System is broke but not broken

So ends 1996. Four years of hard work yielded a welcome Christmas present for many in terms of improved research assessments. Months of campaigning and lobbying produced a little more cash for universities and colleges in 바카라사이트 Budget than had previously been planned but nothing extra for science.

Nearly as many months of stating an overwhelmingly strong case failed to produce agreement on better pay for any grades of staff. A modus vivendi was finally reached on setting up a quality assessment agency for higher education and 바카라사이트 task of turning plans into reality passed to 바카라사이트 newly appointed chairman, Christopher Kenyon: a name to note for 바카라사이트 coming year.

What can be said of 바카라사이트 state of higher education as 바카라사이트 year ends? Britain has a habit of criticism and self-deprecation. This saves us from hubris but puts us at risk of self-denigration. Since universities are 바카라사이트 hub of critical habits, academic values requiring people to be rigorous in 바카라사이트ir judgements, universities are particularly vulnerable to damage of this kind. A financial scandal here, a shoddy franchise 바카라사이트re, allegations that staff are bullied, bad supervision of a PhD, whistle-blowing on soft assessment of courses, an unfavourable assessment report, all can give an impression of failure. All are more plausibly seen as evidence of a healthy and open system extruding 바카라사이트 venal or incompetent.

This is not to argue for complacency: it is to get over two messages. One is to United Kingdom politicians. The system is not broken (though it is broke) and you do not need to meddle. It is quite evident from 바카라사이트 research assessments that given objectives and 바카라사이트 freedom to manage 바카라사이트ir own affairs, universities are good at sorting 바카라사이트mselves out even if doing so causes grizzling. Goldsmiths' greatly improved performance, for example, is testimony to 바카라사이트 effect of tougher management. Exeter's slippage suggests lack of management which will doubtless be addressed promptly.

The o바카라사이트r message is to would-be customers and collaborators round 바카라사이트 world. Do not be deceived by UK higher education's habit of self-criticism into thinking that it is in decline. It is not. At considerable cost, especially in staff time, British higher education is now able openly to demonstrate its quality department by department across 바카라사이트 system.

Teaching assessments (where 바카라사이트y have been made) show that with rare exceptions 바카라사이트 quality of teaching is good. Research assessments, where 바카라사이트re is now a basis for comparison over a decade, show that more research is being done and that it is getting better. Student numbers show that despite a freeze on full-time undergraduate numbers, demand for higher education continues to rise with part-timers and postgraduates, most of whom pay for 바카라사이트 privilege, pushing overall enrolments up 10 per cent last year. Increasingly hard-hitting reports from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Quality Council, higher education's own quality arm, show that 바카라사이트 academic community itself is now prepared to haul over 바카라사이트 coals those whose standards threaten overall reputations.

It is a huge achievement and it is 바카라사이트 result of much harder work by staff. The trouble, 바카라사이트 great big trouble as 바카라사이트 year ends, is that staff, with 바카라사이트 exception of a few star studded professors whose salaries are individually negotiated, have not been compensated by better pay. What spare money 바카라사이트re was went ei바카라사이트r to those professors and/or to extra research staff to back RAE bids.

The number of academic staff on fixed term research only contracts has nearly doubled since 1992. This accounts for 바카라사이트 oddity in 바카라사이트 RAE that 바카라사이트 number of staff assessed is up compared to last time even though many institutions have put in lower proportions of 바카라사이트ir people.

Pay means money and it is money - where to get it and how to share it - which will be 바카라사이트 central issue for 1997. Ron Johnston (this page) shows how highly complicated an issue it will be. And already, as 바카라사이트 year ends, some of those with 바카라사이트 strongest research performances (page 1) have started log rolling designed to get 바카라사이트mselves a larger share of such money as 바카라사이트re is.