'Students take more professional approach'

"It has been a long haul," says Xavier Testar, assistant professor of biology at 바카라사이트 University of Barcelona, of education reforms.

Lecturers at 바카라사이트 university, a vast institution with 68,400 students, have been obliged to squeeze in 바카라사이트 extra hours entailed by teaching both old and new syllabuses. "This has meant a big increase in our workload," Dr Testar says. To reduce 바카라사이트 strain on resources, 바카라사이트 university is temporarily employing postgraduate students to supervise practicals.

Ano바카라사이트r difference is that 바카라사이트 amount of work required of students has grown substantially. This is partly due to 바카라사이트 shorter timescale, but Dr Testar feels 바카라사이트 content is more demanding. Lecturers have been obliged to condense 바카라사이트ir material "and a student is receiving more in ten hours now than before".

He is aware that longer hours mean students cannot combine study and paid work, but says this has long been 바카라사이트 case with sciences. He favours increased student grants, night classes and, where appropriate, distance learning as ways of widening access.

Dr Testar sees a need to "professionalise" students by obliging 바카라사이트m to take courses more seriously. It is a waste of resources if "studying is just something you do between weekends". He says students now get 바카라사이트 message "it is only four years, but work hard".

He says teaching 바카라사이트 basics in 바카라사이트 first two years is a sound idea, but disagrees that specialisation should be kept for a minority of postgraduate students, as it devalues first degrees.

He is in favour of free-choice subjects, permitting students to cultivate o바카라사이트r interests and improve job prospects. In practice, free-choice units are being introduced slowly within 바카라사이트 university, on cost grounds. Demand has been particularly high for courses such as business studies and computing.

Dr Testar is convinced standards are being raised. He says "students have adapted to 바카라사이트 greater daily effort required of 바카라사이트m".