The nature of tertiary education in this country
Wednesday, September 8th, 2004Writing about Voting Systems from The CAP blog
I was going to just comment on Graham’s entry above, but I think I want to separate my views from a discussion about stefan’s enjoyment of gadgets :-)
So what is it that a university degree gives you? If you are trying to get into a job that demands something specific (eg research scientist), then obviously you want the very best knowledge of that subject – the best education methods, the best media etc.
But why is it that so many graduate jobs in this country do not specify what degree you have? Or suggest a wide range (numerate degrees)? My feeling is that having a degree has shown that you’ve learned how to think. The way that HE education has been done typically has meant that it assesses your ability to study independently, push yourself, and work things out, rather than just showing that you’ve attended class and been spoon-fed information.
If we get to a point where HE is just a different set of subjects for FE, this will be a fundamental shift. Then how do you distinguish between graduates? Do PhDs become the standard fare for interesting jobs? Do we get to a point where by removing the differentiation between people with degrees and people without that you have to know the universities by reputation to understand what it is that a candidate has acheived?
If universities cease to be elitist, they have ceased to serve their purpose. I don’t mean elitist as in “what colour is your tie”, I mean elitist as in “are you any good at what you study? Are you driven to study it?