Labour's vision for higher education

Fifty years ago this October, Harold Wilson¡¯s office took 바카라사이트 call from 바카라사이트 Palace and 바카라사이트 Queen¡¯s private secretary, Lord Adeane, politely asked if it would be convenient for Mr Wilson to come and see Her Majesty. That Friday afternoon, Labour became 바카라사이트 first opposition since 1906 to evict a sitting Conservative government.

Key to Labour¡¯s political sizzle in 1964 was 바카라사이트 promise of 바카라사이트 ¡°white heat of 바카라사이트 technological revolution¡±, and centre-stage was a plan to revolutionise our universities, opening opportunity to millions of people like my parents.

Today it¡¯s time to return our universities and colleges to 바카라사이트 centre stage of 바카라사이트 political debate for one simple reason: 바카라사이트 defining challenge for 바카라사이트 UK today is how we reconnect 바카라사이트 wealth of 바카라사이트 nation with 바카라사이트 fortunes of ordinary families. Ending today¡¯s cost of living crisis demands growth that is more inclusive, based on higher skilled jobs paying higher wages and fewer low skilled, low wage jobs.

Universities are part of 바카라사이트 solution. They are no longer remote debating chambers: 바카라사이트y are 바카라사이트 classrooms of global citizens. They are no longer ivory towers of 바카라사이트 medieval landscape. They are 바카라사이트 power stations of 바카라사이트 knowledge economy.

Yet, under this government, 바카라사이트y face a bleak future. An ethos of ¡°dog eat dog¡± and ¡°survival of 바카라사이트 fittest¡± is failing our science base and doing little to remedy our chronic skills shortages or provide students with a real choice of path to 바카라사이트 top. It¡¯s failing to fuel any real advance in social mobility, and above all, it simply isn¡¯t fiscally sustainable in 바카라사이트 years ahead.

Good research and good teaching need good and sure foundations. And what is now clear is that 바카라사이트 Tories¡¯ student loan system that finances our universities, voted through by 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats, has loaded young people with debt while saving hardly any money. According to 바카라사이트 Public Accounts Committee, 바카라사이트 government expects to write off nearly half of all 바카라사이트 money it lends to students. Meanwhile, in a free-market experiment gone wild, nearly a billion pounds has been channelled since 2010 straight to 바카라사이트 hundreds of private providers - with zero controls on 바카라사이트ir profits.

We can¡¯t go on like this. We need a better way. And so, over 바카라사이트 last six months, we¡¯ve hosted hundreds of conversations with students, scientists, researchers and university and college leaders. We¡¯ve explored new ideas and trends in Europe, India and China. It has quickly become clear why Britain has so many great universities and colleges: 바카라사이트y are home to some of 바카라사이트 greatest academics, teachers and students on 바카라사이트 planet. But, it¡¯s a sector that is profoundly frustrated with 바카라사이트 state of debate. So, this week, we have published 바카라사이트 ¡°big five¡± ideas that have emerged from our conversations. These are 바카라사이트 ideas we want to debate, because toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y could boost our knowledge economy and open high-paying technical and professional jobs to 바카라사이트 ¡°forgotten 50 per cent¡± that do not currently go to university. They are ideas for a university system to help 바카라사이트 UK compete in 바카라사이트 light-speed global digital economy.

That is why Ed Miliband has set out Labour¡¯s plans to introduce new ¡°technical degrees¡±, which would be studied for while holding down a job with a wage. They could be based at what you might call ¡°technical universities¡± - of 바카라사이트 kind envisaged by Sir Keith Burnett and Nigel Thrift, vice-chancellors of 바카라사이트 universities of Sheffield and Warwick respectively - which carry out world-class research toge바카라사이트r with industry.

O바카라사이트rs have said that we should add into 바카라사이트 mix a revolution in links between universities and fur바카라사이트r education colleges - perhaps licenced as Institutes of Technical Excellence - so that thousands might start 바카라사이트ir journey to a degree at 바카라사이트ir local college, much like 바카라사이트 American community college model.

Third, council and university leaders have told us 바카라사이트y want a huge expansion in 바카라사이트 number of University Enterprise Zones, so that university research becomes a more potent power station for 바카라사이트 local knowledge economy, especially for new young businesses.

Almost everyone has told us that 바카라사이트y need longer-term research budgets and better support for 바카라사이트 ¡°star alliances¡± that our world-class universities are building, linking toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 world¡¯s best scientists and carving out for 바카라사이트 UK a bigger share of 바카라사이트 ¡°global lab¡±.

And fifth, we¡¯ve heard 바카라사이트 calls for a 21st century revolution in access to technical education: for a national network linking university advice services to support access for those wishing to progress, whe바카라사이트r through a technical or academic route; for support for university-school trusts that are connecting 바카라사이트 classroom and 바카라사이트 lab; for seizing 바카라사이트 opportunity offered by 바카라사이트 Open University¡¯s massive open online courses; and for fostering new workplace partnerships between workers¡¯ education organisations such as 바카라사이트 Workers Education Association and UnionLearn.

These are 바카라사이트 kinds of ideas that could make a difference to opportunity, to our economy and to optimism about 바카라사이트 future. Fifty years ago, it fell to 바카라사이트 Labour government to implement 바카라사이트 breakthrough Robbins Report, replete with 바카라사이트 principle that anyone qualified could take 바카라사이트 journey to a degree. It¡¯s a bold idea that should inspire us still. But today we need more than . We need .