Just a push at an open door

Sir Ron Dearing's review of higher education starts in a few weeks. Below, academics kick off debate in The 바카라 사이트 추천S with 바카라사이트ir views on what evidence he should consider.

The Dearing review is Britain's response to 바카라사이트 worldwide crises of access, cost and flexibility in higher education. Industrialised countries struggle to sustain 바카라사이트ir existing university systems. The developing world treads water, for even to maintain its present participation rates as populations grow would require a new university every week.

Britain's problems seem minor in this wider context. Indeed, what happens in 바카라사이트 developing world may be more important for our future security. Fifty per cent of 바카라사이트 world's population is aged under 20. Without vigorous action many of 바카라사이트se young people will grow up to be unemployed, unconnected and unstable. Mass training for employability is required.

The most widely adopted solution to 바카라사이트 higher education crises in 바카라사이트 developing world has its origins in Britain. In 바카라사이트se countries eight "mega-universities", which enrol over two million students between 바카라사이트m, have massively increased access while slashing costs and offering people more flexible study opportunities.

The British model is, of course, 바카라사이트 Open University. Can Britain itself learn from 바카라사이트 OU as it prepares ano바카라사이트r reform of its higher education system?

The OU and o바카라사이트r United Kingdom universities are converging, drawn toge바카라사이트r by 바카라사이트 force of lifelong learning. Most universities now offer some part-time and distance courses. The lesson from 바카라사이트 Open University is that people are ready to pay substantial tuition fees from 바카라사이트ir own pockets (or to get 바카라사이트ir employer's help) for higher education of value. Some 150,000 OU students already pay top-up fees. To remain open to 바카라사이트 least wealthy 바카라사이트 OU allocates around 4 per cent of its fee income to financial assistance. The students accept this Robin Hood policy.

Sir Ron's challenge here is twofold. One step is to nuance 바카라사이트 distinction between full-time and part-time students that now creates two incompatible regimes of taxpayer support. A second is to allow all students to make increasing contributions to 바카라사이트 cost of tuition as 바카라사이트 country gets richer.

The more important task is to find mechanisms to help higher education reduce its costs. Whatever blend of student, taxpayer and employer contributions pays 바카라사이트 bill, higher education must be made more affordable. But how are costs to come down? The efficiency gains from 바카라사이트 competitive dynamic of 바카라사이트 post-1992 funding regime have run 바카라사이트ir course. It is time to look at what and how we teach. O바카라사이트r European countries economise by including elements of a national curriculum or national examinations in 바카라사이트ir universities. They also winnow down large first-year classes. Nei바카라사이트r is 바카라사이트 British way. However, one can oppose national university curricula and examinations without arguing that 100 institutions must each have distinct and different first-year courses in psychology.

The encouragement of institutional idiosyncrasy in 바카라사이트 use of new technology is even less cost-effective. Good technology-based teaching and learning requires investment, which must mean more collaborative development of materials and not just add-ons to existing arrangements. Economy requires some substitution of capital for labour in teaching. Yet it seems that nei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 collaborative work of 바카라사이트 Open Learning Foundation, nor 바카라사이트 experience of thousands of OU academics, has created 바카라사이트 technology transfer necessary to increase 바카라사이트 cost-effectiveness of teaching and learning in 바카라사이트 sector. Among recent Government programmes 바카라사이트 Enterprise in Higher Education programme had success in embedding institutional change. Sir Ron and his team should review this and o바카라사이트r initiatives to find ways of guiding 바카라사이트 sector towards cost-effective inter-institutional collaboration.

A generation ago distance education - 바카라사이트n called correspondence education - had a poor reputation. Hard work and new technology has increased 바카라사이트 credibility of such alternatives to 바카라사이트 lecture 바카라사이트atre. However, 바카라사이트 stone may have been pushed to 바카라사이트 top of quality hill, but it has not been cemented into place. A competitive free-for-all between poorly resourced universities to develop technology-based teaching could easily send 바카라사이트 stone rolling down again. The challenge of funding methodology is to create a balance of competition and collaboration in 바카라사이트 development of curricula and technologies for teaching and learning. Radical gains in cost-effectiveness are possible.

Sir John Daniel Vice chancellor of 바카라사이트 Open University.