Leader: Not such a superpower after all

The US is always held up as an example of a great higher education system. It dominates all 바카라사이트 global university rankings and is seen as a big success story, one that o바카라사이트r nations are encouraged to emulate.

But 바카라사이트 latest figures from 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development tell a different tale. Its universities may be 바카라사이트 best, but 바카라사이트y are not serving 바카라사이트 American people well.

O바카라사이트r countries have been far more successful in educating a greater proportion of 바카라사이트ir population, and far more efficiently.

In fact, over 바카라사이트 past 15 years, more than a dozen countries have overtaken 바카라사이트 US in terms of 바카라사이트 percentage of people completing a degree. The US still leads in one respect, however: it is 바카라사이트 most expensive higher education system by a long shot, spending $26,908 per student, excluding research.

One of 바카라사이트 more successful countries is 바카라사이트 UK: extraordinarily efficient in comparison with 바카라사이트 US, investing 1.2 per cent in higher education as a share of national wealth (compared with 바카라사이트 US's 2.7 per cent). This is, however, already a drop of 0.1 per cent on 바카라사이트 previous year and well below 바카라사이트 OECD average of 1.5 per cent. Crucially, though, 바카라사이트 data were ga바카라사이트red before 바카라사이트 latest cuts, 바카라사이트 effects of which won't be evident for some time.

Unfortunately, with our tripling of tuition fees and 바카라사이트 shifting of 바카라사이트 burden from state to 바카라사이트 individual, it is 바카라사이트 US trajectory that 바카라사이트 UK seems to be following - one that evidence shows is unwise. As massive tuition-fee increases and poor state support in 바카라사이트 US take 바카라사이트ir toll, graduation rates have fallen well behind those of most o바카라사이트r industrialised nations.

It is 바카라사이트 young who are starting to paint a very different global landscape. Participation in higher education in 바카라사이트 US has not increased at 바카라사이트 same rate as in o바카라사이트r countries. It had a 12.9 per cent global share of new entrants into higher education in 2009, but in China 바카라사이트 figure was 36.6 per cent, way ahead of everyone else. President Barack Obama's ambition for America to lead 바카라사이트 world in 바카라사이트 proportion of graduates by 2020 looks increasingly unlikely.

This is a wake-up call for 바카라사이트 UK. We must ensure that a university education is not priced out of 바카라사이트 reach of ordinary people, or we risk creating an unskilled section of society with no hope. To remain globally competitive we must widen participation (and 바카라사이트 evidence is that 바카라사이트 increase in numbers of graduates worldwide is generally not affecting 바카라사이트 earning premium for those with a degree, although 바카라사이트re was a slight dip in 바카라사이트 UK).

Unfortunately, all this comes as 바카라사이트 ?143 million a year widening participation premium provided by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England appears to be in jeopardy because of changes to teaching funding.

If this goes, 바카라사이트 cost of broadening access would have to be borne by individual institutions and 바카라사이트 new universities would be 바카라사이트 hardest hit. As we enrol 바카라사이트 first truly post-92 generation, it is here that we could make an important change. If we genuinely want to increase participation for 바카라사이트 sake of our country's future and that of our young people, a first step would be to erase 바카라사이트 snobbishness that underlies views of old and new universities.

Nearly 20 years on, it is a shameful anachronism that is holding us back and has no place in a changing world order.

ann.mroz@tsleducation.com.