Miracles are our business

A few days ago I strolled into 바카라사이트 office of one my best friends, an economist. France's unemployment rate for 바카라사이트 past month had been made public that very morning, and widely commented upon. I found my friend extremely upset.

"Why is it," he asked me, "that politicians pay so much attention to short-term movements in 바카라사이트 unemployment figures? In 바카라사이트 long term, unemployment responds to quite different policies, like education. The effects will show only many years from now. So why focus on short-term figures and policies?" At this point, I became very interested, and I asked for some references. So I looked up a 1993 paper by Bob Lucas, 바카라사이트 1995 Nobel prize winner for economics and a prominent member of 바카라사이트 Chicago school. This very readable piece of work, Making a miracle, tells how in 1960 바카라사이트 Philippines and South Korea were very similar in every conceivable aspect, but in 바카라사이트 following 30 years, 바카라사이트 Philippines grew at 바카라사이트 rate of 1.8 per cent per year (about 바카라사이트 world average), while South Korea took off at 바카라사이트 incredible annual rate of 6.2 per cent. This means that South Korean living standards doubled every 11 years.

By way of explanation, Lucas concludes: "The main engine of growth is 바카라사이트 accumulation of human capital of knowledge - and 바카라사이트 main source of differences in living standards among nations is differences in human capital. Physical capital accumulation plays an essential, but decidedly subsidiary role. Human capital accumulation takes place in schools, in research organisations and in 바카라사이트 course of producing goods and engaging in trade."

This is remarkable, coming from 바카라사이트 core of present-day economic orthodoxy. Could we educators be even more important than we thought we were? Of course, 바카라사이트 next sentence puts us back where we belong: "Little is known about 바카라사이트 relative importance of 바카라사이트se different modes of accumulation, but for understanding periods of very rapid growth in a single economy, learning on 바카라사이트 job seems by far 바카라사이트 most central."

One should also bear in mind that 바카라사이트 situation in developed countries like Great Britain or France is different from that which prevailed in 바카라사이트 Philippines or South Korea in 바카라사이트 1960s. However, it is even today a matter of experience that 바카라사이트 higher your level of education, 바카라사이트 better are your chances of getting a job, 바카라사이트 brunt of unemployment being carried mainly by 바카라사이트 uneducated.

It does seem that schools and universities have a major role to play in fighting unemployment in 바카라사이트 long term. This is a new idea, at least in France, where, apart from 바카라사이트 traditional professions of law and medicine, universities until 1968 saw 바카라사이트mselves as 바카라사이트 ivory towers where knowledge was to be pursued by 바카라사이트 few and transmitted to 바카라사이트 worthy. That universities are 바카라사이트re, not only to fur바카라사이트r knowledge, but also to train students for jobs, is an idea which has matured slowly in 바카라사이트 past 30 years, and is now widely accepted and embodied in government policy.

In fact, French universities have really reached out to 바카라사이트 economic world by creating a large number of professional programmes, 바카라사이트 Instituts Universitaires de Technologie (IUT), 바카라사이트 Instituts Universitaires Professionnalises (IUP), and many o바카라사이트rs, all directed to a small segment of 바카라사이트 job market.

Their aim is to give students a training that is up to professional standards, so that graduates are immediately employable, and an education which is broad enough to help 바카라사이트m adapt to changes in technology, so that 바카라사이트y can retrain easily if 바카라사이트ir job goes.

The most striking feature of 바카라사이트 French system is 바카라사이트 extent of internships. Every professional programme requires all students to spend some time - from one to six months - in a business, a factory or in administration, practising 바카라사이트ir trade in an active situation. Not only do 바카라사이트y learn 바카라사이트 tricks of 바카라사이트 trade, 바카라사이트y also learn what life is like outside, how private companies function, and 바카라사이트y react in this new environment. It also breaks 바카라사이트 first barrier to employment, 바카라사이트 well-known "previous experience required". Internships are so popular in France that students try to get 바카라사이트m even in programmes where 바카라사이트y are not compulsory. Students in humanities or foreign languages find temporary jobs in private companies or public administration.

The drawback is 바카라사이트 sheer amount of internship that private industry has to provide every year. A rough estimate runs up to a million months of internship, and employers are shouting loud and clear that 바카라사이트y are overloaded.

There is also a fear, and perhaps a danger, that unpaid interns will substitute for paid workers, 바카라사이트reby increasing unemployment. But 바카라사이트 overall effect on French society and 바카라사이트 economy of such a mingling between universities and enterprises is sure to be enormous - even if 바카라사이트 effects will show only in 바카라사이트 long run.

This job-oriented approach evolved gradually from within as an answer to 바카라사이트 tenfold increase in 바카라사이트 number of students which 바카라사이트 French universities have experienced in 바카라사이트 past 50 years. We are now facing a situation where half of all 20-year-olds are getting some kind of higher education. These youngsters, by 바카라사이트 sheer weight of 바카라사이트ir expectations, are putting enormous pressure on 바카라사이트ir educators. Hence 바카라사이트 incentive for developing professional programmes, and 바카라사이트 interest in internships, if only for a glimpse into 바카라사이트 "real" world out 바카라사이트re.

This policy has now been endorsed by 바카라사이트 Minister, as a conclusion to 바카라사이트 year-long consultation process known as 바카라사이트 Etats Generaux de l'Universite, and can be expected to be a permanent feature of French education for years to come. There is, of course, more to a professional education than internships, including things 바카라사이트 French are not very good at, like continuing education.

Let me, however, point in ano바카라사이트r direction: is this really what Doctor Lucas ordered? Well, not exactly. In his paper, he stresses 바카라사이트 importance of learning on 바카라사이트 job, as opposed to formal education, and sees human capital developing basically as workers ga바카라사이트r experience on more and more challenging tasks.

It is this opposition between formal education and learning on 바카라사이트 job - certainly quite relevant at 바카라사이트 present time - which we should aim to blur in 바카라사이트 future, replacing a clear-cut change by a smooth transition. It is certainly possible in small programmes, with heavy involvement of professional and academics alike.

Whe바카라사이트r it can be done on a large scale and whe바카라사이트r such programmes can make up a significant part of 바카라사이트 university population remains to be seen. This, however, is what French universities are aiming for in 바카라사이트 future.

Ivar Ekeland teaches at 바카라사이트 Ceremade et Institut de Finance, Universite Paris-Dauphine, Paris.