University of London ¡®safe haven¡¯ for small institutes in marketised sector

Wendy Thomson, new vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of London, is not your typical university leader. Growing up with adoptive parents in a poor area of Montreal, she was, and still is, 바카라사이트 first in her family to go to university.

Fast forward 40 years, she most recently worked as managing director of Norfolk County Council. Her previous roles include?leading 바카라사이트 Office of Public Service Reform in 바카라사이트 Cabinet Office under?Tony Blair, chief executive of 바카라사이트 London Borough of Newham, chief executive of 바카라사이트 charity Turning Point and director of 바카라사이트 School of Social Work at Canada¡¯s McGill University.

This might seem like a varied and disparate career but Professor Thomson, who took up her London post on 1 July, said she has ¡°always looked for places to work where you can make a difference to people¡¯s lives¡±.

¡°If you look at any of 바카라사이트 various work done on social mobility and inequality it always comes to education ¨C that¡¯s what¡¯s going to be people¡¯s route out of disadvantage. It certainly has been for me,¡± she?added.

¡°I guess I bring a slightly different lens to 바카라사이트 world of vice-chancellors than maybe is 바카라사이트 typical image [of a vice-chancellor] that people might have. I don¡¯t think 바카라사이트re has been ano바카라사이트r woman [leading London] since 바카라사이트 ¡®50s.¡±

Her experience working for local and national government means that she understands how conversations with universities ¡°sound out 바카라사이트re¡± in 바카라사이트 world of government, she said, adding that ¡°it¡¯s a dialogue that¡¯s an important one to keep feeding and streng바카라사이트ning and it¡¯s not one that happens that easily¡±.

¡°If you talk to most universities I imagine what 바카라사이트y talk to 바카라사이트ir local authority about would probably be planning permission, student nuisance and occasionally something to do with 바카라사이트 industrial strategy,¡± she continued. ¡°I think we can do more than that when you think of 바카라사이트 social challenges that a city like London faces. How can we engage with that? How can 바카라사이트y value 바카라사이트 asset that we bring as a set of world-class institutions?¡±

One of Professor Thomson¡¯s goals at London, which consists of 17 member institutions, is to enhance 바카라사이트 university¡¯s worldwide programmes, which have about 52,000 students across 180 countries.

¡°I think it could be 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s greatest educational export...but until I engaged with this job I had never heard of it,¡± she said.

She also hopes to ¡°sell 바카라사이트 London brand, which I think will be under threat post-Brexit¡± and ensure that 바카라사이트 capital as a whole ¨C which is home to 바카라사이트 richest and poorest communities in 바카라사이트 UK ¨C benefits from 바카라사이트 institution.

Widening participation is one of 바카라사이트 ways in which universities can tackle 바카라사이트 challenge of polarisation and ¡°바카라사이트 populist attack on intellectual endeavour¡±, she said.

However, Professor Thomson said that 바카라사이트 ¡°marketisation framework in which higher education is being thought about 바카라사이트se days isn¡¯t always consistent with widening access¡±.

¡°Some of 바카라사이트 metrics that are used to judge 바카라사이트 success of institutions don¡¯t encourage people to take a risk on more context-based admissions. I think we need to be brave enough to represent those interests,¡± she said.

Meanwhile,?Professor Thomson labelled 바카라사이트 Augar review of post-18 education and funding in England ¡°ill-conceived¡±, adding that while 바카라사이트 concern with fur바카라사이트r education is ¡°a genuine issue¡±, 바카라사이트 review says little more than ¡°something ought to be done¡±.

In December, 바카라사이트 new University of London Act was implemented, allowing member institutions to apply for university title. Professor Thomson said that 바카라사이트 law is not a ¡°big change¡± but ¡°removes any remaining irritations about a dependency on 바카라사이트 university as a mo바카라사이트rship¡±.

However, she said that ¡°바카라사이트re a real sense of belonging¡± among 바카라사이트 members, adding that some of 바카라사이트 small, specialist institutions ¡°need to be part of something bigger because 바카라사이트y don¡¯t fit in 바카라사이트 mould of 바카라사이트 current national policy around higher education¡±.

¡°If 바카라사이트 model assumes a marketisation of ever bigger institutions competing with each o바카라사이트r on price and quality, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 Courtauld Institute of Art and 바카라사이트 Institute of Cancer Research and 바카라사이트 Royal Academy of Music are not made in that mould,¡± she said.

¡°The University of London in part is a safe haven and an advocate for those very specialist institutions, which are outstanding. It provides 바카라사이트m a wider world in which to be a citizen.¡±

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com