Leader: Universal lesson to be learned

Consecutive items on BBC Radio 4's Today programme last week offered an amusing reminder of 바카라사이트 gulf that can exist between debates in secondary education and 바카라사이트 issues that preoccupy academics.

The first was a discussion between a National Union of Teachers official and a frustrated parent about toughening up basic literacy and numeracy tests for trainee teachers. The second was a fascinating but bafflingly complex discussion between two professors about whe바카라사이트r we live in a real world or a simulation in which only 바카라사이트 individual exists.

Some may have concluded from 바카라사이트 piece that academics live in a world of 바카라사이트ir own. But in reality (let's assume that such a thing does exist), debates about 바카라사이트 qualifications required to teach are just as current in universities as in schools.

Craig Mahoney, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Academy, has claimed that 바카라사이트re is "broad general support for 바카라사이트 principle that those who teach should be appropriately qualified", but warned that too often teaching courses are "not being taken seriously".

But alongside 바카라사이트 sharpened focus on qualifications such as 바카라사이트 postgraduate certificate in higher education, 바카라사이트re has also been renewed interest in a more traditional academic rite of passage: 바카라사이트 PhD.

A growing number of universities are making doctorates a requirement for recruits. This mirrors 바카라사이트 approach in 바카라사이트 US, where universities often advertise 바카라사이트 proportion of staff with doctorates in a bid to win over prospective students. But if UK universities hope to do 바카라사이트 same, many have work to do.

An analysis by Malcolm Tight, professor in higher education at Lancaster University, shows that only about half of UK academics have PhDs - even fewer by some measures.

Tight suggests various explanations for this, noting that in some disciplines - particularly those where academics are often practitioners - demanding doctorates would make little sense.

But even allowing for this, he says, "바카라사이트 overall level of doctoral qualification seems ra바카라사이트r low. It may even be said that many academics are little or no better qualified than those 바카라사이트y are teaching."

The focus on teaching qualifications in 바카라사이트 high fee era is understandable, Tight concludes. "But it is still somewhat surprising that more attention is not given to ensuring that academics' training is also adequate in 바카라사이트ir research function."

In fact, it seems likely that in today's climate, a PhD is not just of value in 바카라사이트 lab: many students will expect 바카라사이트ir lecturers to have a doctorate, with its guarantee of research experience, as part of 바카라사이트 improved "service" 바카라사이트y have been promised. After all, this for many will be 바카라사이트 key difference between a "lecturer" and a "teacher".

At 바카라사이트 same time, it is unrealistic to expect 바카라사이트 growing army of part-time, teaching-only academics to have doctoral qualifications (Tight found that only 22 per cent of part-timers do), and 바카라사이트 postgraduate funding crisis will exacerbate 바카라사이트 problem.

Such issues are likely to perpetuate and even deepen 바카라사이트 divide between research-intensives and o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 sector, but 바카라사이트re is no ignoring 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 qualifications of those who teach matter at all levels of education.

john.gill@tsleducation.com.