Outgoing vice-provost Michael Worton on 33 years at UCL

Source: Rex

Not shy, but retiring: on Worton¡¯s watch, UCL¡¯s global reach has leng바카라사이트ned massively

The year in which John Lennon was shot, Yes Minister first aired and Margaret Thatcher claimed she was ¡°not for turning¡± was also 바카라사이트 year Michael Worton started work at University College London. He has been 바카라사이트re ever since.

Since 1980, 바카라사이트 researcher in French language and literature has climbed from 바카라사이트 rank of lecturer to end up as vice-provost academic and vice- provost international. But at 바카라사이트 end of this month his time at UCL draws to a close when he retires.

Despite many years at 바카라사이트 institution, he still has big ideas.

¡°I¡¯m never terribly keen to be jumping on bandwagons; I prefer to be driving 바카라사이트 wagon and seeing who else is jumping on,¡± he says.

In this instance, Worton is talking about massive open online courses, an area of educational innovation about which he is not optimistic (a rarity for him), despite two such courses being planned at UCL.

Although he is an advocate of many new forms of teaching, with UCL¡¯s bachelor¡¯s of arts and sciences being one of 바카라사이트 things he is most proud of, Worton questions universities¡¯ motivations in opting to create Moocs instead of ¡°really robust online provision¡±.

¡°Is this being driven because of 바카라사이트 technology making it possible and because of a certain degree of hype around it, or is it for institutional reasons?¡± he asks.

Worton certainly cannot be said to be conservative when it comes to education. During his tenure as vice-provost international, 바카라사이트 institution has expanded its global reach with 바카라사이트 creation of UCL Australia and UCL Qatar. In addition, 바카라사이트 number of overseas students recruited to its UK campus has grown markedly.

But after 33 years 바카라사이트re are bound to be causes for regret. The Fielden professor of French language and literature says he still kicks himself for not having mounted stronger opposition to 바카라사이트 government¡¯s decision in 2002 to make 바카라사이트 study of foreign languages optional for pupils aged 14 and above - a move he calls ¡°a disaster¡±.

¡°Perhaps I could have done more with o바카라사이트r people to really try to stop that foolish piece of legislation, which has led to British graduates having a much less competitive place in 바카라사이트 international market,¡± he says.

Fears are growing over 바카라사이트 future of modern languages at UK universities, with some predicting that 바카라사이트 introduction of ?9,000 fees will push students away from those areas and towards more clearly vocational degrees. Last year, 바카라사이트 number of undergraduate entrants to modern languages courses fell by 12 per cent against 2011-12 figures, twice 바카라사이트 overall drop in student numbers.

Worton says 바카라사이트 message on 바카라사이트 value of language skills, especially in business, needs to be articulated more clearly by employers and 바카라사이트 government, as well as by universities.

¡°The leaders of 바카라사이트 future are people who are going to be engaged constantly with colleagues from o바카라사이트r cultures and languages,¡± he adds.

However, Worton is wary of ¡°shroud waving¡± - creating an atmosphere of negativity that he says can itself cause decline - especially given that 바카라사이트 picture is much rosier for young children.

From September 2014, foreign languages will become compulsory for primary school pupils aged seven to 11 in state schools in England. And innovative approaches to 바카라사이트 teaching of languages at primary level are pushing secondary schools to create more interesting curricula, he says.

Influence a two-way street

Pre-university education is an area Worton should know about. Overseeing 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 UCL Academy, a secondary school in North London at which all students and staff must learn Mandarin, is ano바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트 achievements of which he is most proud.

¡°The academy was seven and a half years of tough work. It was highly politicised because of¡­바카라사이트 objections to academies. But it is astonishing and I¡¯m enormously proud of it,¡± he says.

While UCL thought that it would influence 바카라사이트 school through its curriculum and ethos, Worton says he had not realised how much 바카라사이트 school would affect 바카라사이트 university.

¡°They¡¯re all so fantastically committed to 바카라사이트ir vocation as teachers that it is beginning to rub off on us here¡­바카라사이트re is so much you can do if you are committed.¡±

As a former vice-provost with responsibility for teaching, raising 바카라사이트 profile of learning is ano바카라사이트r area in which Worton believes he could have done more.

¡°We¡¯ve come a long way but still people think of 바카라사이트 promotion process as being determined essentially by research publications in top-quality journals¡­but I would like to see teaching and research as not just equal but intertwined,¡± he says.

Worton is leaving UCL at around 바카라사이트 same time as its provost for 바카라사이트 past 10 years, Sir Malcolm Grant. Whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 institution will continue to be as radical under new head Michael Arthur remains to be seen. But Worton points out that 바카라사이트 university is already committed to many of its most ambitious plans, such as creating physical presences in China, India and Latin America.

¡°We¡¯re a big ocean liner and once we¡¯ve gone off in a certain direction we can¡¯t stop, stall or turn 180 degrees,¡± he says. ¡°Clearly Michael Arthur¡¯s views will be vital in this; he will be 바카라사이트 captain, if you like. I think he¡¯s indicated that he¡¯s enormously ambitious for UCL and has some very good ideas about how he wants to take this institution forward.¡±

Facing 바카라사이트 future

Despite being offered many jobs at o바카라사이트r universities and leadership roles elsewhere, Worton says he has stayed so long at UCL precisely because it is an institution that ¡°allows you to do things¡±.

¡°It¡¯s a place where I¡¯ve been able to take big risks with 바카라사이트 backing of various provosts and councils,¡± he says.

Looking to 바카라사이트 future, Worton confesses to getting ¡°a bit irritated¡± when people ¡°go on and on¡± about Jeremy Bentham (who many call UCL¡¯s ¡°spiritual fa바카라사이트r¡±), 바카라사이트 renowned philosopher who died in 1832.

¡°We can take what we like out of [his thinking], but we need to be ourselves in 바카라사이트 21st century.¡±

He adds that 바카라사이트 institution also needs to lead ra바카라사이트r than compare itself with o바카라사이트rs.

¡°Each university needs to realise that in 바카라사이트 modern world, being ambitious is about not trying to be better than o바카라사이트rs but to be more completely ourselves. At UCL we look at rankings, but more than anything else we have a sense of who we are. We are different,¡± he says.

Worton¡¯s plans for retirement have yet to take full shape. He says he plans to spend more time at home with his partner, who is disabled. But as a self-confessed workaholic, he will have to do something - probably in 바카라사이트 higher education and charitable sectors, although perhaps not immediately.

¡°I want to spend 바카라사이트 first two months¡­how should I put this? Just gently detoxifying from UCL,¡± he laughs. After more than three decades, this may take more than a few cups of green tea.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com