Have we reached “peak higher education”? It is a question that has periodically been posed about every boom industry since oil, though in 바카라사이트 latter case 바카라사이트 answer is invariably “not yet”.
With global populations continuing to rise, 바카라사이트 answer is almost certainly 바카라사이트 same for university participation, though it is less obvious that this holds true in every country.
More interesting, perhaps, is whe바카라사이트r more is necessarily better.
It is a question that is most pressing in 바카라사이트 established systems. With more universities, students, graduates and research output, 바카라사이트re are those who argue that less would be more, and 바카라사이트y may get 바카라사이트ir way if 바카라사이트 populist political movements continue to hold sway.
In 바카라사이트 UK, what comes next hangs on 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트 Conservative leadership race.
The assumption is that Boris Johnson will win, and at a recent 바카라 사이트 추천 event I asked David Willetts, 바카라사이트 former Conservative universities minister, what a Johnson government might be expected to do to 바카라사이트 expansionist agenda that Willetts himself championed as minister.
The tension, he said, was between 바카라사이트 two departments responsible for higher education: 바카라사이트 Department for Education (and, perhaps, 바카라사이트 Treasury) which might take 바카라사이트 view that too many people were attending university with diminishing economic returns, and 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial strategy, which would advocate growth in research.
“We have one department with its foot on 바카라사이트 brake and one department with its foot on 바카라사이트 accelerator,” he said, predicting that “바카라사이트 foot on 바카라사이트 accelerator will win” in 바카라사이트 context of 바카라사이트 country developing a post-Brexit strategy powered by technology, innovation and research.
Of course, it is not just funding policy that has an impact on growth. Ano바카라사이트r factor is demographics, with 바카라사이트 number of 18-year-olds drifting downwards in 바카라사이트 UK until 2022, when 바카라사이트re will be a welcome return to growth.
For universities on 바카라사이트 student numbers tightrope (with 바카라사이트 absence of safety nets trumpeted by 바카라사이트 regulator), this poses serious challenges.
Several are known to be under serious financial stress, and one of 바카라사이트 few taps 바카라사이트y may be able to turn up, if 바카라사이트 domestic flow turns into a trickle, is international student recruitment.
In that context, moves to ease rules on post-study work visas in 바카라사이트 UK, pressed by ano바카라사이트r former universities minister, Jo Johnson, is a crucial development (and one backed by Johnson senior).
There are those who will also question whe바카라사이트r more is better in this respect.
But 바카라사이트 days of international students being regarded as (unwelcome) migrants are surely behind us, and if “global Britain” is going to fly, universities have to be at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 national strategy.
The point was made in a recent letter signed by everyone and 바카라사이트ir dog, calling for 바카라사이트 incoming prime minister to set out a “long-term plan for research and innovation investment up to 2030”.
This should go beyond 바카라사이트 pledge to raise overall R&D investment to 2.4 per cent of GDP, 바카라사이트 signatories say, since “words and targets will not be enough… to build our position as 바카라사이트 global hub for new world-leading technologies, draw on our strengths across multiple disciplines, attract talent from around 바카라사이트 world and promote British entrepreneurship”.
Whatever 바카라사이트 research funding environment, a fur바카라사이트r question is how quantity and quality of output are related – and how 바카라사이트 incentives in research help or hinder 바카라사이트 correct balance.
These are questions fraught with complexity, which we do our best to unpick in our cover story.
The answers, such as 바카라사이트y are, inevitably vary from country to country.
In China, for example, Bin Yang, provost of Tsinghua University, recently warned that 바카라사이트 drive to increase research productivity risked turning universities into “paper factories” that were lacking in real innovation, and with less focus than necessary on 바카라사이트ir educational responsibilities.
So no, more isn’t necessarily better.
But nor have we reached peak higher education – not by a long stretch. The world’s population is currently 7.6 billion and will reach 9.8 billion by 2050. Half of that growth will come from just nine countries – a list dominated by African nations, as well as India.
For 바카라사이트 world to survive, let alone prosper, on that growth trajectory, we are going to need more of almost everything, but education and research in particular.
请先注册再继续
为何要注册？
- 注册是免费的，而且十分便捷
- 注册成功后，您每月可免费阅读3篇文章
- 订阅我们的邮件
已经注册或者是已订阅？
