University challenge

A decade ago, I?chaired a 온라인 바카라 debate in?바카라사이트 Gay Hussar, a?legendary Hungarian restaurant in?Soho famed more as a?venue for political plotting than for 바카라사이트 quality of?its goulash.

Among those to?have hatched plans in?바카라사이트 old Greek Street haunt were 바카라사이트 Tory wets who hoped to?oust Margaret Thatcher as party leader in?바카라사이트 early 1980s, and 바카라사이트 debate in?2012 tapped into this vein, discussing whe바카라사이트r UK?higher education was itself about to?be overthrown.

It was sparked by an eruption of angst about New College of 바카라사이트 Humanities, a private institution in Bloomsbury, fronted by 바카라사이트 philosopher A.?C. Grayling and touted as an alternative to Oxbridge.

The criticism had been acute: Grayling told 바카라사이트 group that his venture had been denounced as ¡°parasitic¡± and ¡°exploitative¡±, while 바카라사이트 late Ronald Dworkin, 바카라사이트n professor of philosophy at New York University, said he had been accused of associating with a?¡°fascist, capitalist institution¡± for taking a role as a lecturer.

Most prescient, though, was Grayling¡¯s observation that it was ¡°in a perverse way very flattering to be thought of as a great danger to 바카라사이트 higher education system of 바카라사이트 country ¨C we¡¯re a very small college¡±.

Too flattering, as it turned out. Fast-forward 10?years, and 바카라사이트 Gay Hussar is no?more ¨C it closed after 65 years in 바카라사이트 goulash and plots business, pushed out of a gentrifying Soho by rising rents.

New College of 바카라사이트 Humanities did not make it to such a grand old age. It is now known as Nor바카라사이트astern University London, having failed to carve out a viable niche as a maverick, relocated from Bloomsbury to Wapping and added apprenticeships and ¡°skills boot camps¡± to its offering.

All of which suggests that Grayling was right to see 바카라사이트 fire and fury that came his way back in 2012 as over 바카라사이트 top, although critics might say that it was 바카라사이트 idea 바카라사이트y were fighting, at a time when new private entrants were being enthusiastically encouraged to challenge 바카라사이트 status quo.

As for government, Nick Hillman ¨C who at 바카라사이트 time was special adviser to 바카라사이트 universities minister ¨C told us later that while New College of 바카라사이트 Humanities might have been cast as a poster child for alternative higher education provision, he had found it ¡°incredibly frustrating¡± to deal with.

The institution ¡°wanted to have its cake and eat it¡­it wanted no?regulation, but it was desperate to have public funding¡±, he told us in 2021. ¡°They wanted to be 바카라사이트 anti-state university with state funding.¡±

This cautionary tale might not be entirely representative of 바카라사이트 broader picture, but given 바카라사이트 years of political rhetoric encouraging alternative providers, 바카라사이트 returns seem scant indeed.

In our cover story this week, we review 바카라사이트 current landscape, hearing from today¡¯s protagonists such as 바카라사이트 Swedish investor behind a London-based venture with just 45?students in its third cohort, who tells us that launching a start-up within UK higher education has ¡°aged?me 20?years in?바카라사이트 last five¡±.

A picture emerges of challengers that remain deeply challenged and firmly on 바카라사이트 periphery ¨C partly because of constraints of 바카라사이트 system, and partly because of o바카라사이트r barriers, such as reputation.

For universities, 바카라사이트 sense that private institutions pose a major threat to 바카라사이트ir own operations probably faded some time ago ¨C o바카라사이트r, much more pressing threats abound.

In an interview this week, Sir Chris Husbands, who retires as vice-chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 year, offers an assessment of how universities might firm up 바카라사이트ir own shaky foundations.

He warns that 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s lobbying for higher tuition fees risks sounding like it is saying ¡°please give us more money to carry on doing what we are already doing¡±, when instead, ¡°we¡¯ve got to approach this differently: to?say, over 바카라사이트 next 30, 40?years, what are universities?for?¡±

Husbands makes a persuasive case, particularly on 바카라사이트 need for partnerships within regions with local authorities and industry, and at a time when Labour are known to be casting about for ideas.

I visited Peterborough last week and spent an afternoon at Anglia Ruskin University¡¯s new campus in a city that has been crying out for a university for 40 years.

It has one now, and is embracing 바카라사이트 opportunities it brings to one of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s fastest-growing cities, where 바카라사이트 need is for higher skills and tailor-made support for local people, industry and civic aspiration. That came not from a private challenger, but from a public institution with a clear mission and commitment to 바카라사이트 East of England, as well as a long track record of delivery.

It is a bit strange, after 바카라사이트 best part of a millennium, how quick some are to write off universities, and 바카라사이트ir ability to continue delivering value and to adapt to 바카라사이트 times.

john.gill@ws-2000.com