Thanks Gawain, (do I mean 'thanks' - reading that has profoundly depressed me, I wonder if I qualify for PIP and a new BMW?), but seriously, this is the sort of revelation that makes one wonder whether it's too late . . .
Never mind, a great morning leafleting for a local Reform candidate was time well invested today, marvellously positive response on the doorstep!
In my day, starting in 1970, a thick sandwich BSc course in Mathematics, Statistics & Computing, was tough. 14 months in year 3 was spent in UKAEA learning to solve Neutron Transport Equations for steady states in Nuclear Reactors... not just the triple integrals, input & output needs/presentation but also program writing in the relatively new language of Fortran (having already learnt use of Algol) for input to the IBM Mainframe Computer on punched cards - in the days before computer terminals, editors email, etc. And, then this all had to be written up, hand typed the old way, special symbols & equations added by hand, then formally presented. I have to say, the paper is so complex, I don't even understand much of the maths any more... but a great base for my eventual, successful, 40+ year career in IT. University courses seem to have other priorities nowadays than preparing students for challenging, real work.
I was at Exeter University 1967-1970 studying Economics and Statistics. The course was not as demanding as those of my science and maths friends but we had to pass the first year exams or leave. We were expected at tutorials and with essays on our day. Attendamnce at lectures was not monitored, as I recall, but those who did not attend risked being down graded to a pass degree or worse - students were removed.
When studying accountancy while working for the three years after graduating there was a possibility of a re-take in the case of a near miss on one paper but not otherwise. I am not sure of the details because I did not have to suffer it. Nowerdays even in the professions, repeated attempts can be made.
Those on the right no longer have the luxury of in fighting. Whether one is disposed to Tommy, Ben, Rupert or Nigel, now is the time to end the division. ReformUK are better organised politically than most. 1 step forward has to be better than 2 steps backwards.
I was forced to retire early from my job as Senior Lecturer at a well-known (although not top tier) university in 2021 after I was forced into a nervous breakdown. My crime? I had a group of masters students, the vast majority from a single foreign country. Most of these students simply did not have the IELTS 6 level of English they were supposed to. The subject required students to conduct a piece of marketing research as their major assessment, which meant strict compliance with research protocols and prior submission of their surveys for ethical clearance. Most simply refused to do the paperwork and blithely conducted the research anyway. Their secondary assessment involved a report and the lack of English skills was evident in the inability of the majority to actually complete the task. They did not answer the question, so I failed dozens. I was told "they are customers who have paid their fees". Everyone passed the module.
What value will these degrees have in a corporate environment. Nothing. I used to work in Investment Banking - HR for Global Markets Trading. These flaky degrees will have no value in the cut and thrust of business. What a huge waste of money...
Shocking abuse of education and equally shocking waste of money and resources. It seems like jobs for all at the expense of ever increasing student debts. Who would encourage children now to enter university when the culture seems to seek to restrict rather than expand student thinking and creativity? Declining standards all around us - abandoning meritocracy in favour of a ludicrous ideology will inevitably lead to an abundance of mediocrity.
Many, perhaps most people now realise what was obvious all along - we have too many people going to University. When Reform takkes over the answer can be to stop funding as a University all institutions who do as Kings is doing, or anything like it. They can become the technical colleges we need or they can close.
In parallel a Reform Chancellor must also make clear there is no guarantee of solvency from HMT. If a University runs out of money because of failing the rules on central government funding then it goes bust and receivers will be obliged, under the bankrupcy acts, to investigate the management for its mismanagement.
This sounds very monochrome but I do think that is how it must be. We cannot have yet-anopther-regulator to sort this out over ten years. It needs to be done right away.
Thanks Gawain, (do I mean 'thanks' - reading that has profoundly depressed me, I wonder if I qualify for PIP and a new BMW?), but seriously, this is the sort of revelation that makes one wonder whether it's too late . . .
Never mind, a great morning leafleting for a local Reform candidate was time well invested today, marvellously positive response on the doorstep!
Delighted to hear it.
In my day, starting in 1970, a thick sandwich BSc course in Mathematics, Statistics & Computing, was tough. 14 months in year 3 was spent in UKAEA learning to solve Neutron Transport Equations for steady states in Nuclear Reactors... not just the triple integrals, input & output needs/presentation but also program writing in the relatively new language of Fortran (having already learnt use of Algol) for input to the IBM Mainframe Computer on punched cards - in the days before computer terminals, editors email, etc. And, then this all had to be written up, hand typed the old way, special symbols & equations added by hand, then formally presented. I have to say, the paper is so complex, I don't even understand much of the maths any more... but a great base for my eventual, successful, 40+ year career in IT. University courses seem to have other priorities nowadays than preparing students for challenging, real work.
I was at Exeter University 1967-1970 studying Economics and Statistics. The course was not as demanding as those of my science and maths friends but we had to pass the first year exams or leave. We were expected at tutorials and with essays on our day. Attendamnce at lectures was not monitored, as I recall, but those who did not attend risked being down graded to a pass degree or worse - students were removed.
When studying accountancy while working for the three years after graduating there was a possibility of a re-take in the case of a near miss on one paper but not otherwise. I am not sure of the details because I did not have to suffer it. Nowerdays even in the professions, repeated attempts can be made.
Those on the right no longer have the luxury of in fighting. Whether one is disposed to Tommy, Ben, Rupert or Nigel, now is the time to end the division. ReformUK are better organised politically than most. 1 step forward has to be better than 2 steps backwards.
So, who's standing down for Reform...Restore, Advance AND The Tories?
I was forced to retire early from my job as Senior Lecturer at a well-known (although not top tier) university in 2021 after I was forced into a nervous breakdown. My crime? I had a group of masters students, the vast majority from a single foreign country. Most of these students simply did not have the IELTS 6 level of English they were supposed to. The subject required students to conduct a piece of marketing research as their major assessment, which meant strict compliance with research protocols and prior submission of their surveys for ethical clearance. Most simply refused to do the paperwork and blithely conducted the research anyway. Their secondary assessment involved a report and the lack of English skills was evident in the inability of the majority to actually complete the task. They did not answer the question, so I failed dozens. I was told "they are customers who have paid their fees". Everyone passed the module.
Sad to say, I suspect your story could be replicated across the HE sector.
What value will these degrees have in a corporate environment. Nothing. I used to work in Investment Banking - HR for Global Markets Trading. These flaky degrees will have no value in the cut and thrust of business. What a huge waste of money...
How does this change even if Reform becomes the govt?
Farage may win at the polling booth, but the whole of civic society is Left-coded, how many decades now?
Application of the law and a backbone
Sounds simple, the reality may be very different.
There is no Right culture in the institutions.
You only have to see the acquiescence to critical theory, trans ideology etc, to see that Reform becoming the govt changes very little.
Not simple, but necessary all the same, and we have to believe it possible, or it will be surely impossible.
With Matt Goodwin hopefully calling the shots.
Shocking abuse of education and equally shocking waste of money and resources. It seems like jobs for all at the expense of ever increasing student debts. Who would encourage children now to enter university when the culture seems to seek to restrict rather than expand student thinking and creativity? Declining standards all around us - abandoning meritocracy in favour of a ludicrous ideology will inevitably lead to an abundance of mediocrity.
Many, perhaps most people now realise what was obvious all along - we have too many people going to University. When Reform takkes over the answer can be to stop funding as a University all institutions who do as Kings is doing, or anything like it. They can become the technical colleges we need or they can close.
In parallel a Reform Chancellor must also make clear there is no guarantee of solvency from HMT. If a University runs out of money because of failing the rules on central government funding then it goes bust and receivers will be obliged, under the bankrupcy acts, to investigate the management for its mismanagement.
This sounds very monochrome but I do think that is how it must be. We cannot have yet-anopther-regulator to sort this out over ten years. It needs to be done right away.