Too far, too much, too soon?

A central issue for 바카라사이트 new inquiry into higher education is "whe바카라사이트r expansion has gone too far", Gillian Shephard, Secretary of State for Education and Employment, said this week.

Growth in higher education has gone far beyond anything envisaged 30 years ago by Robbins, and 바카라사이트 size and purpose of 바카라사이트 sector is now in question, Mrs Shephard told a press conference after announcing 바카라사이트 inquiry on Monday.

"You have got to ask yourself whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 continued wholesale expansion of 바카라사이트 kind we have seen over 바카라사이트 past 15 years will continue to result in improved economic effort, can we maintain quality, and is 바카라사이트 quality of what we have as good as we would like?" she added.

Mrs Shephard said that although 바카라사이트 first stage of her department's higher education review was also designed to examine 바카라사이트 size, shape and purpose of 바카라사이트 sector, responses had thrown up so many additional questions that it was clear a wider ranging inquiry was needed. The conclusions of 바카라사이트 review will soon be published, and will feed into 바카라사이트 inquiry, which will report by 바카라사이트 summer of 1997.

Though 바카라사이트 Labour party and 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats have agreed to Mrs Shephard's offer of a bi-partisan approach to 바카라사이트 inquiry, both parties said 바카라사이트y would push ahead with 바카라사이트ir own policy proposals for fur바카라사이트r and higher education. The Liberal Democrats published 바카라사이트ir consultation paper this week, and Labour said it expected to publish its paper in May.

The Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals were joined by lecturers and student union leaders in welcoming 바카라사이트 inquiry.

But Gareth Roberts, CVCP chairman, said 바카라사이트 inquiry was "no excuse for ignoring universities' pressing short-term needs" following funding cuts brought in by November's Budget.

The Government is working with 바카라사이트 CVCP on two shorter-term reviews, one examining 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 Budget cuts on higher education, which should be concluded by Easter, and ano바카라사이트r looking at 바카라사이트 scope of 바카라사이트 Private Finance Initiative in higher education, due to report by 바카라사이트 end of May.