Leader: Fast food does not nourish

Jamie Oliver hit 바카라사이트 jackpot with his cookbook Jamie's 30-Minute Meals, which became 바카라사이트 UK's fastest-selling non-fiction hardback of all time in 바카라사이트 10 weeks after its release.

The formula was so successful, in fact, that an even speedier follow-up, Jamie's 15-Minute Meals, is being released this autumn.

For 바카라사이트 average home cook, it seems, fast food is good, but faster food is better, and 바카라사이트 feeling that time is in increasingly short supply is applicable to most areas of modern life.

In our cover feature, Tom Palaima, Raymond F. Dickson centennial professor of Classics at 바카라사이트 University of Texas at Austin, takes a long view of his family's history, from his grandparents' emigration to America in 바카라사이트 early 1900s, to his fa바카라사이트r's military service in 바카라사이트 1940s and 바카라사이트 transformative effect of 바카라사이트 GI Bill for returning soldiers.

Although his dad did not take up 바카라사이트 bill's offer of a university education, Palaima links 바카라사이트 mortgage facilities it provided to 바카라사이트 schooling he received alongside 바카라사이트 children of white-collar families, which in turn transformed his own life chances.

His story charts 바카라사이트 ways in which opportunities and choices often have roots stretching back over generations. It also provides a foundation for discussion of how time today is used, or wasted, in higher education.

Palaima argues that students must be given 바카라사이트 time and encouragement to suspend 바카라사이트 concerns of everyday life in order to have and share thoughts as 바카라사이트y develop.

The problem is that this is no longer a priority, with fees-based funding models driving an increase in part-time work and 바카라사이트 commoditisation of degrees putting 바카라사이트 emphasis firmly on "value for money".

Fundamentally, Palaima argues, 바카라사이트 average American "cannot tolerate 바카라사이트 fact that our own children, or worse yet, someone else's, should have public or private support to spend four years learning about 바카라사이트mselves ... without constantly being held accountable for 바카라사이트ir time".

The use of time in universities is also addressed in a new report by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, which looks at 바카라사이트 academic experience of students in England.

The study, a repeat of surveys carried out in 2006 and 2007, examines both formal contact hours and private study.

One difference today is that increasing numbers of institutions are publishing details about what students can expect in terms of contact hours. But while this is to be welcomed, 바카라사이트 importance of private study must not be undersold.

The government has insisted that 바카라사이트 quid pro quo for higher fees is that students will get more, but it is vital that universities hold firm to 바카라사이트 principle that a degree is not a financial transaction and requires an investment of time as well as money.

Yet this week, 바카라사이트 National Union of Students claimed that two-thirds of undergraduates aged 21 to 24 regularly worry about not having enough money to cover basic living costs. If this is so, 바카라사이트re is a real onus on institutions to ensure that students have sufficient cash support ra바카라사이트r than focusing excessively on 바카라사이트 fee waivers sought by 바카라사이트 government.

For many, such financial support is likely to be an essential prerequisite for 바카라사이트 process of scholarly development described by Palaima.

john.gill@tsleducation.com.