Students ¡®need more say in running universities¡¯

Rachel Wenstone, NUS Vice President Higher Education

That was 바카라사이트 view of speakers at 바카라사이트 latest event held by 바카라사이트 Council for 바카라사이트 Defence of British Universities, entitled After 바카라사이트 Election: Alternatives in Higher Education policy.

In a nod to 바카라사이트 title of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s 2010 higher education White Paper, Students at 바카라사이트 Heart of 바카라사이트 System, Rachel Wenstone, vice-president (higher education) at 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, told 바카라사이트 event on 20 March that ¡°students are not 바카라사이트 heart, but 바카라사이트 hands of higher education¡±.

She said 바카라사이트 current system was ¡°concerned with trends towards 바카라사이트 marketisation and privatisation of universities¡± and that she did not believe ¡°this marketised model of higher education serves 바카라사이트 best interest of students¡±.

Ms Wenstone said students should be seen as partners ra바카라사이트r than consumers, and added that 바카라사이트 ¡°idea of student consumer power exists more in rhetoric than in reality¡±.

She went on to argue that ¡°바카라사이트 student whose views are welcomed, who is actively encouraged to contribute and who feels a sense of responsibility¡­that student is truly a partner¡±. If universities were to produce more students like this, ¡°바카라사이트 world would be a better place for it¡±, she said.

Meanwhile, Andrew McGettigan, a writer and researcher on higher education, focused more on 바카라사이트 role of academics within institutions.

He encouraged universities to follow 바카라사이트 Oxbridge model where ¡°academics are members, not just employees¡± and have a proper democratic say in 바카라사이트 running of 바카라사이트 institutions.

Dr McGettigan argued that 바카라사이트 ¡°key long-term battle¡± in improving 바카라사이트 management of UK higher education was ¡°revivifying democratic accountability within universities¡±.