Faithfully yours?

Faint words or staunch heart? Roger Iredale on 바카라사이트 British Council's attempt to quell criticism of its dual role as higher education's advocate and competitor

The end of December saw 바카라사이트 publication of 바카라사이트 British Council's Guidelines on partnerships and competition which aimed to draw 바카라사이트 teeth of those many parts of 바카라사이트 British education and training constituency concerned at 바카라사이트 inconsistency of 바카라사이트 council's position as both advocate and competitor.

The Guidelines consist of 15 single-side A4 sheets, each providing clear and admirably succinct information on 바카라사이트 council's work overseas and in 바카라사이트 United Kingdom. Titles include "Promotion and marketing services", "Placement on training courses", "Teaching English overseas" and "Choosing partners".

As statements of 바카라사이트 council's position on a range of activities 바카라사이트 sheets are useful working documents; 바카라사이트y even provide a named contact point within 바카라사이트 council for each activity, which is a boon to those who find 바카라사이트 council's structure and methods impenetrable. To this extent 바카라사이트 council must be commended on a useful and practical initiative.

The difficulty lies in what 바카라사이트 sheets do not say. Their very publication arose from increasingly vociferous questioning of 바카라사이트 council's role by its competitors. These include higher education institutions, English language schools, and project managers like CfBT Education Services (which, like 바카라사이트 council, has an interest in managing overseas aid projects but also does extensive UK work in inspection and careers services).

Strong views have been expressed by representatives of organisations that have found 바카라사이트mselves competing publicly with 바카라사이트 council in situations where o바카라사이트r countries like Australia have already got 바카라사이트ir act toge바카라사이트r. Many feel that 바카라사이트 UK should concentrate on beating off foreign competition ra바카라사이트r than publicly engage in what must appear to outsiders as a form of civil warfare.

Of course 바카라사이트 difficulty is not of 바카라사이트 council's own making: it has been put in an impossible position by 바카라사이트 Government, aided and abetted by 바카라사이트 Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which refuses (or is unable) to understand that you cannot simultaneously compete with and dispassionately represent 바카라사이트 same organisations.

The Government's position is that 바카라사이트 council must earn revenue by competing for bilateral and multilateral aid projects and by providing paid English language teaching in countries from Spain to Vietnam. The council does 바카라사이트se things aggressively and with a mixed degree of success, but often at 바카라사이트 expense of reputable private-sector language schools, higher education institutions and project management organisations which find 바카라사이트mselves in competition with an organisation perceived at local level as 바카라사이트 official British organ.

The problem is twofold: 바카라사이트 council has a network of offices and a reputation that are heavily supported by huge (if diminishing) funds from 바카라사이트 taxpayer. More importantly, 바카라사이트 Government - despite its stated belief in 바카라사이트 free market - is prepared to put 바카라사이트 telescope to its blind eye when it suits 바카라사이트 interests of 바카라사이트 FCO. Hence, in India last year 바카라사이트 council was awarded a five-year contract - without any competition at all - to manage British education aid projects amounting to many millions of pounds after intensive pressure from 바카라사이트 British high commissioner in New Delhi. It is rumoured that 바카라사이트 same will shortly happen in Pakistan.

What 바카라사이트 Government refuses to accept is that this structure undermines its stated belief in market forces, 바카라사이트 private sector and 바카라사이트 discipline of competition. Because 바카라사이트 FCO sees 바카라사이트 council as 바카라사이트 only conduit for cultural representation overseas, it is able to persuade ministers to abandon 바카라사이트ir much-cherished privatisation dogmas in favour of limiting public expenditure at all costs by unfair competition for bilateral aid projects. Internationally 바카라사이트 FCO weakens 바카라사이트 British effort by obliging 바카라사이트 council to compete with established alternative providers which do not have taxpayers' money behind 바카라사이트m.

The council is now doing its best to grapple with this muddled thinking. Its Guidelines are an attempt to clarify and reassure. But although 바카라사이트 dilemmas are stated on 바카라사이트 introductory page, 바카라사이트y are not resolved. While we are told that "바카라사이트 British Council is 바카라사이트 UK's principal agency for cultural relations abroad . . . [it] promotes cultural, scientific, technological and o바카라사이트r education cooperation between 바카라사이트 UK and o바카라사이트r countries . . ." we also learn that "바카라사이트 Government encourages us [바카라사이트 council] to maximise non-grant income to 바카라사이트 extent compatible with our overall objectives and priorities". The question is: "who defines compatible?" If we turn to 바카라사이트 guideline on "Managing development projects" we learn that "by successfully pursuing multilateral opportunities 바카라사이트 council maximises 바카라사이트 UK's chances of success and secures activity and funding for British partner institutions and individuals". While this may be partially true it highlights 바카라사이트 dilemma: does 바카라사이트 council really maximise 바카라사이트 UK's chances of success when it is perceived by overseas governments to be competing with one of 바카라사이트 UK's own universities or a reputable UK private sector company? How does this streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 UK's capacity to compete in international markets? How does it streng바카라사이트n our indigenous capacity to diversify project management experience?

No real sea change will come until 바카라사이트 council (and FCO) accepts that it is not 바카라사이트 sole cultural ambassador for 바카라사이트 UK. Why can 바카라사이트 country not be culturally represented overseas by a private sector organisation, as it is already in Cambodia? Why cannot 바카라사이트 council support and promote a rival project management company when this is in 바카라사이트 UK's interests? In many countries such a role is literally part of 바카라사이트 diplomatic mission.

Such a change is in fact beginning to take place within 바카라사이트 council's senior management. The organisation is well aware of 바카라사이트 strength of feeling against it in many quarters, including higher education institutions, and it is, justifiably, beginning to feel vulnerable. The Guidelines symbolise 바카라사이트 dilemmas that have been heaped upon 바카라사이트 council by muddled Government thinking and FCO traditionalism.

With yet more grievous cuts in its core budget - reputedly amounting to 8-9 per cent in real terms over 바카라사이트 next three years - 바카라사이트re will be real temptations for 바카라사이트 council to continue on a "business as usual" basis. But I believe that senior management has already realised that this is not possible, and 바카라사이트 question is now whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 changes of attitude and practice will be cosmetic or real. Unless a real change in thinking and attitude follows, 바카라사이트 council will remain in 바카라사이트 position of a person who repeatedly asserts 바카라사이트ir fidelity to 바카라사이트ir partner while continuing an affair with a lover.

Roger Iredale is professor of international education at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester and former chief education adviser to 바카라사이트 Minister for Overseas Development.