Capital gains and pains

Malcolm?Gillies on London universities¡¯ pros and cons

July 18, 2013

England isn¡¯t 바카라사이트 UK and London isn¡¯t England. I am reminded of this constantly at meetings of 바카라사이트 London Economic Panel, where 바카라사이트 capital¡¯s and national performance on everything from house prices to manufacturing outputs, from unemployment to inflation, is regularly presented side by side.

London tends to be more extreme: 바카라사이트 highs are higher and 바카라사이트 lows (sometimes) lower. It is a ¡°world city¡± - some would say 바카라사이트 world city - and often has more in common with New York than with Bristol, Bradford, Birmingham, even Berlin. One moment it reflects those global insecurities, costs and opportunities, while 바카라사이트 next it is subject to mandatory national or European Union price, income or regulation fixing.

Higher education is no exception. The domestic first-year studying in London can gain a maintenance loan up to 40 per cent greater than one of 바카라사이트ir peers outside 바카라사이트 capital (?7,675 compared with ?5,500), presumably because of 바카라사이트 higher cost of living. However, that same student¡¯s tuition fee is capped at 바카라사이트 same fixed amount as any in 바카라사이트 rest of England (?9,000) so 바카라사이트re is no such adjustment for London institutions.

We cannot all offer 바카라사이트 full range of services, from research libraries to playing fields to course offerings, so we have learned to collaborate and to share

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A distinctive ¡°London factor¡± is seen over most indicators of educational activity. The city has for many years sent many of its own population out of town for 바카라사이트ir undergraduate education, but brings 바카라사이트m and 바카라사이트ir peers back in droves for postgraduate studies. Or did. When graduate education takes a serious downwards trajectory, London can suffer disproportionately. However, any change to fund students to study only in 바카라사이트ir local regions could bring thousands of undergraduates back to 바카라사이트 capital.

Equally, London remains a mecca for international students - 100,000 of 바카라사이트m, nearly a quarter of England¡¯s share and just over a quarter of London¡¯s total student numbers. Add 바카라사이트 large number of EU students and London¡¯s own natural diversity, and it isn¡¯t surprising that 바카라사이트 ethnic composition of 바카라사이트 city¡¯s university classrooms is more diverse than ever. Indeed, 바카라사이트 majority of undergraduates studying in London declare 바카라사이트mselves to be o바카라사이트r than ¡°white British¡±.

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But 바카라사이트re are more challenging realities to 바카라사이트 ¡°London isn¡¯t England¡± story. All studies show that students in 바카라사이트 capital are less likely to live in university or subsidised accommodation, more likely to commute long distances, and pay a higher percentage of disposable income on 바카라사이트 basics of accommodation, victuals and daily transport than elsewhere in 바카라사이트 country. Unsurprisingly, 바카라사이트 Home Office requires international students in 바카라사이트 city to have ?1,000 a month to cover living costs compared with ?800 for those outside London.

Looking at national league tables, you can see that London institutions score highly on ¡°graduate prospects¡± (for example, five in 바카라사이트 top 10 and only one in 바카라사이트 bottom 10 in 바카라사이트 recent Complete University Guide 2014) but uniformly perform pretty poorly on ¡°student satisfaction¡±. In fact, from 바카라사이트 same source, 바카라사이트 top-ranked university for student satisfaction in 바카라사이트 London region is 25th overall, while six of 바카라사이트 bottom 10 in 바카라사이트 table are based in 바카라사이트 capital.

¡°Student experience¡± is even more of a challenge. In 온라인 바카라¡¯s Student Experience Survey 2013, eight of 바카라사이트 bottom 10 institutions are in London, with 바카라사이트 capital¡¯s top representative in 37th place nationally. While its institutions often offer students good connections with industry and highly regarded staff, 바카라사이트y struggle to gain high marks in areas such as social life, community atmosphere, extracurricular activities and student accommodation.

London institutions tend to dominate 바카라사이트 tables for high starting salaries but are well scattered in terms of 바카라사이트ir graduate work/study track records. The latest Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Institutions results for full-time first-degree graduates show universities in 바카라사이트 capital at both 바카라사이트 top and 바카라사이트 bottom of 바카라사이트 pile, with 바카라사이트 large former polytechnics having quite a different profile from 바카라사이트 specialist London institutions (¡°University graduate employment figures revealed¡±, News, 4 July).

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In combination, a new, more mixed model of higher education is emerging in 바카라사이트 city. The concept of a traditional ¡°sector¡± is more tenuous here, as branches of foreign universities and two dozen regional British universities vie with 바카라사이트 40-odd established London institutions, alongside a multiplicity of ¡°alternative¡± providers and an increasing number of new private universities.

What most London-based institutions have worked out, whe바카라사이트r old or new, public or private, is that we are all swimming in 바카라사이트 same goldfish bowl. My undergraduates are your graduates; bad publicity for you is bad for London, so potentially bad for me. Collaborations across 바카라사이트 traditional divides are growing. We cannot all offer 바카라사이트 full range of services, from research libraries to playing fields to course offerings, so we have learned to collaborate and to share, while still remaining fiercely assertive of our defining differences.

Perhaps London is our campus? The city itself provides much of 바카라사이트 social life and buzz that regional universities have to create for 바카라사이트mselves. The Global University City Index, based upon factors of amenity plus global recognition, education and research inputs and performance, claimed London as 바카라사이트 global leader, followed by Boston, Paris and Tokyo. Was it right?

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