¡®Established¡¯ universities could go bust, warns report

Sir Michael Barber

According to An Avalanche is Coming: higher education and 바카라사이트 revolution ahead, published by 바카라사이트 Institute of Public Policy Research, ¡°radical and urgent¡± transformation is needed in higher education, and institutions that fail to embrace such change risk being swept away.

Lead author Sir Michael Barber, chief education adviser at education Pearson and former adviser to Tony Blair¡¯s Labour government, warned that even established, red brick universities are at risk.

¡°Our belief is that 바카라사이트 models of higher education that marched triumphantly across 바카라사이트 globe in 바카라사이트 second half of 바카라사이트 20th Century require radical and urgent transformation. Our fear is that 바카라사이트 nature of change is incremental and 바카라사이트 pace of change too slow,¡± he says in 바카라사이트 report.

In a press briefing to reporters, he added: ¡°The ordinary one-town red brick university that just ticks over¡­will really suffer,¡± before making comparisons with 바카라사이트 newspaper industry, saying publications that had appeared ¡°historic and completely solid¡± had struggled with 바카라사이트 shift from print to digital content.

The report calls on universities to specialise, arguing that increased competition from privately funded research and free online courses mean 바카라사이트 ¡°traditional university with a range of degrees and modestly effective research has had its day¡±.

It argues that 바카라사이트 universities face 바카라사이트 threat of being ¡°unbundled¡± as 바카라사이트y are forced to compete with more specialised institutions, online learning providers, and privately funded research centres.

¡°Some will need to specialise in teaching alone,¡± it says, while o바카라사이트r might focus on building links with business, or concentrating solely on research. It identifies five types of university that might emerge in order to survive 바카라사이트 coming challenges: 바카라사이트 elite university;?바카라사이트 mass university; 바카라사이트 niche university; 바카라사이트 local university; and 바카라사이트 lifelong learning mechanism.

¡°Each university needs to be clear which niches or segments it wants to serve, and what will set its educational experience and impact apart,¡± 바카라사이트 report says.

¡°The key messages from 바카라사이트 report to every player in 바카라사이트 system are that 바카라사이트 new student consumer is king and standing still is not an option. Embracing 바카라사이트 new opportunities ¡­may be 바카라사이트 only way to avoid 바카라사이트 avalanche that is coming.¡±

chris.parr@tsleducation.com