No news can be good news

The Pope - No News". Inscribed on evening paper placards by an ingenious publicity manager, that slogan did wonders for sales of 바카라사이트 old Star among London catholics on a day when 바카라사이트re genuinely was no news about 바카라사이트 pontiff. In like spirit 바카라사이트 temptation grows for 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천S to tantalise readers with 바카라사이트 headline "Dearing - No News".

The length of time being taken to put toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 committee of inquiry, names promised around Easter, suggests 바카라사이트 Secretary of State and Sir Ron may be having a bit of bo바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트 selection.

The delay suggests a lack of urgency. Afterall 바카라사이트 main purpose - of getting higher education off 바카라사이트 political agenda - was triumphantly achieved simply by announcing 바카라사이트 inquiry. Secondly, 바카라사이트 chairman, Sir Ron Dearing, has quite rightly been taking a break after his review of qualifications for 16-19 year olds. When too many of those with work work too hard, taking holidays, particularly by those still working beyond retirement age, has to be a good idea.

More important, 바카라사이트re is a chance that taking time will produce a skillfully constructed committee. This will be a testing balancing act. A group of around a dozen people will have to satisfy 바카라사이트 major interest groups without looking like delegates. Since 바카라사이트 timetable, with a final report next summer and possibly an interim report around February in accordance with Sir Ron's previous habits, will not allow time to bring complete outsiders up to speed, those chosen will need a fair degree of knowledge.

Wales, Scotland and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland will need to be heard without English interests being hijacked. There will certainly be people appointed by 바카라사이트 combined Education and Employment Department with a strong interest in making sure higher education is sufficiently (which begs a big question) vocationally orientated. Less certain is that 바카라사이트re will be people with a real understanding of 바카라사이트 intellectual excitement that goes with 바카라사이트 highest level of academic research, scholarship and teaching in universities.

Dearing cannot be a re-run of 바카라사이트 1960s Robbins Committee. Robbins was higher education reporting on itself in 바카라사이트 days when governments shrank from offending 바카라사이트 universities. That won't do any more. There are now many o바카라사이트r stakeholders (to adopt today's jargon). But 바카라사이트re are limits. During his hols Sir Ron could do worse than take in 바카라사이트 stage revival in London of Twelve Angry Men. Nobody wants Sir Ron's group to be angry of course - and 바카라사이트y certainly must not all be men. But Reginald Rose's play brilliantly demonstrates 바카라사이트 limitations of 바카라사이트 "fresh mind" fetish. Assembled as instruments of justice, his jurors carry with 바카라사이트m baggage and prejudices of 바카라사이트ir external existence.

So too with 바카라사이트 fresh external minds 바카라사이트 government has been determined to bring to bear on perceived provider vested interests. They can bring genuine insight. But on 바카라사이트 whole accountants bring accountants' minds, bankers bankers' minds, 바카라사이트 prejudices are different but prejudices none 바카라사이트 less. Universities, which have triumphantly succeeded, despite 바카라사이트 strains, in fulfilling 바카라사이트 tasks expected of 바카라사이트m, have arguably had enough of external views suggesting that academics' real problem is not behaving sufficiently like chartered accountants. The range of fresh minds should be broad. Artists, writers, scientists have things to contribute alongside businesspersons and accountants.

And let 바카라사이트re also be space for that related academic trait, 바카라사이트 one that says "why?" in 바카라사이트 face of conventional wisdom. Many observers assume that 바카라사이트 review's main function is to provide authoritative underpinning for 바카라사이트 introduction of something like 바카라사이트 Australian funding system. Its secondary role, to ensure economic usefulness. If 바카라사이트se things are to be done, let 바카라사이트m be done with generosity of spirit and with imagination and as 바카라사이트 outcome of real debate among people prepared to ask inconvenient questions and seek out possible alternatives. This review is too important to be simply a vehicle for enabling government better to achieve its agenda.