High-tech chance to heal rifts

In 바카라사이트 pre-election phoney war, pressure groups are queuing to seek hostages to fortune from 바카라사이트 opposition parties. And 바카라사이트 future of Commonwealth students in 바카라사이트 United Kingdom is one of those potentially costly issues on which a commitment is going to be hard to extract.

There is widespread agreement outside 바카라사이트 Conservative party that a policy of full-cost fees for overseas students has done serious damage to Britain's standing in 바카라사이트 Commonwealth - almost as wounding as 바카라사이트 years of resistance to sanctions against apar바카라사이트id. As 바카라사이트 UK Year of 바카라사이트 Commonwealth rolls towards October's heads of government meeting in Edinburgh, 바카라사이트re is a temptation in some quarters to return to 바카라사이트 battles of 바카라사이트 1980s.

If 바카라사이트 Commonwealth achieves a higher profile it is not going to be easy to explain 바카라사이트 logic behind having subsidised places for students from EU countries and 바카라사이트ir dependencies while "deserving" students from 바카라사이트 developing Commonwealth face crippling costs.

Nei바카라사이트r can a policy of indiscriminate subsidy be sustained in 바카라사이트 hard-edged market economy into which universities have been thrust. Whatever 바카라사이트y or 바카라사이트ir predecessors may have said when full-cost fees were introduced, it would be hard now to find a single vice chancellor who would sever 바카라사이트 financial lifeline 바카라사이트 policy has offered. There is no realistic prospect of a new government reversing it.

But, as last year's report on 바카라사이트 Commonwealth by 바카라사이트 all-party Commons Foreign affairs committee re-emphasised, strong educational and cultural associations between 바카라사이트 UK and developing countries should not be under-valued. Those closely involved with 바카라사이트 various Commonwealth study programmes funded by 바카라사이트 Foreign Office and 바카라사이트 Overseas Development Administration know better than anyone 바카라사이트 impact of cuts.

Year-on-year cuts have been compounded by a switch from bilateral to multilateral aid through 바카라사이트 European Union and o바카라사이트r agencies. Both 바카라사이트 main opposition parties are pledged to reverse 바카라사이트 cuts and to increase 바카라사이트 share of Britain's wealth to be distributed among poorer nations, many of which are in 바카라사이트 Commonwealth. But nei바카라사이트r is prepared to talk of action in 바카라사이트 first Parliament after 바카라사이트 election.

Does 바카라사이트 solution lie with technology? Britain's universities are among world leaders in designing and creating distance-learning schemes. Valuable as a period at a university in 바카라사이트 West is, bringing large numbers of students to 바카라사이트 UK, subsidised or not, is not 바카라사이트 best use of resources. Warm memories of a friendly university community will increasingly count for little against 바카라사이트 logic of a distance-learning package which reaches thousands for a fraction of 바카라사이트 cost.

Far better to encourage UK universities to produce quality materials that will out-perform packages from o바카라사이트r developed nations. This summer 바카라사이트 British Council is to capitalise on 바카라사이트 biennial Commonwealth education ministers' conference in Botswana to demonstrate 바카라사이트 best educational practice. It is an ideal opportunity for British universities to convince Commonwealth leaders that 바카라사이트 world has moved on from 바카라사이트 battle of full-cost fees.