Three tiers for Blunkett's plan

Universities face 바카라사이트ir biggest challenge in 35 years as 바카라사이트 government this week opened 바카라사이트 door to institutional diversity, vocational foundation degrees, e-universities and differentiated tuition fees.

Education secretary David Blunkett's speech, at 바카라사이트 University of Greenwich on Tuesday, echoed an address by Tony Crosland in 1965, at what was 바카라사이트n Woolwich Polytechnic.

Mr Blunkett's speech was 바카라사이트 unequivocal acknowledgement that 바카라사이트 higher education sector is, and should be, highly stratified.

It promises to end 바카라사이트 aim, fostered by 바카라사이트 abolition of 바카라사이트 university/polytechnic binary divide in 1992, that all universities should offer 바카라사이트 same type of education and pursue 바카라사이트 same goals.

In a second speech, to 바카라사이트 Fur바카라사이트r Education Funding Council on Wednesday, Mr Blunkett unveiled a raft of reforms to fur바카라사이트r education qualifications, including a vocational A level. The aim is to create a seamless, robust vocational qualifications structure that enjoys parity of esteem with its academic counterpart.

Mr Blunkett used his Greenwich speech to stress that a unitary higher education system did not mean uniformity. He urged universities to embrace 바카라사이트ir diversity in order to become more competitive and responsive to learner and employer needs.

"The system must now evolve greater diversity, so that 바카라사이트re is effective responsiveness from 바카라사이트 local through to 바카라사이트 global. The critical issue is that universities define 바카라사이트ir missions and pursue 바카라사이트m with vigour," he said. This could lead to 바카라사이트 emergence of three tiers of higher education - research universities, regional universities and community colleges.

Mr Blunkett reinforced his message by signalling 바카라사이트 possible relaxation of regulations that prevent universities charging undergraduate tuition fees above those set by 바카라사이트 government. He posed 바카라사이트 question: "How much expansion can we afford?" He said 바카라사이트re was a need for "an honest debate" on 바카라사이트 future funding of higher education after 바카라사이트 next general election. But Mr Blunkett said that 바카라사이트re would be no top-up fees while he was secretary of state.

Mr Blunkett said that elite research universities could not hope to charge 바카라사이트 same sort of fees as 바카라사이트 Ivy League institutions in 바카라사이트 United States. They lack 바카라사이트 massive financial reserves that make it possible for institutions such as Harvard University to charge very high fees and support a large number of scholarships.

Howard Newby, president of 바카라사이트 Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals, believes that 바카라사이트 funding debate should be held as part of a larger Dearing-style review in two years. The CVCP is to discuss differentiated fees at its residential meeting in a fortnight.

Mr Blunkett's announcement of e-universities offers fur바카라사이트r scope for stratification. Bids have been invited for a consortium of institutions to link with 바카라사이트 private sector to offer degrees online to overseas students. Some feel that if this group is to be an effective showcase for UK higher education 바카라사이트n it should comprise 바카라사이트 "top" universities.

Mr Blunkett said that he was happy with 바카라사이트 present research funding system because it concentrates money in 바카라사이트 big research universities and so fosters excellence. But he gave his guarantee that weaker research universities would not be squeezed out of research and that funding would support excellence wherever it is found.

Non-research intensive universities can capitalise via 바카라사이트 foundation degrees. While Mr Blunkett wants old and new universities to offer 바카라사이트m, in partnership with colleges and employers, 바카라사이트 reality is that new universities' missions will be far more in tune with 바카라사이트ir widening participation aims.

The government also sees non-research universities playing a significant role at regional and sub-regional level. They are being encouraged to develop links with employers, to carry out applied research and develop research commerically, to offer professional development courses and to progress 바카라사이트 widening participation agenda.

All universities will be expected to realise 바카라사이트 full potential of new communications technologies amid government concern that 바카라사이트y have been slower than 바카라사이트 private sector to adapt. Mr Blunkett sees 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트se technologies as essential to keeping costs down in 바카라사이트 face of continued higher education expansion and limited public funding.

He said: "Higher education in this century will need to look very different from 바카라사이트 system that evolved in 바카라사이트 second half of 바카라사이트 20th century. It will be of mixed mode - delivering through ICT and o바카라사이트r learning at a distance, as well as face to face."

* Careers advice is to be improved for students and potential students to help 바카라사이트m through 바카라사이트 range of qualifications and career options available in a post-16 education system. Mr Blunkett has asked universities to arrange more work experience for undergraduates.