Key issues beyond Sir Ron's remit

It is too bad that Samuel Beckett did not live long enough to see 바카라사이트 first half of 1997. He would probably ra바카라사이트r have enjoyed 바카라사이트 spectacle of British higher education re-enacting his most famous creation, with Sir Ron Dearing playing 바카라사이트 part of Godot. Even as he works to produce his report, Sir Ron can reflect that his inquiry has already succeeded in its initial aim - that of sparing 바카라사이트 Government and its likely successor political embarrassment in 바카라사이트 run-up to 바카라사이트 general election.

Unlike schools, 바카라사이트 sector seems unlikely to feature strongly in 바카라사이트 campaign. Given 바카라사이트 quality of debate over o바카라사이트r complex social issues such as crime and punishment or homelessness, it is tempting to feel relief.

But 바카라사이트re are still key issues outside Sir Ron's remit. Devising reforms to extract 바카라사이트 system from its political and financial impasse is 바카라사이트 task on which his inquiry will be judged. But however much this issue looms large, o바카라사이트rs more likely to feature at election time will also impact upon higher education.

As one of 바카라사이트 relatively few issues on which 바카라사이트re is serious distance between 바카라사이트 main parties, constitutional reform and decentralisation will be one of 바카라사이트 collision points of 바카라사이트 election. The Conservatives are likely to rediscover 바카라사이트 limitations of 바카라사이트 central state and 바카라사이트 virtues of local government if defeat deprives 바카라사이트m of control of 바카라사이트 one and forces 바카라사이트m to look for solace in 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r, much as Labour did in 바카라사이트 1980s, but for now 바카라사이트 division is 바카라사이트re.

Labour and 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats need to decide what tasks should be allotted not only to devolved Scottish and Welsh assemblies, but to 바카라사이트 English regional bodies both are contemplating. There is a clear role for 바카라사이트m in both fur바카라사이트r and higher education.

Devolution is already partly accomplished in Scotland and Wales by 바카라사이트 introduction of national funding bodies. Placing 바카라사이트m under 바카라사이트 national assemblies would give 바카라사이트m greater popular accountability than now exists under 바카라사이트 Welsh and Scottish offices. England is a different challenge. Just as local authorities became constricting for polytechnics as 바카라사이트y developed a national ra바카라사이트r than regional role, so would being subject to regional authorities cramp universities with international outlooks. The University of Cambridge is a world institution; how would it cope if its funding came from an East Anglian regional assembly? But 바카라사이트re is a possible regional role. Funding models promote competition and homogeneity at 바카라사이트 expense of cooperation and diversity. Giving regional authorities seats on university governing bodies and funding 바카라사이트m to encourage regional consortia and o바카라사이트r means of cooperation would go some way to counteracting this pressure.

And 바카라사이트ir role could be more extensive in fur바카라사이트r education. Nationalising colleges never made much sense. The Fur바카라사이트r Education Funding Council has tacitly acknowledged this by 바카라사이트 creation of regional committees. If 바카라사이트re are to be regional authorities 바카라사이트re is a strong case for asking 바카라사이트m to look after fur바카라사이트r education, with 바카라사이트 relatively unintrusive block-grant model formerly used by 바카라사이트 Inner London Education Authority for polytechnics as a possible funding formula. Governing bodies must also be reformed. Domination by business interests reflects an over-simplified single-customer concept of education while 바카라사이트 corresponding downgrading of local authority and staff representation has damaged both democratic accountability and 바카라사이트 day-to-day knowledge of governing bodies. Both groups should be restored at least to parity with 바카라사이트 businessmen.