A quest for knowledge, not a quest for grades: A concern for the future of UK higher education

A quest for knowledge, not a quest for grades: A concern for the future of UK higher education

Future developments for higher education in the UK are focused on increased accessibility for more students, as well as putting the necessary means in place to ensure that institutions can deliver better quality education in the face of impending budget cuts. But could these plans simply ensure a greater number of people enter the workplace armed with grades, instead of the necessary knowledge and skills which employers really desire?
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nThe question comes after a high profile open letter written to the funding council for universities from Labour MP, and Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Peter Mandelson. In it, he asked that the council develop more flexible degrees – some lasting for two years – in a move ‘away from full-time three year places’ which have come to typify the idea of a degree course.
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nThe primary aim of shorter courses is to open up higher education for more prospective learners who might initially be deterred by debts and costs traditionally associated with three year degrees.
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nOf course, any moves which look set to increase accessibility for further education are seemingly positive, especially with the continuing economic problems said to affect the industry over the next few years. Yet the plans proposed by Mandelson are not free from criticism.
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nTom Sperlinger writes at guardian.co.uk: “The debate about two-year degrees shows how increasingly we contort our learning (and our lives) to fit the shape of certain qualifications. This preoccupation with qualifications as the only outcome of learning is as baffling to employers as it is for many students…There would be nothing wrong with a proposal for two-year degrees, if it formed part of a coherent vision that would make our higher education system diverse and responsive to the shape of people’s lives.”
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nSpelinger certainly has a point here, two year courses will no doubt be the perfect arena for a proportion of learners to gain the knowledge needed to survive in the workplace, and ultimately stimulate the re-growth of the UK economy. Yet, shouldn’t we invest as much money and time into developing longer part-time courses – utilizing distance learning and online education techniques – in order to benefit those who need more time to get the most out of higher education? It seems that in an age of breaking down barriers and constraints for education and instead developing universities without walls, two year degrees may be even more restrictive than traditional three year courses.
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Posted Date: 2010-01-08 11:12:34