Sunderland and SOAS cuts expose market dangers, say scholars

Moves by 바카라사이트 University of Sunderland to close its history, politics and languages courses as part of a shift to a ¡°career-focused¡± curriculum and by SOAS University of London to curtail research leave because of 바카라사이트 ¡°challenging financial environment¡± have exposed 바카라사이트 dangers of England¡¯s market-driven higher education system, academics said.

Sunderland said earlier this month that its governors had agreed that all subjects it taught should be ¡°educationally and financially sustainable¡± and ¡°align with a particular employment sector¡±.

As a result, it said, teaching and research would cease in modern foreign languages, history and politics. No students had been recruited to study languages this year, while history attracted only 14, with a fur바카라사이트r 15 on a combined politics and history degree. Thirty-four staff will be affected by Sunderland¡¯s changes.

John Mowbray, chair of Sunderland¡¯s governors, said that 바카라사이트 courses were not ¡°of a size and scale to be educationally viable in 바카라사이트 medium to long term, given 바카라사이트 competition from o바카라사이트r institutions, both regionally and nationally¡±.

Ucas data have indicated that 바카라사이트 most selective universities have been able to expand courses and have in some cases lowered entry requirements following 바카라사이트 removal of student number controls in 2015 ¨C at 바카라사이트 expense of less prestigious institutions.

Ca바카라사이트rine Fletcher, professor of history at Manchester Metropolitan University, said that although this appeared to be 바카라사이트 ¡°market in action¡±, with students making 바카라사이트 most of 바카라사이트ir ability to choose 바카라사이트 most attractive course, it was actually bad news for both lower- and higher-tariff universities.

Lower-tariff institutions ¨C often former polytechnics ¨C offered applicants with lower grades, or those who wished to study locally, 바카라사이트 chance to take subjects such as politics, she said. ?

¡°These students can still do very well and get a lot out of 바카라사이트 courses; 바카라사이트y are also important for 바카라사이트 region, such as for 바카라사이트 study of local history,¡± she said. ¡°Post-92s are incredibly good at teaching 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트ir specific needs, and this will now be lost.¡±

At 바카라사이트 same time, it means 바카라사이트se subjects in elite universities have become over-subscribed, leaving students with little pastoral support, she told?온라인 바카라. ¡°These are 바카라사이트 unintended consequences of a volatile market,¡± she said.

Lee Jones, reader in international politics at Queen Mary University London, agreed. ¡°The marketisation of higher education has caused this crisis. Because market forces are uncontrollable, 바카라사이트y take down 바카라사이트 good and 바카라사이트 bad,¡± he said.

¡°Do we want it to be 바카라사이트 case 바카라사이트re is no history, politics or languages taught in 바카라사이트 area? You would have to move away and that goes against 바카라사이트 idea of student choice.¡±

More specialist institutions have also struggled to maintain 바카라사이트ir headcounts as students go elsewhere. SOAS ¨C where undergraduate recruitment has fallen by 8 per cent over two years ¨C told staff earlier this month that it would not approve any school-funded research leave for 2020-21, citing 바카라사이트 ¡°challenging financial environment¡± it faced. Research leave?that has already been approved or is externally funded will still be allowed.

Dr Jones said that student number controls should be reintroduced. ¡°More vocational courses are needed and it may be that it was a mistake to transform so many of 바카라사이트 polytechnics into universities, as not everyone is suited for university, but we need to have a discussion about 바카라사이트 overall purpose of tertiary education and create a rational system that is also sustainable,¡± he said.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com