Worlds Top Universities

[LukeSkywalker]

http://www.topuniversities.com/unive...rsity-rankings

Interesting to see that Oxford is now out of the worlds top set of Universities for the first time ever. It needs £1bn spending on it to update it.

Is it just me or can anyone else see that the reason there is no money for elite universities is that so much money has been wasted on poor ones? I interviewed a recent graduate of Huddersfield University yesterday. She was borderline illiterate and unable to express herself without permanent use of "you know, like" and "dunno, spose so". Needless to say she didn't get a job.

She told me she was £40k in debt after a 4 year course in accountancy. One year fo the course was a "foundation year" (AKA a year to catch up because her maths was so poor). She informed me 90% of her 2008 graduation year were unemployed, and close to 100% of this year.

No disrespect to her (and credit for her for trying) but wouldn't we be better off closing cruddy universities like this down, and promoting elitism? We have created a society where everyone wants/needs a degree but in actuality only a small percentage of people use them. This poor girl has been conned into believing that 4 years and £40k of debt would give her a "better" life. It hasn't. It won't.

Bottom line - places like Hudderfield were good polytechnics and are lousy universities. The £100m spent on it in the last 10 years has, in my opinion, been wasted and would have been better spent on the elite at Oxford/Cambridge/UCL etc.

Its time to end the "a degree is a passport to money" lie. Degrees only have value of they are from a top university and held by the top 5% of the population. When they are not, they are a waste of time and money.

I feel sorry for the girl I interviewed. £40k is £60 per month for FIFTY YEARS (until she retires). Thats basically here entire state state pension for 10 years (assuming she lives for 10 years after she retires at 72). So basically she has paid for her own retirement with a useless degree from a hopeless university. And she still isn't bright (the certificate didn't change her basic personality, ability etc.)

End of rant. Apologies. Hate to see the kids treated like this.

[ericfish]

Controversial point, but valid...not so sure about 'promoting elitism' tho.

The ideals of higher education for all is a marvellous goal, the idea that they go on to be innovative creators of jobs and cash thru their high-tech expertise etc.....but pushing kids into University was always a governement strategy to keep them off the jobless figures, plus has the bonus of creating yet another cash injection for the economy by boosting education as a major provider of finance to all areas of the UK.

Kid goes to Uni, borrows the money to fund it, spends it locally and creates wealth, meanwhile University expands, takes on more staff and they spend locally also. Great cash boost to areas that no longer have a economic base.

Don't know about Huddersfield, but Plymouth's economy was always based on Defence spending, as that has been cut the major source of cash is now students.

[LukeSkywalker]

The ideals of higher education for all is a marvellous goal, the idea that they go on to be innovative creators of jobs and cash thru their high-tech expertise etc.....but pushing kids into University was always a governement strategy to keep them off the jobless figures, plus has the bonus of creating yet another cash injection for the economy by boosting education as a major provider of finance to all areas of the UK.

Kid goes to Uni, borrows the money to fund it, spends it locally and creates wealth, meanwhile University expands, takes on more staff and they spend locally also. Great cash boost to areas that no longer have a economic base.

Don't know about Huddersfield, but Plymouth's economy was always based on Defence spending, as that has been cut the major source of cash is now students.

I think we should replace poor uni's with a few things (namely the option of one of the following for 3 years):

a. Armed forces service - I like the idea of a big army and parades (torchlit) etc.
b. Hospital service - as in Germany
c. Public construction - like building motorways, hospitals etc. in under 5 years for a simple bit of repair work (as on the M1 recently)

There are of course other options that could be added, but we have to get away from the idea that churning out hundreds of thousands of kids who start their life in debt is a good thing. The idea that a country can exist without making anything is a busted flush (knowledge economies have been destroyed by the internet, where knowledge is shared and only a mouse click away).

We also have to get away from the idea that somehow no degree = bad.

Destroy the liberal control of the media (lets fire 50% of the BBC for a start, starting with Jonathon Ross).

Insist that ever public building in England flies the Cross of St George (schools, council offices etc).

Pay no social seciurity to anyone that cannot pass a basic literacy test, and has not been here for 5 years.

Offer NHS care to people that have paid in for 5 years - and those that haven't get care only if they have paid insurance.

Allow the establishment of euthenasia clinics for the terminally ill (and in my opinion also for the depressed - I see no wrong in controlled suicide).

Take all retail banks into state ownership and offer state mortgages to people that have no criminal convictions etc.

Incentivise the law abiders by giving them a discount on state mortgages and loans.

Make it illegal for anyone with more than three criminal convictions to own any property, including cars (three strikes and you are out). Make them pay extra tax to pay back the cost of prison (which I would reform hugely to make sure inmates could come out able to fit in to society).

And then some little things like .......

Make anyone who is caught speeding work for 1 night in casualty or as a road sweeper with the police for every MPH that they were doing over the speed limit.

Ban Burkhas (or offer free "country shift" grants to Iran etc.)

Ban car exhaust pipes with diameters over 30mm on Vauxhall Corsas (of any age)

I'm feeling radical this morning. I'm writing my manifesto. Its time to for change.

[ericfish]

Think theres a fairly radical and (thankfully) fringe party that already has most of that in their manifesto.

Tho i wouldnt argue the car exhaust bit...plus ban all motorbikes from built up areas...no the hell with it, just ban all motorbikes

[LukeSkywalker]

Think theres a fairly radical and (thankfully) fringe party that already has most of that in their manifesto.

Tho i wouldnt argue the car exhaust bit...plus ban all motorbikes from built up areas...no the hell with it, just ban all motorbikes

Yes, I am aware that a lot of that is seen as fringe - but it will become mainstream as people realise what state the world is in. Plus none of that is racist - I'm happy for all comers. Good call on the motorbikes - and I have to say lets add caravans (unless driven at night) while we are at it.