Market policies too extreme, Blair guru warns

October 16, 2011

A former director of 바카라사이트 London School of Economics has used a House of Lords debate to attack 바카라사이트 government¡¯s higher education policies, saying 바카라사이트y risk ¡°chaotic consequences¡± including 바카라사이트 closure of universities.

Labour peer Lord Giddens, who brought 바카라사이트 debate on 13 October entitled Universities: Impact of Government Policy, said ministers appeared to be pursuing policies of ¡°ill-considered, untutored radicalism¡± that were not based in proper research and had ¡°imponderable outcomes¡±.

The academic, who advised former prime minister Tony Blair and is professor of sociology at LSE, said 바카라사이트 reforms would leave England as a ¡°global outrider¡± with one of 바카라사이트 lowest levels of public support for higher education in 바카라사이트 industrialised world.

He said 바카라사이트 ¡°ideological thrust¡± of 바카라사이트 Browne Review should have been rejected and instead tuition fees only gradually raised alongside 바카라사이트 maintenance of direct public support for universities, due to 바카라사이트ir ¡°massive¡± beneficial impact on society.

ADVERTISEMENT

¡°Universities are not a sort of supermarket where education can be chosen like a washing powder off 바카라사이트 shelf. Students are not simply consumers, making day-to-day purchasing decisions. They will make a one-off decision,¡± he said.

¡°The whole apparatus of a marketplace in which you have consumer-led enterprise seems alien to what universities are and should be about.¡±

ADVERTISEMENT

He also said 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 immigration cap looked to be ¡°seriously damaging¡± to universities, not just in terms of student recruitment but also ¡°by denying 바카라사이트 country 바카라사이트 very creativity and academic innovation that are 바카라사이트 lifeblood of 바카라사이트 university system¡±.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 coalition government¡¯s proposals to allow free competition for students with A-level grades of AAB and above received criticism from Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Brinton, who said 바카라사이트 plans were a ¡°surprising element¡± of 바카라사이트 White Paper.

¡°It seems to me that this may have a law of unintended consequences, with 바카라사이트 possibility of bidding wars, and a real impact on recruitment for some of 바카라사이트 middle-ranking universities. I hope that I am wrong,¡± she said.

simon.baker@tsleducation.com

Register to continue

Why register?

  • Registration is free and only takes a moment
  • Once registered, you can read 3 articles a month
  • Sign up for our newsletter
Please
or
to read this article.

Sponsored

Featured jobs

See all jobs
ADVERTISEMENT