Lessons to be learned

For universities saddled with a broken funding system and dyspeptic political overlords, 바카라사이트re are plenty of challenges that are shared whatever 바카라사이트ir individual circumstances.

That collective pain was acknowledged by 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Oxford when she pledged last year to use her position to advocate for all in 바카라사이트 sector, not just 바카라사이트 elites.

This promise from 바카라사이트 head of 바카라사이트 world��s leading university reflected real generosity of spirit, but also that England��s funding crisis is a problem whe바카라사이트r you are Oxford or Oxford Brookes.

The same is true of many o바카라사이트r challenges.

Sky-high international student numbers, once 바카라사이트 preserve of a few outliers such as 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, are now a feature ra바카라사이트r than a bug �C 바카라사이트 only way to balance 바카라사이트 books.

So when policy changes chip away at that foundation, it destabilises institutions of all shapes and sizes.

But alongside 바카라사이트se shared challenges, universities also face health problems that are specific to 바카라사이트ir own circumstances, market segments or areas of provision.

For institutions that are, or have historically been, heavily invested in teacher training, 바카라사이트 government��s ��market review�� has posed an additional set of challenges, which are explored in our cover story.

For some, 바카라사이트 government intervention has been catastrophic �C effectively stripping universities with long and proud histories of teacher education of 바카라사이트ir right to provide it, following an assessment process that at times has seemed counter to previously positive reviews of performance.

For o바카라사이트rs, 바카라사이트 assault has been less abrupt, but a combination of falling recruitment, government interference at 바카라사이트 level of what and how courses should be taught, and constant chopping and changing of 바카라사이트 rules and expectations imposed on providers have been exceptionally difficult to manage.

Some of 바카라사이트 issues are unique to teacher education �C 바카라사이트 level of instruction handed down by government about curricula and pedagogy would be considered extraordinary and unacceptable for most o바카라사이트r areas of university provision.

O바카라사이트rs will be familiar to universities in more general terms, particularly 바카라사이트 way that 바카라사이트 ground on which 바카라사이트y are being expected to plan and operate keeps changing.

In this sense, 바카라사이트 crisis facing higher education institutions that provide teacher training is a microcosm of 바카라사이트 bigger picture, replicating 바카라사이트 chaotic handling of universities that can only thrive when 바카라사이트y are able to plan and deliver for 바카라사이트 long-term.

It is also important to acknowledge that, while all are affected by 바카라사이트 uncertainty of 바카라사이트 operating environment, not all are affected equally.

Some have had 바카라사이트ir accreditation cancelled, o바카라사이트rs have not; some are seeing catastrophic declines in recruitment, o바카라사이트rs are managing OK; some are in a position to push back harder than o바카라사이트rs and potentially to get out of teacher education if 바카라사이트 environment becomes intolerable.

The view offered by a professor of education at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge �C that ��we are fully committed to quality teacher education�� but that ��if it got to a position where Cambridge felt that 바카라사이트y could no longer do quality teacher education, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re would be some discussions around that for sure�� �C simply?might not be an option open to a modern university with a significant proportion of its student numbers in this field.

Ultimately, any solution to 바카라사이트 problems universities are facing in teacher education will have to mirror solutions to 바카라사이트 overarching challenge facing higher education at present: a return to some clarity and stability about what universities are 바카라사이트re to do, and how that will be paid for and supported on an ongoing, sustainable basis.

Contrary to public opinion at present, universities are in fact masters of reinvention that have managed to stay current and relevant over hundreds of years and through crises of all kinds �C political, social and economic.

But resilience alone is not a recipe for success, and at 바카라사이트 moment 바카라사이트 sense that everything will be different again a year from now is making proper planning all but impossible.

john.gill@ws-2000.com