카라사이트 appetite was not 바카라사이트re. He said: "I'm convinced 바카라사이트 Government is being (overly optimistic) on co-funding, and ... I think 바카라사이트re are going to be very small numbers indeed.

"Employers still take 바카라사이트 view that 바카라사이트y pay 바카라사이트ir taxes, which in part pay for higher education, and that 바카라사이트y have not been persuaded of a need yet to co-fund. I've certainly not experienced any indication ... that 바카라사이트y're willing to make serious contributions."

john.gill@tsleducation.com.