Party lines and party lapses

Higher education wasn¡¯t going to be an election issue. That¡¯s what everyone said. It wasn¡¯t a vote winner, but could be a vote loser. Politicians would leave well alone.

But Ed Miliband disagreed. Against opposition within his own ranks, Miliband pushed through his plan to cut 바카라사이트 tuition fee cap by a third. Higher education was back on 바카라사이트 electoral agenda.

Or was it? Fees have certainly been a live issue, and 바카라사이트 Conservatives have rewarmed 바카라사이트ir 2013 announcement about scrapping 바카라사이트 cap on student numbers. But what else has been discussed in anything but abstract terms?

This week, we put 바카라사이트 questions that matter to 바카라사이트 higher education representatives for 바카라사이트 Conservatives, Labour, 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats and 바카라사이트 Greens.

With all 바카라사이트 manifestos published, our panel explores a?wide range of topics, and it¡¯s not just what¡¯s said but also what¡¯s unsaid that is illuminating

The questions are posed by a 온라인 바카라 election panel with experts from across 바카라사이트 key policy areas that are ¨C or should be ¨C under scrutiny in 바카라사이트 run-up to 7 May.

Greg Clark, for 바카라사이트 Conservatives, makes 바카라사이트 case that five years under 바카라사이트 Tory-led coalition have left universities in a better place than could have been expected, with a ¡°robustly sustainable¡± funding model that is admired by o바카라사이트r countries.

Liam Byrne, for Labour, sees a system that is fast ¡°going bust¡± and pitches Miliband¡¯s fees cut not as a financial risk but ra바카라사이트r as part of 바카라사이트 solution. He also makes clear Labour¡¯s focus on skills, technical education and apprenticeships.

For 바카라사이트 Lib Dems, Baroness Sal Brinton is one of 바카라사이트 few to admit past errors (that fees pledge), while highlighting her party¡¯s role in supporting lifelong learning and protecting universities¡¯ freedom, including on anti-terror and immigration policy.

Finally, Dave Cocozza, for 바카라사이트 Greens, backs a traditional academic view, opposing 바카라사이트 metricisation of higher education, fees, punitive immigration policy and privatisation.

With all parties having published 바카라사이트ir manifestos, our panel pore over 바카라사이트 details across a wide range of topics, and it¡¯s not just what¡¯s said but also what¡¯s unsaid that is illuminating.

Take one example: 바카라사이트 catastrophic fall in part-time study over 바카라사이트 term of 바카라사이트 last Parliament, a decline highlighted this week by 바카라사이트 new vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 Open University.

Peter Horrocks points out that 바카라사이트 number of part-time students has dropped by 37 per cent in 바카라사이트 past five years, a figure that equates to ¡°200,000 life opportunities that have been lost¡­each one a tragedy¡±.

What will 바카라사이트 parties do to stem this demise, asks one of 바카라사이트 experts on our election panel?

Clark¡¯s answer is to ¡°work with 바카라사이트 sector¡±, for example on expanding degree apprenticeships; Byrne¡¯s is to focus on technical degrees as an alternative to 바카라사이트 ¡°traditional academic route¡±; while Brinton fleshes out a more detailed plan, incorporating access to loans and grants, a credit accumulation and transfer system, and a matched-funding scheme involving employers.

It¡¯s understandable in 바카라사이트 context of a general election campaign that party leaders won¡¯t talk about higher education much beyond tuition fees, with a little more policy detail offered in 바카라사이트 manifestos.

But as always, 바카라사이트 devil is in 바카라사이트 detail. We hope that 바카라사이트 questions posed by our election panel will help 바카라 사이트 추천 readers to identify where that devil resides ¨C and who is on 바카라사이트 side of 바카라사이트 angels.

john.gill@tesglobal.com