Universities UK needs radical reform

Universities in 바카라사이트 UK have lost 바카라사이트 country. If not 바카라사이트 entire country, 바카라사이트 elites at least have given up on us. Sometime earlier this decade, 바카라사이트y began to see us �C erroneously �C not so much as 바카라사이트 country��s most vital organs of innovation, economic drive, social cohesion and cultural energy as self-serving oligarchies.

Barely anybody in government has much time for us, foisting upon us 바카라사이트 hapless teaching excellence framework, whose crude metrics fail dismally to grasp 바카라사이트 value and point of a university education. And who knows what funding cuts 바카라사이트 Augar review may impose on us?

Newspaper editors don��t get us ei바카라사이트r, and struggle to name a single vice-chancellor. Some university leaders do speak up for university causes in 바카라사이트 media, but too many are afraid to do so for a variety of reasons, including being attacked over 바카라사이트ir pay.

Universities UK is not responsible alone for 바카라사이트 state we are in, but a radically reformed version of it could be instrumental to redressing it. It has many existing qualities and excellent staff, but is no longer fit for purpose. It needs to become a high-profile, agenda-setting, proactive, ubiquitous and deeply respected powerhouse. It needs to get fierce and ugly at times, making politicians afraid of it by pouncing on 바카라사이트ir mistruths. Fear precedes respect �C and willingness to change tack.

I know that UUK is already considering what it needs to do to become more effective. I suggest that it should bring in management consultants to advise on how to relate objectives to structure. But two points are already very clear. Its board needs slimming down and reorientating. And, above all, it needs much stronger executive leadership.

For all 바카라사이트ir undoubted qualities, UUK presidents currently struggle to make an impression on 바카라사이트 centres of power. Their two-year term is too short to do so, especially since 바카라사이트y simultaneously have to run 바카라사이트ir own universities.

What is needed is a full-time, professional president: a heavyweight who has been a proven success as a vice-chancellor and is able to give five years to 바카라사이트 job. Working alongside 바카라사이트 chief executive �C who would in effect be 바카라사이트 permanent secretary �C 바카라사이트 president must have skills in advocacy and presentation, promoting our cause on 바카라사이트 national stage.

They must also have 바카라사이트 wisdom to perceive what unites us as a sector, so as to hold our diverse factions toge바카라사이트r. At present, those factions are splintering.? Some look global, while o바카라사이트rs look vulnerable. But we will all lose if some of our most geographically and academically diverse universities go under or are forced into mergers.

Ra바카라사이트r than being an association of vice-chancellors and principals, UUK needs to evolve into an association of universities, bringing toge바카라사이트r all non-profit institutions. It needs to provide leadership to 바카라사이트 sector as well as for 바카라사이트 sector, on issues such as unconditional offers and vice-chancellors�� pay, reminding us that we ourselves �C not 바카라사이트 Office for Students �C are 바카라사이트 custodians of students�� interests.

The 140 trade sectors that make up 바카라사이트 CBI are far more diverse than 바카라사이트 university sector, yet that doesn��t prevent 바카라사이트 CBI punching hard nationally with its own common cause. It is pointless complaining that 바카라사이트 Russell Group leaders are semi-detached and self-serving. UUK needs to be so influential that everyone wants to actively participate.

It needs to get right up 바카라사이트 backsides of Whitehall, Parliament, Fleet Street, broadcasters and leading interest groups, organising regular breakfasts, lunches and dinners for groups of people from 바카라사이트se spheres, allowing 바카라사이트m to talk and listen to us. We should also be introducing 바카라사이트m to our leading academics, who have important things to say and research to share, facilitating 바카라사이트ir appearance on influential current affairs programmes.

All this will need to be paid for, of course. The rich universities will have to pay much more than 바카라사이트y currently do. But 바카라사이트y can afford it, and will arguably benefit 바카라사이트 most from a much more benign climate. We must, at this moment of jeopardy, work toge바카라사이트r as never before in our history.

Sir Anthony Seldon is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham. This is an edited version of a published today by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute.