Given the ongoing debate over the possible reintroduction of student payment of third level fees, and the dangers that lurk there for the universities, a rather unnerving thought occurs to me. It may be that the best universities in Europe are not yet private universities, but Irish universities seeking the freedom to set their own fees might decide to “de-nationalise” and “go private” by means of a Unilateral Declaration of Indepdence. My point is not that Universities should declare independence from government on the matter of fees, but that they should declare independence from government in all matters. There would be steep legal and regulatory obstacles to surmount, but assuming that this can be done, it would give any universities that did so complete freedom of action, not only in the realm of fees, but across the board.
Of course, it will never happen. The universities’ ties to the government are very strong indeed, and go well past the question of fees. There are the various research councils and funding bodies which are a vital part of the universities’ cash flow, and they would not want to jeopardise that. Moreover, the government has recently indicated that it will acquire the universities’ pension fund assets; this will afford the government some cash flow in the short term, and meet a significant shortfall in the funds in the long term; and the universities would not want to jeopardise that.
But it’s nevertheless an interesting – if rather alarming – thought to ponder.
Eoin,
Quite thought provoking in fact.
I’ve a couple of comments though.
1. Could such a move do nothing more than encourage the more ‘cornflake packet’ MBA, MPhil and PhD status’ we have seen with the onset of on-line learning?
2. If a private institution is to be run as a business, can the business sustain the funds and inputs to provide true value to its consumers – students? I expect not. From the outside looking in, the vast majority of folks involved with running universities have never in-fact run a business. In fact, some have run businesses into the ground (sic).
3. What is the true cost of running a large institution?
4. Should such independence be allowed? What would the cost be of removing the former semi-state staffers who are the types who could quite easily be found dead in a broom closet (i.e., ex-swivel service types).
5. HEA: Regulatory policy requires a couple of model definitions.
A. Competition Policy – with other institutions – is CAO adequate – what about GMAT also (?);
B. Competition Law – Legal frameworks and basis’ for operation (other then by royal charter or fiat); and
C. Consumer Protection – Which is something that frankly ‘flags’ in certain areas of Irish education and Educational institutional regulation. What I mean by this is auditing properly, providing IT and care infrastructures, sacking ‘crap’ or poor academics/tutors, having leading educational policies which attract consumers to want to be at a college.
6. Who regulates the regulator? ;0)
In summary/context:
I have never been a fan of the ‘race to the bottom’ CAO system in Ireland which feeds our system and unduly stresses sixteen and seventeen year old who quite frankly have just gotten over using Clearasil. I tend to support the Prendergast case which is under appeal, regarding access to institutions. Allowing a student access to education on the basis of a want/willingness to commit and funding. Its purely a case of capitalism versus socialism in economic terms in my view. Quite possibly discrimination in legal terms. I guess we will see whether or not the powers that be find in that fashion. Perhaps we’ll be having some other Separation of Powers case to toil over fairly soon.
Is there a substantive middle ground? …I suspect yes.
Some might say: ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ others might comment: Sublato fundamento, cadit opus – The foundation being removed, the structure falls.
Ronan
Sure. Let them “go private” – and then let the consumer decide if they want to pay fees for some very very poor undergraduate service.
Hmm…maybe Lloyds TSB could buy us out ;-)
Other people are making a similar point: see Go private, London Met boss tells Oxbridge (from the Times Higher)