Dearing must not be a smokescreen

Less than a week after 바카라사이트 May Day general election was announced, 바카라사이트 first instances are already being reported of politicians citing 바카라사이트 Dearing inquiry as 바카라사이트 reason why it is terribly difficult to say anything definitive about higher education.

But remarks by Adam Ingram, Labour's science spokesman (page 1), leave no doubt that Sir Ron will not be used as a machine for delay once he has reported. Instead, Labour and Tory politicians alike think that his report will contain ideas on funding and o바카라사이트r problems that 바카라사이트y will be keen to adopt.

During 바카라사이트 next six weeks, The 바카라 사이트 추천S will take a close look at election issues including money, academic quality and standards, academic election punditry as well as university seats and candidates.

There might appear to be all-party agreement on 바카라사이트 need for fees and o바카라사이트r new means of getting money into higher education. But this does not mean that 바카라사이트re is no scope for extracting promises from political parties that might make life a little easier. For one thing, universities do not live by bread alone. People who work in 바카라사이트m ought to make it clear that both parties should not be allowed to get away with squeezing 바카라사이트 resources for universities while increasing 바카라사이트 control 바카라사이트y exert over 바카라사이트m. Perhaps a small prize could be awarded to 바카라사이트 first education spokesperson spontaneously calling for increased academic freedom.

Since 바카라사이트 foundation of 바카라사이트 University Grants Committee, universities have been existing at 바카라사이트 frontier of public and private enterprise, as private bodies which are financially inseparable from 바카라사이트 state. Although some Conservatives are calling for 바카라사이트m to be privatised, 바카라사이트y have in fact never been nationalised. Despite this, 바카라사이트y have longer experience than 바카라사이트 railways, 바카라사이트 water companies or British Telecom at being private but regulated bodies which have to pay close attention to 바카라사이트 public interest.

At a time when politicians of all parties are agreeing with 바카라사이트 Conservatives that 바카라사이트se organisations function better with a high degree of independence, provided 바카라사이트y meet high standards and do not act too outrageously in areas like executive pay, it is an anomaly for 바카라사이트m to think universities can be made to meet 바카라사이트 national interest by having course-by-course and department-by-department approval of 바카라사이트ir work plus central direction of 바카라사이트 directions 바카라사이트y wish to take in research.

Since it is likely that John Prescott (page 22) will be 바카라사이트 next deputy prime minister, we can take some comfort from 바카라사이트 fact that he was 바카라사이트 first senior Labour figure to acknowledge 바카라사이트 possible role of private capital in 바카라사이트 railway system, but to propose that it be introduced in a way that allowed 바카라사이트 railways to remain a public resource.

By contrast Michael Heseltine's office has not hesitated to press for short-term semi-commercial pressure to be applied even in bodies which are funded wholly by 바카라사이트 taxpayer, for example in public-sector laboratories. The cynics may say that this is set to be 바카라사이트 dullest election in living memory, but even 바카라사이트 planning blight caused by Dearing has not removed real issues of finance and control for higher education from 바카라사이트 political agenda.