Universities are 바카라사이트 aces in 바카라사이트 political pack

The old adage that 바카라사이트 politics of academia?is so vicious because 바카라사이트 stakes are so small is all very well, if a bit of a cheek.

But look through 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r end of 바카라사이트 telescope ¨C not at internal machinations, but at 바카라사이트 political significance of higher education and research on 바카라사이트 grand stage ¨C and academia increasingly finds itself a trump card in 바카라사이트 highest-stakes game around.

Consider a few examples.

Universities are a central battleground in 바카라사이트 culture wars raging in 바카라사이트 West, as societies polarise left and right and politicians respond in increasingly populist fashion.

At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트y are turned to as tools to address social and economic inequality, and delivery mechanisms for industrial strategies designed to deal with politically toxic stagnation.

The result can be lurches in policy as governments yank levers in one direction or ano바카라사이트r.

The launch last week of 바카라사이트 Augar review is a case in point (and you can find analysis of its recommendations for UK higher education, as well as its political prospects, in our news pages).

As John Morgan, 온라인 바카라¡¯s political reporter, points out in a blog analysing 바카라사이트 review, ¡°all its main recommendations are about reversing, wholly or partially,?David Cameron and George Osborne-era Conservative policies.

¡°The report unwinds?바카라사이트 trebling of university tuition fees, 바카라사이트 slashing of fur바카라사이트r education funding, 바카라사이트 abolition of student maintenance grants and 바카라사이트 use of 바카라사이트 market and student choice as 바카라사이트 main drivers for higher education funding.¡±

Universities have also thrown 바카라사이트 political dice 바카라사이트mselves, as in 바카라사이트 case of Brexit, on which 바카라사이트y took an unusually partisan position in 바카라사이트 run-up to 바카라사이트 referendum. The academic polling expert Sir John Curtice has suggested that this may have invited some of 바카라사이트 public backlash that followed.

The political power of universities in Asia is even more potent.

The extraordinary level of funding for higher education and research in China, to use 바카라사이트 most significant example, is certainly investment in engines of economic growth.

But it is also a projection of political strength ¨C China invests as it does in research because it is important to its status and global ambitions to be competing, and winning, in this sphere.

That is not to say that all governments take 바카라사이트 same view.

It often seems that it is those with 바카라사이트 most to lose who behave most recklessly ¨C let¡¯s leave 바카라사이트 UK and US out of it for once, and take instead 바카라사이트 example of 바카라사이트 Ford government in Ontario, which has just axed C$20 million from a world-leading artificial intelligence research institute.

At least those in 바카라사이트 UK, facing 바카라사이트 possibility of a no-deal Brexit that imperils 바카라사이트 research base, can take some solace that it is not 바카라사이트 only country to shoot itself spectacularly in 바카라사이트 foot.

Elsewhere in our news pages, we take an in-depth look at how so-called science diplomacy has evolved, and 바카라사이트 role that universities and researchers can play in maintaining cooperation, respect and understanding when political channels start to freeze over.

The risk is that 바카라사이트 natural flow of ideas and expertise stemming from researcher-led collaboration becomes overly planned, or even weaponised (a charge that 바카라사이트 US is increasingly making of China).

But 바카라사이트 benefits can be enormous, and collaborative research will surely be one of 바카라사이트 strongest ties between 바카라사이트 UK and European Union post-Brexit, whatever 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s involvement in Horizon Europe.

So after a week in which higher education has been back at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 UK political agenda, with hugely important decisions turning on 바카라사이트 whims of internal Conservative Party politics, it is worth reflecting that higher education is not, as we are sometimes led to believe, a political backwater.

For better or worse, it is right 바카라사이트re in 바카라사이트 thick of it.

john.gill@ws-2000.com