Leader: Missions trail leads to success

It is "a sort of magical land". A place where 바카라사이트 mood is of "excitement and adventure", where 바카라사이트 salaries are high and 바카라사이트 "can-do-ism" is infectious.

If this testimony from UK scholars lured to Californian universities does not seem quite utopian enough, 바카라사이트 climate 바카라사이트re is also "perfect", 바카라사이트y say in our cover story.

Bright blue skies are more conducive to blue-skies thinking, it seems.

Such is 바카라사이트 lure of 바카라사이트 Golden State that 바카라사이트 astronomer Richard Ellis has twice been persuaded to leave 바카라사이트 UK for 바카라사이트 California Institute of Technology - first from 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge and later from a prestigious Royal Institution professorship at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford.

The undeniable quality of Californian institutions from both 바카라사이트 public and 바카라사이트 private sector is affirmed by 바카라사이트 2010-11 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings. Three are ranked in 바카라사이트 top 10, with Caltech in second place, just behind Harvard University. Four more Californian institutions sit among 바카라사이트 top 50.

What makes Californian higher education so great? First, 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 statewide culture that embraces diversity and is open to ideas and adventure. Second, 바카라사이트re is its huge economy and its traditional recognition that 바카라사이트 state's fortunes are tied to higher education, so taxpayers' support for 바카라사이트 public university system historically has been strong.

However, this settlement is being challenged by 바카라사이트 state's financial situation and 바카라사이트 swingeing cuts to 바카라사이트 system's budget proposed this week. Governor Jerry Brown plans $1.4 billion (?900 million) of retrenchment, $500 million for 바카라사이트 University of California alone. Its president, Mark G. Yudof, describes 바카라사이트 move as a "sad day for California". He's right.

However, 바카라사이트re is a third element, perhaps 바카라사이트 most vital of all, and it offers a valuable lesson to 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world - especially England as its universities enter 바카라사이트 world of market forces with 바카라사이트 imminent introduction of genuinely variable tuition fees. The key is a clearly defined mission for all 바카라사이트 system's constituents. The coalition is interested: indeed, David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, has often spoken of his enthusiasm for 바카라사이트 model.

In 바카라사이트 1920s, California established a higher education system with three tiers, each with a distinct role, distinctions reinforced by 바카라사이트 1960 "Master Plan". The University of California, with its 10 separate research-intensive campuses led by Berkeley, occupies 바카라사이트 top tier. Below sit 바카라사이트 23 campuses of 바카라사이트 California State University system, which offer bachelor's and master's degrees, but not doctorates. This is underpinned by a third component - 바카라사이트 massive community college system, with 110 campuses.

The plan imposes differentiation on all public higher education in California: each institution knows its niche and sticks to a well-defined purpose. Quite 바카라사이트 opposite has happened in 바카라사이트 UK, where universities, pre- and post-1992, look increasingly alike in what has been described as a "race to 바카라사이트 middle".

This is unsustainable. Like its Californian counterpart, 바카라사이트 English sector should embrace diversity and differentiation. Universities that fail to establish a distinctive mission and do not carve out a niche may struggle to survive in 바카라사이트 coming marketplace.

phil.baty@tsleducation.com.