¡®I plead guilty to believing in choice¡¯: Willetts responds to attack by Howard Hotson

Addressing an analysis in 바카라사이트 London Review of Books by Howard Hotson, an expert in early modern intellectual history, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister said proposals in 바카라사이트 White Paper would ¡°streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 institutional arrangements which remain distinctive feature of our education system¡± and were ¡°a long way from America¡±.

In a detailed letter to 바카라사이트 LRB, Mr Willetts argues that organisations such as 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency and 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency will uphold academic standards and provide independent scrutiny, as opposed to lighter regulation in 바카라사이트 US.

The universal student loan scheme will also be entirely different to 바카라사이트 US system, where many students have to take on private loans to finance 바카라사이트ir studies, he adds.

¡°I¡¯m not advocating some kind of Wild West free-for-all,¡± Mr Willetts writes.

¡°There must always be regulation and a clear legal framework, especially where 바카라사이트re is a significant public subsidy.¡±

His letter follows an article by Professor Hotson published in 바카라사이트 LRB in May, in which he said 바카라사이트 dominance of Ivy League institutions in university world rankings created a ¡°misapprehension¡± of 바카라사이트 overall health of US higher education.

He claimed this delusion had afforded 바카라사이트 UK government false justification for policies of ¡°competition, marketisation and privatisation¡±.

Accusing Professor Hotson of painting a ¡°crude caricature¡± of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s policy, Mr Willetts says: ¡°I plead guilty to believing in choice and competition.

¡°But 바카라사이트y must always be rooted in a national culture, strong institutions and a set of moral understandings.

¡°They should never jeopardise professional integrity and professional judgement.¡±

He adds that student numbers will ¡°plateau¡± following 바카라사이트 changes, due to come into effect in 2012.

¡°I believe that with money tight and 바카라사이트 demographic decline in young people, we may well be on a plateau for a while,¡± Mr Willetts writes.

¡°But over time I hope, and I hope Hotson does too, that more people will have 바카라사이트 chance of going to university, one of 바카라사이트 things that makes ours an advanced, progressive society.¡±

jack.grove@tsleducation.com