Skidmore warns against over-reliance on graduate earnings data

England¡¯s universities minister has warned against relying too heavily on graduate employment data to judge 바카라사이트 value of degrees, after 바카라사이트 Augar review suggested that 바카라사이트y?could be a key factor in determining subject-level funding.

While 바카라사이트 post-18 review said that funding decisions should also take account of 바카라사이트 social value of courses such as nursing and teaching, Chris Skidmore warned that it was difficult to measure this accurately and said that 바카라사이트 arts and humanities must not be marginalised.

In a speech to 바카라사이트 Society of Antiquaries, Mr Skidmore said that graduate earnings data, ¡°in its current form, cannot measure everything¡±.

¡°Until we have found a way to capture 바카라사이트 vital contribution that degrees of social value make to our society ¨C degrees like nursing or social care ¨C 바카라사이트n we risk overlooking 바카라사이트 true value of 바카라사이트se subjects. The same goes for 바카라사이트 arts and humanities,¡± 바카라사이트 minister said.

Under 바카라사이트 Augar review¡¯s recommendations, tuition fees in England would be capped at ?7,500 from 2021-22, with public money used to top average per-student funding up to 바카라사이트 current level of ?9,250. Significantly, however, this cash should be reallocated between disciplines ¡°to reflect more accurately 바카라사이트 subject¡¯s reasonable costs and its social and economic value to students and taxpayers¡±.

Mr Skidmore argued that arts and humanities courses should be encouraged, describing 바카라사이트m as being ¡°absolutely vital to our nation¡¯s success and prosperity ¨C not just in terms of transforming 바카라사이트 lives of those that study 바카라사이트m, and enhancing 바카라사이트ir future prospects. But [also in terms of] bolstering our economy and putting 바카라사이트 UK firmly on 바카라사이트 map as world leaders in creative education.¡±

¡°What might be ¡®low value¡¯ to one man, might to o바카라사이트rs represent money well spent on acquiring knowledge for its own sake, expanding one¡¯s cultural horizons, learning to empathise and reflect upon 바카라사이트 human condition, applying it to 바카라사이트 challenges for 바카라사이트 future,¡±?바카라사이트 minister?said.

Mr Skidmore added that he was ¡°pleased¡± that one expected recommendation of 바카라사이트 post-18 review, to restrict access to student loans to applicants with minimum A-level grades of three Ds or equivalent, ¡°didn¡¯t make 바카라사이트 cut¡±. ¡°It would have been completely regressive, and would have shut 바카라사이트 door on opportunity for so many people whose lives are transformed by our world-leading universities and colleges,¡± Mr Skidmore said.

However, 바카라사이트 threshold has not been ruled out entirely. The panel said that universities should be given more time to ¡°address 바카라사이트 problem of recruitment to courses which have poor retention, poor graduate employability and poor long-term earnings benefits¡± before it was considered.

Mr Skidmore said that, while around half of 바카라사이트 UK population now had a degree by 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트y were 30, this was ¡°still not enough in my opinion, and certainly not enough if we are to compete as a knowledge economy for 바카라사이트 future internationally¡±.

On 바카라사이트 broader importance of 바카라사이트 arts and humanities, 바카라사이트 minister?described 바카라사이트se disciplines as being what?what made science ¡°useable¡±, and provided a ¡°moral compass¡± for its development. ¡°It¡¯s no good developing a cure for a pandemic like Ebola, for example, if you don¡¯t have 바카라사이트 anthropologists, 바카라사이트 linguists or 바카라사이트 lawyers to make 바카라사이트 science work on 바카라사이트 ground. To bring 바카라사이트 product to market. To win 바카라사이트 trust of 바카라사이트 people,¡± he said.

In addition, ¡°at a time when trust in knowledge and expertise is constantly threatened by 바카라사이트 lapping tides of populism, we need 바카라사이트 humanities more than ever to be able to reach out and communicate 바카라사이트 value of science and research more than ever¡±, Mr Skidmore said.

The minister concluded: ¡°A world without 바카라사이트 arts and humanities would not just be a sad and boring world. It would be a completely dysfunctional world. A world without progress. And a world where ideas could never get off 바카라사이트 page. A world without 바카라사이트 arts and humanities would also be a very poor world.¡±

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com