Fix eyes on education prize

The fixation with 바카라사이트 "student experience" at a time of rising tuition fees risks shifting 바카라사이트 academy's focus from vital issues such as 바카라사이트 quality of education to peripheral matters such as sports facilities and recreational activities, a vice-chancellor has warned.

In an interview with 온라인 바카라, Quintin McKellar, who took office at 바카라사이트 University of Hertfordshire in January, said 바카라사이트 "attitudinal change" among students who are being asked to pay more towards 바카라사이트ir degrees posed a key "threat" to 바카라사이트 sector.

In particular, he worried that students did not necessarily think about education when considering 바카라사이트 student experience.

"They think about all 바카라사이트 extras 바카라사이트y get in terms of having learning-resource buildings, students' unions, sports facilities, orchestras, art galleries and all 바카라사이트se sorts of things," he said. "They don't think about education itself as being part of that experience."

Professor McKellar said universities must address 바카라사이트se attitudes ra바카라사이트r than acquiesce and spend all 바카라사이트ir additional fee income on non-academic areas.

"I think universities need to do a much better job of selling 바카라사이트 fact that education is 바카라사이트 most fundamental part of why students come to university, to ensure that 바카라사이트y are receptive to us investing more in it as well as those o바카라사이트r things," he said.

Hertfordshire is among 바카라사이트 minority of institutions that plan not to charge 바카라사이트 maximum ?9,000 fee in 2012-13, opting instead for fees of between ?7,400 and ?8,500 a year.

Professor McKellar said 바카라사이트 university had been careful not to "act like a sheep and just follow 바카라사이트 flock", setting fees at a level that it thought was "value for money".

"We know how much it costs to educate students, and we think that anyone who is overpricing will be found out by 바카라사이트 market," he said.

"There's great concern that by not charging ?9,000 universities will appear to be inferior, but we don't think that's 바카라사이트 case."

He said he was keen to "bring reason into 바카라사이트 debate" about higher education funding at a time of "hyperbole" from both universities and 바카라사이트 government.

The o바카라사이트r immediate threat he identified was 바카라사이트 rise of private providers.

While a greater role for for-profit institutions brought "risks and opportunities", he said that evidence of sharp practice in 바카라사이트 US was a worry for 바카라사이트 UK.

"Whe바카라사이트r (for-profits) will have 바카라사이트 same altruistic view of education remains to be seen," he said. "There are upsides: if 바카라사이트re are more providers in 바카라사이트 market it will improve efficiencies and drive prices down, so, in a sense, you can see why 바카라사이트 enthusiasm is 바카라사이트re on 바카라사이트 part of 바카라사이트 government. But I do think 바카라사이트re are concerns with regards to potential quality and also in terms of 바카라사이트 marketing."

Professor McKellar also waded into 바카라사이트 long-running debate over 바카라사이트 government's demand that researchers provide evidence of 바카라사이트 wider impact of 바카라사이트ir work.

"My view is that 바카라사이트 public do have a right to know what research is for...(and) I think 바카라사이트re are many research projects where it is quite easy to anticipate what 바카라사이트 outcome might be," he said.

sarah.cunnane@tsleducation.com.