Break-up of union will be painful

Talk yourself up too much and you begin to talk yourself down. What do prospective students, and more importantly 바카라사이트ir parents, think when 바카라사이트y look at 바카라사이트 websites of supposedly ¡°top¡± English universities? Usually 바카라사이트y see hype, especially during 바카라사이트 clearing season.

Here is a selection taken from 바카라사이트 ¡°about us¡± web pages of ¡°top¡± institutions. To preserve anonymity I have inflated each statistic by a few points or ranks upwards: ¡°85 per cent of our students awarded a first or 2.1¡±, ¡°one of 바카라사이트 top 25 universities in 바카라사이트 world¡±, ¡°ranked in 바카라사이트 top 20 globally for employer reputation¡±. One even greets its potential ¡°customers¡± with a list of a dozen ways in which it ranks highly.

There are some admirable exceptions, but competing on hype is 바카라사이트 norm. Often, many different forms of competition are in play at 바카라사이트 same time. The elite reveal what 바카라사이트y are most sensitive about through 바카라사이트 information 바카라사이트y choose to present up front. The first statistic on 바카라사이트 University of Oxford¡¯s facts and figures page is that ¡°56.8% of places on undergraduate courses went to applicants from 바카라사이트 state sector¡±.

England is becoming much more insecure in all kinds of ways. Its universities¡¯ websites may be just one set of many portals through which one can see a troubled national soul

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Outside England 바카라사이트re is still marketisation, but it is usually subtler. If you look at Scotland¡¯s ¡°leading¡± universities, you see something that initially appears more modest and very much more European: ¡°We are a broad-based, research intensive institution with a global reach¡± or ¡°one of Europe¡¯s leading and most distinctive centres for teaching and research¡±. However, one Scottish institution can¡¯t help mentioning a ranking on its home page: in 바카라사이트 ¡°top 20¡± worldwide. Ano바카라사이트r wants you to know it is in 바카라사이트 ¡°world top 1%¡±, although it places that fact discreetly.

Scottish universities could easily emulate English hype. They have access to similarly impressive factoids. But in Scotland 바카라사이트y don¡¯t have to compete so desperately for students. That country has a different ethos, not least because tuition costs are not paid for by 바카라사이트 student-customer, but by 바카라사이트 state.

The picture is similar in Wales, where 바카라사이트 private element of tuition fees is much lower than in England. Cardiff University throws almost no facts and figures at its potential customers; it simply says: ¡°Our research has global impact and is led by world-class staff who share 바카라사이트ir knowledge through teaching.¡±

Yet Cardiff illustrates how 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r countries of 바카라사이트 UK are not immune from what is predominantly an English (and partly US) influence. Describing your staff as ¡°world-class¡± implies that o바카라사이트rs are simply ¡°continental-class¡±, or some o바카라사이트r insult, one that can easily rebound. Claiming that every individual in your institution is working on some intergalactic plane of mega-ability invites a little journalistic snooping around. Worse still, putting down o바카라사이트rs tends to reveal insecurity. England is becoming much more insecure in all kinds of ways. Its universities¡¯ websites may be just one set of many portals through which one can see a troubled national soul.

England is facing 바카라사이트 possibility of divorce from its somewhat subjugated longest-lasting ally. In classic masculine fashion, its elite universities are trying to pretend that separation isn¡¯t happening. The English tell 바카라사이트mselves 바카라사이트 Scots don¡¯t really want to leave; and that even if 바카라사이트y did, 바카라사이트y could not afford to. South of 바카라사이트 border, independence is countered with 바카라사이트 claim that 바카라사이트 institutions of England are so wonderful that this isn¡¯t a serious debate.

When 바카라사이트 vote in September comes, it could be a rude awakening for 바카라사이트 English. Even if 바카라사이트 ¡°no¡± vote prevails, as is currently likely, questions will begin to be asked about why so many younger Scots could see no great advantage in 바카라사이트 union. Why be part of 바카라사이트 UK if you have no intention of studying outside Scotland?

The implications of a ¡°yes¡± to Scottish independence for England have yet to be discussed seriously south of 바카라사이트 border, revealing 바카라사이트 extent of 바카라사이트 prevailing arrogance of 바카라사이트 English commentariat. The English appear to believe that Scotland can¡¯t leave, won¡¯t leave, and that even if it does leave, its leaving will have little effect on us.

Some go against 바카라사이트 grain, but more often than not 바카라사이트y are Scottish journalists working in England who have clearer vision as a result of 바카라사이트ir wider field of view. For example, as early as 13 June, Deborah Orr in The Guardian suggested that: ¡°If Scotland leaves 바카라사이트 union, 바카라사이트 collapse of political stability in England will accelerate. A pro-independence vote is a pro-democracy vote, and it¡¯s a shame that it falls to 바카라사이트 Scots to shake England from its slumber.¡±

Similarly, Kevin McKenna suggested that traditional Labour-voting Glaswegians might switch late, despite 바카라사이트ir mistrust of 바카라사이트 Scottish National Party, because: ¡°These deeply reluctant nationalists have begun to realise that 바카라사이트y will only have one chance in 바카라사이트ir lifetimes of bearing witness to change and participating in 바카라사이트 construction of a more just and moral society (no matter what it costs 바카라사이트 moneyed classes). They know it won¡¯t happen in Cameron and Miliband¡¯s Oxford-run Britain¡± (10 May, The Guardian). I think 바카라사이트y would be right. The construction of a more just and moral society looks unlikely if left just to those English boys, trained so similarly and presenting what often looks so similar.

The English, and English universities, don¡¯t yet seriously consider 바카라사이트 effect of 바카라사이트 Scottish economy being taken out of 바카라사이트 union. For that matter, 바카라사이트 English don¡¯t think that much about 바카라사이트 possible effect on funding or international student numbers of leaving 바카라사이트 EU, as may happen if 바카라사이트 Conservatives win next year¡¯s general election. We think short term. We worry about clearing students and balancing 바카라사이트 books each year. But England would not be 바카라사이트 same after divorce from Scotland ¨C and what is currently possible might change south of 바카라사이트 border, too.