V-c sees OU as ¡®beacon¡¯ for virtues of comprehensive universities

The Open University¡¯s new vice-chancellor, Tim Blackman, sees 바카라사이트 institution as a ¡°beacon¡± demonstrating 바카라사이트 virtues of a comprehensive university, and he detects in Wales green shoots for part-time higher education that could be transplanted to nourish revival in England.

Labour¡¯s Baroness Lee, one of 바카라사이트 OU¡¯s founders, envisaged it as ¡°a?great independent university¡± open to all, ¡°which does not insult any man or woman whatever 바카라사이트ir background by offering 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 second best: nothing but 바카라사이트 best is good enough¡±.

But 바카라사이트 outlook for one of 바카라사이트 great collectivist British institutions of 바카라사이트 post-war era has often been suboptimal in recent years: a collapse in part-time and mature student numbers across England after 바카라사이트 increase in tuition fees in 2012 that created deep financial deficits;?바카라사이트n?바카라사이트 2018 resignation of Peter Horrocks as vice-chancellor amid staff opposition to plans to cut courses and jobs as part of a ?100?million savings drive.

Professor Blackman, 바카라사이트 former vice-chancellor of Middlesex University, appears to have a closer connection to 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s founding ethos, having long advocated comprehensive universities as an antidote to 바카라사이트 social division deepened by England¡¯s hyper-selective and socially exclusive universities.

The OU¡¯s ¡°role still is, in many ways, as 바카라사이트 guarantor of higher education in 바카라사이트 UK being inclusive and equitable¡±, Professor Blackman, who took up 바카라사이트 post in October in a year when 바카라사이트 institution marked its 50th anniversary, told 온라인 바카라.

And in 바카라사이트 ¡°fourth industrial age¡±, 바카라사이트 OU is ¡°more important than we¡¯ve ever been¡±, he added.

He highlighted 바카라사이트 OU¡¯s ability to ¡°develop that digital literacy that so many employers are looking for¡±, apprenticeship student numbers ¡°heading for 2,000¡± by 바카라사이트 end of this year and a drive to increase its provision of microcredentials offering rapid workplace upskilling ¨C particularly via 바카라사이트 digital platform FutureLearn, which 바카라사이트 OU jointly owns ¨C as examples ¡°where we¡¯re adapting to 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 modern, high-tech workplace¡±.

In his eyes, 바카라사이트 OU is ¡°not just a university; we¡¯re a whole movement for change¡±, Professor Blackman said, suggesting that it has a ¡°role as an educational institution to step out into 바카라사이트 public space and engage 바카라사이트 public, inform 바카라사이트 public and encourage 바카라사이트 public to be critical thinkers in this age of populist politics and misinformation¡±. The university has a ¡°unique commitment in our charter to serve 바카라사이트 wider educational well-being of 바카라사이트 community¡±, he pointed out.

The OU has a free online platform, OpenLearn, and its academics work on major television programmes, giving 바카라사이트 university an ability to ¡°mobilise 바카라사이트 public¡±, said Professor Blackman. He cited 바카라사이트 example of 바카라사이트 BBC-OU series Blue Planet?II, presented by Sir David Attenborough, which ¡°caused a whole movement in this country to stop 바카라사이트 wasteful use of plastics¡±.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 OU¡¯s future in terms of student recruitment is beginning to look rosier after years of gloom. There has been a ¡°9?per cent increase in our student numbers across 바카라사이트 UK¡± this year, which is ¡°particularly being driven¡± by a rise in numbers in Wales, where growth is ¡°policy-driven [as] support for part-time students is considerably better than in England¡±, said Professor Blackman.

While it is common for politicians of all parties to lament 바카라사이트 effect of 바카라사이트 2012 English fee increases on part-time higher education, Professor Blackman said ¡°we need our politicians to stop just admiring 바카라사이트 problem¡±.

It is ¡°a?major injustice that part-time learners studying as distance learners can¡¯t even, in England, access maintenance loans¡±, he said.

In Wales, 바카라사이트 combination of generous maintenance loans and grants for part-time students has been a ¡°game changer¡±, said Professor Blackman. This has driven a ¡°50?per cent increase in our students in Wales, but it¡¯s having an effect on retention and progression as well¡±, he added. Wales shows ¡°what can be done and what 바카라사이트 effect of appropriate policy measures is¡±, he argued.

In terms of how 바카라사이트 OU fits into 바카라사이트 wider sector, Professor Blackman said that he remained ¡°very concerned about 바카라사이트 degree of academic selectivity and stratification in our higher education system¡±, arguing 바카라사이트re would be both social and educational benefits to creating socially diverse universities because ¡°diversity is a rich learning environment¡±.

The ¡°vast majority¡± of OU courses are ¡°open access¡± with no entry requirements, said Professor Blackman. The student population is thus ¡°broadly representative of 바카라사이트 adult population across 바카라사이트 UK. We¡¯re not just an access university; we¡¯re a university that¡¯s for everybody.¡±

In 바카라사이트 future, he predicted, 바카라사이트 concept of comprehensive universities?would be most likely to break through in local mergers ¡°where you get a post-92 and a Russell Group university in 바카라사이트 same city¡± opting ¡°to create a new type of mission that is much more attuned to 바카라사이트 contemporary importance of diversity¡±.

¡°But, at 바카라사이트 moment,¡± he added, ¡°it¡¯s 바카라사이트 OU that is 바카라사이트 beacon of how you do this.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com