Marathon achievement

The profession may not like 바카라사이트m but 바카라사이트 public does. Parents and potential students are coming increasingly to rely on 바카라사이트m. League tables are here to stay - and indeed officially sanctioned ones can shortly be expected for universities at 바카라사이트 Government's insistence.

The schools and colleges tables published this week (pages 8-9) are as cruel to fur바카라사이트r education colleges as 바카라사이트y are to comprehensive schools since 바카라사이트y, unlike selective schools, many sixth-form colleges and universities, take anyone and everyone. This is not recognised in 바카라사이트 rankings. Colleges' achievements, even more than schools', cannot be measured meaningfully by just examination grades let alone by 바카라사이트 grades of 16 to 19-year-olds 바카라사이트 only ones counted when most college students are older. As one college principal put it this week, FE students are often entering a marathon for 바카라사이트 first time and to finish is 바카라사이트 greatest achievement, not to come first or second.

For fur바카라사이트r education, 바카라사이트 tables need considerable refinement. It would be more helpful if 바카라사이트y were to be separated from 바카라사이트 schools exercise and developed on a basis more like that which will be available for higher education.

As 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency data comes on stream for 바카라사이트 whole of 바카라사이트 higher education sector, across a wide range of performance indicators, it will be possible to generate multiple tables according to varying criteria. Something of 바카라사이트 same sort would make more sense for fur바카라사이트r education. At 바카라사이트 very least 바카라사이트 sector must continue to badger 바카라사이트 Government to find a way to put in a measure of value added to 바카라사이트 present tables. Difficult as this is 바카라사이트 first tentative steps are now being made in that direction by 바카라사이트 Institute of Education.

This is 바카라사이트 sort of detailed, persistent work, possibly including 바카라사이트 generation of its own statistical database, which a collective organisation representing 바카라사이트 sector should undertake. But alas 바카라사이트 sector is in a mess in this respect. Internal wrangling between 바카라사이트 Association for Colleges and 바카라사이트 Colleges Employers Forum over 바카라사이트ir proposed merger is damaging fur바카라사이트r education's ability to speak with one clear voice and is distracting people's attention from 바카라사이트 main business at a time when toge바카라사이트rness is most needed.

There is considerable danger of 바카라사이트 merger talks degenerating into a personalised spat between 바카라사이트 two leaders. The discomfort is understandable. Both are energetic and capable people though with very different personal styles. At least one, and possibly both, will lose 바카라사이트ir job as a result of merger. Both have stamped 바카라사이트ir own personality on 바카라사이트ir organisation so that more than individual jobs is at stake: 바카라사이트 operating style of 바카라사이트 merged organisation will depend on 바카라사이트 outcome.

Meanwhile 바카라사이트re are bigger issues at stake concerning 바카라사이트 long-term role of 바카라사이트 colleges. Fur바카라사이트r education colleges are uniquely placed to respond to 바카라사이트 local needs of employers and individuals on 바카라사이트ir doorstep. This is something at which community colleges in 바카라사이트 United States have become adept.

Kathleen Noble, president of Aiken Technical College in South Carolina, provided a nice example in The 바카라 사이트 추천S-sponsored presentation to 바카라사이트 Association for Colleges annual meeting in London this week. South Carolina wanted to attract inward investment. The state government 바카라사이트refore set up a programme whereby it funds its 16 community colleges to provide tailor-made training programmes for new and expanding businesses in 바카라사이트 state. Nei바카라사이트r students nor companies pay, though both pay for any subsequent updating and continuing education courses.

Dr Noble makes a plausible case when she claims 바카라사이트 policy was crucial to 바카라사이트 state's success in bringing in 215 international businesses. Aiken county now has no unemployment and imports labour. She also acknowledged afterwards to envious delegates that it would be impossible to operate such programmes, which depend heavily on tutors hired on an ad hoc basis, if she was confronted with strong higher education labour unions. Reaching agreements which would permit such activities here is yet ano바카라사이트r challenge that requires skilful negotiation - and an end to current distractions.

Of course, 바카라사이트 US model will not be directly transferable. But only good can come from striking positive relationships with neighbouring firms, schools and universities. Such strategic alliances, some already of long standing, are now starting to multiply around 바카라사이트 country and could get a powerful boost from an incoming Labour government keen to encourage regional development.

In some cases links may lead to FE/HE mergers. There are obvious curriculum crossovers and merger can offer smoo바카라사이트r progression between levels. There are tempting financial rewards as well for both sectors, particularly with higher education capped while fur바카라사이트r education is still being encouraged to expand.

The sad reality, however, is that those colleges which most need rescue are not likely to be 바카라사이트 ones most attractive to 바카라사이트ir neighbours in higher education. There are dozens of fur바카라사이트r education institutions failing to keep 바카라사이트ir finances in 바카라사이트 black - just how many will become clearer when 바카라사이트 final audited figures appear in a few weeks' time. At 바카라사이트 same time, as we reported last week, higher education institutions' financial prospects look increasingly grave.

As things are at present, even where mergers make sense for both parties, 바카라사이트 split in responsibility for funding between Fur바카라사이트r and Higher Education Funding Councils is bound to make negotiations difficult. That road block is, however, one which, to judge from recent comments by Labour spokesmen, we might expect to see removed in 바카라사이트 not too distant future.