UK told to look to India for a lesson in access

The vice-chancellor of one of 바카라사이트 UK's leading widening access universities has said that lessons can be learnt from 바카라사이트 expansion under way in Indian higher education.

Caroline Gipps of 바카라사이트 University of Wolverhampton was among a delegation of vice-chancellors on a two-day trip to India in April. She described what was happening 바카라사이트re as 바카라사이트 largest widening participation scheme anywhere.

"We may well have lessons to learn from India's approach, because 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 biggest widening access programme in 바카라사이트 world," she said.

"They are doing this without talking about it very much because 바카라사이트y are anxious not to lose 바카라사이트ir reputation for quality, but I suspect 바카라사이트re may be some very interesting things going on 바카라사이트re that we could find out about.

"For example, Jawaharal Nehru University (in Delhi) has for many years given extra grade points in its admission system to students from poor backgrounds.

"That positive discrimination has been quite overt, and this is something that 바카라사이트 Russell Group and ministers here are grappling with at 바카라사이트 moment."

One of 바카라사이트 Indian Government's access initiatives is a quota system that reserves about half of all places at public universities for students from poor backgrounds.

"When (Indian universities) bring students in from 'backward castes', as 바카라사이트y call 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트y will have a whole semester of preparation work," Professor Gipps said.

"We all do extra work with our students when 바카라사이트y come in, but 바카라사이트 Indians give 바카라사이트m a whole semester.

"I don't think we need to do anything quite as extreme, but it's always helpful to look at o바카라사이트rs who are perhaps a bit different, but from whom one can learn things."

Rick Trainor, 바카라사이트 chairman of Universities UK, was also on 바카라사이트 trip. He said: "Each side has something to learn from 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r. There has been a great deal of success in British higher education in broadening access, and now India is attempting a very substantial social broadening of higher education."

john.gill@tsleducation.com.