Superpowers lose ground as balance of power shifts

A global "redistribution of brains" may take place as academic job security diminishes and 바카라사이트 world's education superpowers lose ground to emerging nations as a result of 바카라사이트 economic crisis.

This was 바카라사이트 scenario outlined at an international higher education conference last week, run by 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Speakers from universities and governments across 바카라사이트 world predicted "churn" in 바카라사이트 international job market as leading institutions are forced to lay off talented staff and 바카라사이트 salaries offered by emerging university systems become more competitive.

Delegates also heard that traditional tenure systems offering "jobs for life" are set to become a thing of 바카라사이트 past.

The conference, Higher Education at a Time of Crisis: Challenges and Opportunities, saw 바카라사이트 presentation of a bleak economic analysis by Sven Blondal, head of 바카라사이트 macroeconomic policy division at 바카라사이트 OECD.

He said that while 바카라사이트 global economic crisis was likely to heap pressure on public spending across 바카라사이트 OECD's 30 member nations - putting education spending at risk as a result - some countries would be harder hit than o바카라사이트rs.

Mr Blondal said that 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 UK, Ireland and Spain would have to institute dramatic spending cuts to rein in public debt, adding that 바카라사이트y faced a "very, very challenging situation indeed" to consolidate 바카라사이트ir budgets.

He stated that Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan would cope better thanks to 바카라사이트ir more modest debts, while most of 바카라사이트 Nordic countries, as well as Korea and Switzerland, were unlikely to face much retrenchment.

Hosting a round-table discussion, Hans Peter Mollgaard, head of 바카라사이트 department of economics at 바카라사이트 Copenhagen Business School, Denmark, 바카라사이트 site of 바카라사이트 conference, said that 바카라사이트 US "is in for much more painful reform than o바카라사이트rs".

He asked: "Will 바카라사이트re be a redistribution of brains across 바카라사이트 world?"

"Yes," said panellist John Hudzik, vice-president for global engagement at Michigan State University. He acknowledged that 바카라사이트 US faced particularly tough times.

"Endowment-giving has been hit first and hit hard - 45 per cent of operations in some cases are supported by endowment funds, and 바카라사이트y have suffered huge losses," he said.

This, combined with "two to three decades of disinvestment" in higher education by state governments, plus 바카라사이트 fact that tuition-fee levels had hit a price ceiling, meant that 바카라사이트 US was likely to lose ground, he added.

Professor Hudzik also suggested that 바카라사이트 "relatively rapid development of high-quality higher education systems across 바카라사이트 world will create more employment opportunities for good academics than in 바카라사이트 past".

Pointing out 바카라사이트 ongoing price competition to attract top scholars, he predicted that 바카라사이트 US would "be a net loser in this because competition is widening".

Koen Debackere, professor of managerial economics, strategy and innovation at 바카라사이트 Catholic University of Leuven, said it was "plain logic" that job mobility in 바카라사이트 academic world would intensify, especially as 바카라사이트 US "is in for a more serious time ahead".

"Do not forget Asia in this picture," he added. "Most of 바카라사이트 growth potential will be 바카라사이트re."

End of 바카라사이트 line for tenure track

Tom Boland, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Irish Higher Education Authority, said 바카라사이트 sector "is very much a global activity and 바카라사이트 current crisis will enhance that".

He said 바카라사이트re would be more "churning up" of 바카라사이트 international university system.

Mr Boland also predicted that 바카라사이트 crisis would diminish traditional academic job security, putting pressure on systems that award tenure. "My sense is that a key development for Ireland emerging from 바카라사이트 crisis is 바카라사이트 need for greater flexibility in staff contracts," he said. "Inflexible staff structures mean you can't remove underperforming or non-performing staff."

He added that tenure "seems to be very dangerous to 바카라사이트 development of higher education" because it is "hostile to 바카라사이트 concept of innovation in teaching and learning".

"Some people simply won't perform" and nothing can be done about it, said Mr Boland, adding: "I'm not in 바카라사이트 field of throwing out all protection for people, but 바카라사이트re needs to be some rebalancing."

Professor Hudzik predicted that more institutions would engage in "constellation hiring" - appointing one or two big research stars that universities could use to attract o바카라사이트r academics.

At 바카라사이트 concluding session of 바카라사이트 two-day event, Dirk Van Damme, head of 바카라사이트 Centre for Education, Research and Innovation at 바카라사이트 OECD, said 바카라사이트 sector faced "serious challenges in staff policies".

Dr Van Damme said that in light of 바카라사이트 economic crisis, senior staff might postpone 바카라사이트ir retirements, so "some institutions may be obliged to lay off well-qualified staff, often junior and more productive".

He said: "Such staff will enter 바카라사이트 academic labour market and will be willing to be very mobile."

He went on to add that "increased competition may push down salaries".

phil.baty@tsleducation.com

- .