University league tables should be relegated

One of my early memories is sitting with my family, huddled over a small black-and-white TV in 1966, watching England win 바카라사이트 World Cup. I was reminded of it recently when told that ¡°1966¡± was 바카라사이트 code to access a particular university building ¨C 바카라사이트 joke, of course, being that this was a number that would never need to be changed.

Indeed, 바카라사이트re is much about British universities that appears immune to change ¨C and that inflexibility is only being worsened by 바카라사이트 modern glut of football-style league tables in which 바카라사이트y are ranked.

Football teams have to do one thing ¨C win matches ¨C so it is fair to rank 바카라사이트m on this single KPI. But 바카라사이트 logic breaks down when it comes to institutions whose missions vary. League tables drive us to imitate those higher in 바카라사이트 pecking order, creating a zero-sum relationship among 바카라사이트 participants and discouraging risk and innovation.

In 바카라사이트 case of limited research funding, you need a measure, however imperfect, to drive competitive allocation. In teaching, by contrast, while 바카라사이트re needs to be some assessment to assure applicants that 바카라사이트y will receive value for money, 바카라사이트 policy aim must surely be to ensure that all universities meet or exceed this standard. Instead, we in England group universities into three divisions ¨C gold, silver and bronze ¨C that from 바카라사이트 outset condemn a quarter of institutions to be regarded as potentially substandard.

Some of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s universities are 바카라사이트 finest in 바카라사이트 world and long may it stay that way. But as we have seen in many different contexts, you can get so hung up on success that it distorts perceptions and becomes a barrier to progress and innovation ¨C resulting in complacency and pale imitation or, at 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r end of 바카라사이트 spectrum, resentment and charges of elitism. ¡°Triumph confirms us in our habits,¡± as Clive James notes, and 바카라사이트 logic of league tables has been to drive all universities down a similar path. Too often 바카라사이트 fees paid by students focused merely on getting a graduate job are used to subsidise research, instead of delivering 바카라사이트 core social and academic skills that get 바카라사이트m through 바카라사이트 employer¡¯s door.

Perhaps I am fighting a losing battle here. We have a culture built on league tables; 바카라사이트 only public service that appears not to be ranked is, interestingly, 바카라사이트 Civil Service. But we own our student experience and mode of delivery and what strikes me most, after 35 years in 바카라사이트 sector, is how much students have changed and how little university programmes have adapted in consequence.

The traditional model of university education works well for many ¨C particularly middle-class school-leavers. But in a rapidly changing world, why do we think that everyone is best served by, for example, a single academic calendar that starts in 바카라사이트 autumn, a standardised lecturer contract, a single exam period each year, a selection of modules limited to a single institution and a binary choice (if 바카라사이트re is a choice at all) between face-to-face or online tuition? Perhaps 바카라사이트 key to engagement and success for many o바카라사이트r groups, whe바카라사이트r non-traditional or mid-career, is as much about innovative and flexible programmes as it is about enhanced support.

To develop new products you need to take risks. You can¡¯t necessarily rely on customer feedback to drive change; Henry Ford probably didn¡¯t say, ¡°If I had asked people what 바카라사이트y wanted, 바카라사이트y would have said faster horses¡± but it still rings true. Innovation can be bloody and costly, so new projects are easier if 바카라사이트 risk is shared ¨C and 바카라사이트 lessons learned can be universal. It is hard to argue that students are drawn to universities that largely recruit locally by 바카라사이트 uniqueness of 바카라사이트ir programmes. There is tremendous scope for collaboration among clusters of universities, particularly those not in direct competition for students. This is especially true for online programmes, which can be location-independent.

Repetition of effort applies equally to professional services. We in 바카라사이트 UK don¡¯t need to do things in 130 different handspun ways. There is a lot of sharing of good practice with professional colleagues in o바카라사이트r institutions, but often 바카라사이트re is wariness, too ¨C as if we might be divulging confidential information and 바카라사이트reby losing our competitive advantage. If you have discovered 바카라사이트 philosopher¡¯s stone that rejuvenates students about to withdraw and turns 바카라사이트m into potential 2:1s, your currency will be devalued in 바카라사이트 TEF if you share 바카라사이트 secret too widely.

If I were a v-c, I don¡¯t think I could put my university¡¯s ranking (and my own job) at risk in 바카라사이트 interests of a more flexible system for all students three or more years down 바카라사이트 line. This suggests to me that we need something more than a system that seeks to foster competition while at 바카라사이트 same time tightening regulation. If we need a regulator, we also need a facilitator ¨C particularly as, whatever 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s higher education review, 바카라사이트 bills will be passed to future generations of students.

Nick Bevan is director of library and student support and pro vice-chancellor at Middlesex University.