Member Article

Higher Education Under the Microscope

The future of Higher Education in England will be examined by one of the nation’s leading authorities on the subject when he delivers a prestigious annual lecture later today.

Professor Sir Robert Burgess will give his critical analysis of some of the features of the Government’s controversial green paper on the Higher Education sector.

A number of leading academics have warned that the ‘Fulfilling our Potential’ paper, which was published at the end of last year, will mean higher tuition fees, increased state intervention and more bureaucracy.

The Government published the green paper and called for views on its content at the end of last year.

It says the document sets out proposals “to change the Higher Education landscape”.

They include introducing a Teaching Excellence Framework that the Government says will deliver better value for money for students, employers and taxpayers and create a “common system” for all providers.

Prof Sir Robert will look at a number of its proposals, including the framework, a grade point average system, the promotion of social mobility and the development of a ‘level playing field’ for all providers.

He will deliver the keynote Faculty of Education Annual Lecture to an audience at the University of Hull on Monday, March 21.

Professor Sir Robert Burgess is well placed to comment on the green paper and its proposals.

He is a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Leicester, chair of the Higher Education Academy, the UUK/Guild HE Teacher Education Advisory Group and NatCen Social Research and the President of the Society for Research into Higher Education.

He has also chaired the UUK/Guild HE Implementation Group on the Higher Education Achievement Report and Degree Classifications for which he has produced four reports and he is now chairman of the Higher Education Achievement Report Advisory Committee.

The Professor was awarded a knighthood in 2010 for services to Higher Education locally and nationally and the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Midlands Business Awards in February 2012.

Dina Lewis, Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Hull, said: “The lecture will provide a critical analysis of some features of the Government’s green paper, which has already sparked fierce debate in the sector.

“We’re delighted to have someone of Prof Sir Robert’s stature as our guest lecturer this year and we’re sure he will deliver a thought-provoking and lively talk that is sure to start even more debate.

“The Government says its aim is to change the landscape. This year’s speaker aims to test that claim out in his lecture and we’d urge everyone with an interest in Higher Education to come along.”

The lecture will start at 4.30pm in Lecture Theatre 15 in the Wilberforce Building at the university’s main campus in Hull. Refreshments will be served before the event.

The annual talk is also part of the Faculty of Education’s Engagement Week.

To attend the lecture, please contact Tracey Anastasi on 01482 466893 or email T.Anastasi@hull.ac.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Mark Smith .