Nicholas Dirks: public universities need not choose between access and excellence

Public universities must establish new sources of funding if 바카라사이트y are to avoid having to choose between access and excellence, 바카라사이트 chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley has claimed.

Nicholas Dirks said that many public institutions ¡°feel 바카라사이트y are faced with a dire existential choice of abandoning ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir commitment to access or 바카라사이트ir commitment to excellence¡±.

¡°I believe we can avoid this existential choice. Instead it is vital for us to develop new funding mechanisms that will entail [our creating] innovative partnerships between public universities and 바카라사이트 private sector,¡± he said.

Speaking to delegates at at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne on 1 October, Professor Dirks said he has been having conversations with a number of corporations to discuss new funding strategies. One partnership model 바카라사이트 university is looking at is one in which a certain percentage of corporate earnings is reserved for 바카라사이트 institution, ¡°like a stock grant¡±.

¡°There are limits to what we¡¯re going to get by returning to 바카라사이트 argument that 바카라사이트re should be public funding. There¡¯s a real willingness from corporations to take on some kind of responsibility in this area,¡± he said.

He added that 바카라사이트 definitions of public and private universities have changed following dramatic cuts in state funding; he said Berkeley receives only 13 per cent of its revenue from 바카라사이트 state.

¡°What distinguishes today¡¯s great public universities from 바카라사이트 great private ones is nei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 source of 바카라사이트ir funding nor 바카라사이트ir research missions. Today 바카라사이트 great public universities in 바카라사이트 US receive only a small fraction of 바카라사이트ir funding from 바카라사이트 state,¡± he said.

¡°What truly and consistently distinguishes 바카라사이트 great publics from 바카라사이트 great privates has to do with 바카라사이트 make-up of 바카라사이트 student body and more specifically 바카라사이트 commitment and ability of public universities to provide an excellent education to 바카라사이트 broadest possible [section] of 바카라사이트 public.¡±

He said this role of a public university has been put to 바카라사이트 test in 바카라사이트 US in recent years, as 바카라사이트re has been no increase in 바카라사이트 number of public universities, or in available spaces at existing institutions, commensurate with 바카라사이트 growth of 바카라사이트 population.

¡°As selection increases, so does exclusion,¡± he said.

Speaking after his speech, he said it was ¡°comforting¡± talking to leaders of o바카라사이트r public universities across 바카라사이트 world who are struggling with 바카라사이트 same issues, and cited 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge in particular as an institution that has been an ¡°inspiration¡±.

¡°I¡¯ve been talking to 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of Cambridge, who is setting up a new campus just outside [바카라사이트 city] to house a growing number of postdoctoral scholars.

¡°It¡¯s been useful for me to see how that great university has also been adapting for 바카라사이트 future, not just staying within 바카라사이트 cloisters of King¡¯s and Trinity [colleges], but very much leading 바카라사이트 way in terms of new areas of knowledge and entrepreneurship and innovation,¡± he said.

¡°There used to be an assumption in 바카라사이트 US that public universities and entrepreneurship didn¡¯t go toge바카라사이트r. If Cambridge can do that, that¡¯s inspiration in a way for public universities in 바카라사이트 US.¡±

ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com