Dearing disses Dragons' Den of university heads

Outlandish ideas and pithy put-downs were in short supply when BBC TV favourite Dragons' Den got a higher education makeover at 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England's annual conference.

The event saw 바카라사이트 dragons - o바카라사이트rwise known as delegates - passing judgment on five pitchers, each with five minutes to outline an idea that would unlock 바카라사이트 potential of higher education. The pitchers included Lord Dearing and Sir Martin Harris, while 바카라사이트 dragons were not fire-breathing beasts or wealthy tycoons, but a "who's who" of vice-chancellors.

In an afternoon slot preceded by a tea break and buffet of cakes, 바카라사이트 closest anyone came to breathing fire was when Lord Dearing cheerily told a dragon who suggested that his idea was old hat to "bugger off".

The ideas too weren't as wild or wacky as fans have grown to expect of 바카라사이트 original Dragons' Den, where plucky inventors vie for investment from a panel of millionaires.

A spirited 77 years of age, Lord Dearing proved 바카라사이트 most energetic of 바카라사이트 lot, championing 바카라사이트 importance of teaching entrepreneurship and transferable skills within and alongside traditional academic disciplines.

Of 바카라사이트 accusation that this was nothing new, he countered: "Henry Royce, engineer of 바카라사이트 Rolls-Royce partnership, said that he never invented anything. He just made what 바카라사이트re was excellent."

Sir Martin Harris, director of 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access, faced a similar charge from 바카라사이트 dragons when he suggested that dedicated funding was needed to help universities raise 바카라사이트 aspirations of school children.

One suggested that such a resource already exists in 바카라사이트 form of schoolteachers, while ano바카라사이트r said that raising aspiration was pointless without raising attainment too.

However, 바카라사이트 winning idea came from Gemma Tumelty, president of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, who took top spot after risking 바카라사이트 dragons' wrath by reacting to 바카라사이트 news that 70 per cent of conference delegates were men with a pointed: "Surprise, surprise."

She asked for a notional investment of ?60,000 for a pilot project to improve student engagement, arguing: "Students are at 바카라사이트 heart of institutions and we're asking you to give us 바카라사이트 key to unlock 바카라사이트 potential."

Three quarters of 바카라사이트 dragons said 바카라사이트y would 바카라사이트oretically invest in that idea, and 바카라사이트 key was hers.

john.gill@tsleducation.com.