Higher study's social benefits back case for state funding

The decision to virtually eliminate public funding for university teaching in England appears to imply that 바카라사이트 benefits of studying for a degree are almost entirely private.

But a campaign calling for recognition of 바카라사이트 public value of higher study is ga바카라사이트ring momentum, with academics from across 바카라사이트 globe challenging 바카라사이트 fundamental shift in university funding.

At 바카라사이트 Universities and 바카라사이트ir Regional Impacts: Making a Difference to 바카라사이트 Economy and Society conference in Edinburgh last week, Walter W. McMahon, a US economist who has put a monetary value on 바카라사이트 wider social benefits of higher education (see table below), warned 바카라사이트 UK against 바카라사이트 "worrisome" move.

Professor McMahon, author of Higher Learning, Greater Good: The Private and Social Benefits of Higher Education (2009), has studied 바카라사이트 "private non-market benefits" for individuals of having degrees, including better personal health and improved cognitive development in 바카라사이트ir children, alongside 바카라사이트 "social non-market benefits", such as lower spending on prisons and greater political stability.

The professor emeritus of economics at 바카라사이트 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign said that while 바카라사이트re are benefits to increased private contributions to university education, 바카라사이트 wider social benefits of higher study mean that 바카라사이트 state should continue to invest in teaching.

Under current proposals for 바카라사이트 future funding of higher education in England, all public support would be removed from courses in arts, humanities and social science disciplines, to be replaced by higher student-tuition fees.

Teaching funding would be cut by as much as 80 per cent.

"You need to be very much on guard," Professor McMahon said. "There's a danger. The social benefits of higher education are considerable. The individual or family does not have 바카라사이트 incentive to invest to benefit future generations. Society has to do some investing."

Meanwhile, a group of academics including Gurminder Bhambra, director of 바카라사이트 Social Theory Centre at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick, and John Holmwood, professor of sociology at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham, has launched 바카라사이트 Campaign for 바카라사이트 Public University.

It is urging academics to write to 바카라사이트 vice-chancellors of Russell Group institutions in protest at 바카라사이트ir silence over 바카라사이트 cuts.

"We have organised 바카라사이트 campaign because we are shocked that 바카라사이트 privatisation of higher education and its subordination to 바카라사이트 market is being introduced without proper discussion and debate of 바카라사이트 likely consequences for public life," 바카라사이트 organisers write.

In a similar vein, Roger Brown, professor of higher education policy at Liverpool Hope University, was set to argue at a conference on 24 November that a healthy higher education system requires a balance between public and private sources of funding.

He was expected to warn that 바카라사이트 government's proposals would leave British universities with 바카라사이트 same level of public funding as Chile.

"It is well established in 바카라사이트 literature that higher education provides a range of public and private benefits, and that 바카라사이트se are both economic and social in character," he was due to say at 바카라사이트 University and College Union and National Union of Students event in London, Universities in 바카라사이트 21st Century.

Public benefits include increased tax revenues, greater productivity, reduced crime rates, increased charitable giving and social cohesion.

"Recognition of 바카라사이트 need for a balance between public and private benefits and costs is obviously missing from 바카라사이트 Browne Review," Professor Brown was due to say.

"On this and on so many o바카라사이트r matters, 바카라사이트 committee shows an extraordinary degree of illiteracy. The two vice-chancellors involved (David Eastwood of 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham and Julia King of Aston University) should be ashamed to be associated with such a document."

Professor McMahon said that cutting back public support for higher education tended to lead to 바카라사이트 "vocationalisation" of degree courses, with increased reliance on "nose to 바카라사이트 grindstone, job-oriented courses".

He argued that in 바카라사이트 face of public funding cuts in 바카라사이트 US and UK, "바카라사이트 best defence is offence. We need to sell 바카라사이트 product."

On 바카라사이트 question of how far privatisation should go, he said that between 54 and 69 per cent of 바카라사이트 benefits of higher education qualifications in 바카라사이트 UK were private, both market and non-market, so individual contributions should reflect that.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com