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September 2004 |
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It's nearly time for the ADSET Annual Conference and, thanks to the Department for Education and Skills, you'll get lots of "goodies" to take away with you. With the sponsorship that we've been promised we're going to be producing "mouse mat pads", A5 note pads and quality bags for the goodies to go into. This is a first for ADSET and will hopefully set a pattern of future collaboration between the two organisations.
While I'm saying "thank you" I also need to say it to the Shell Technology Enterprise Programme (STEP) for providing, for eight weeks during the summer vacation, a second-year undergraduate who has sorted the ADSET "library" – that's the rather grand word to describe the collection of documents that we have used over the years to produce Members' Update and which have accumulated through various projects and research for seminars etc. Not only did Kerry work a transformation on the documents (previously stored in five large cardboard boxes) but also set up a database so that we know what we've got and where it is. Would it be useful for me to identify which publications we've actually got in our new super wonderful library? I'm still trying to get my head around the issues of copyright in connection with being able to operate as a lending library – something I've not had to deal with previously – but many of the documents are free from restrictions.
In July I said, in connection with the article Working Better from the Summer edition of CentrePiece, that I'd try to get permission to reproduce the whole article. Dawn has gone one better and discovered that it's online (PDF 6PP) at http://cep.lse.ac.uk/centrepiece/v9i2/vanreenen.pdf
Not only that but there are many other documents, research reports and similar, also available on the CentrePiece website
Do any of you read Adviser, the monthly journal from Citizen's Advice? You may have noticed that Dawn and I use pieces from it on a fairly regular basis. However, the most recent issue (Number 105 (September/October 2004)) had nothing of general interest – and lots about homelessness which those of you with an adult clientele with housing problems will find very useful.
I have never before looked at a conference programme and been so excited. The Online Information Conference opens with Jakob Neilson on usability and continues with several of Dawn's and my favourite writers including Mary Ellen Bates on Mining the Deep Web. Excitement –– until I looked at the price! Ah well.
Another question for you. How useful are the "useful websites" that we tell you about? Would they be even more useful if they were added to the links on the ADSET website? And, what would you like done with those that are interesting (to either Dawn or I – rarely both of us) but aren't really work related?
Having started that last sentence with a preposition is a neat link to a story about the use of English. The UK-HRD Forum has been discussing this issue recently and one of the contributors said: "I was once told there ain't a noun that can't be verbed." I thought that there probably were a number of nouns that wouldn't make very good verbs. I was proved right on reading a report of a project which has an objective of "to strategize about ........"? It matters not what the objective was designed to achieve – I'd like to do something extremely nasty to the perpetrator of this example of wrongful use of a noun made into a verb. I strategize: therefore I am. The "z" probably gives away the country of origin.
The Admissions to Higher Education Review, led by Professor Steven Schwartz, has published its final recommendations on university admissions. The review gave its backing to a new admissions system known as PQA (Post Qualifications Application) based on students' actual, rather than predicted, results. It makes five key recommendations. They are:
Universities and colleges should provide the information applicants need to make an informed choice, including the institution's admissions policy and detailed criteria for admission to courses. Unsuccessful candidates should be given feedback if they request it.
Ability to complete the course must be an essential criterion for admission. Prior educational attainment (such as A-level results) remains the best predictor of success in HE, but institutions may use other assessment methods, including additional testing and interviews.
All assessment methods used by universities and colleges should be informed and guided by research and good practice. Where possible, institutions choosing to use quantifiable measures should use tests and approaches that have already been shown to predict undergraduate success. Where existing tests are unsuitable, institutions may develop alternatives that are reliable and valid.
Barriers arising from the means of assessment, the resources and support available to applicants and the type of applicants' qualifications (vocational or academic) should be minimised.
Institutions' admissions systems must facilitate a high-quality, efficient admissions system and a professional service to applicants. There should be clear guidelines for the appointment, training and induction of all staff involved in admissions.
Education secretary Charles Clarke has ordered the setting up of an implementation group, headed by the government's Director General for Higher Education, Sir Alan Wilson, to look at the arrangements and possible timescale for the new system.
Rebecca Smithers, Education Editor, The Guardian 14 September
Fair admissions to higher education: recommendations for good practice (PDF 90pp) is at www.admissions- review.org.uk/downloads/finalreport.pdf
"There are two ways to slide easily through life: to believe everything or to doubt everything; both ways save us from thinking."
Alfred Korzybski (some authorities attribute this, with slightly different words, to other authors)
Commenting on the Schwartz report on university admissions, the leading article in The Independent (16 September) welcomed the call to change the current "arcane" system. However, it wondered why it has taken "the American-born vice-chancellor of Brunel University (who has lived in Australia most of his adult life)" to recognise that a system based on such unreliable data as predicted A-level grades is inherently unfair.
The government review of university admissions has been welcomed by university heads but condemned by students as a "missed opportunity" that would raise more hurdles to higher education. The National Union of Students said it was disappointed that the Schwartz review was recommending additional aptitude tests, which would favour those who could afford coaching, and continued to focus on A-levels.
Donald MacLeod, The Guardian 14 September
The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) has issued official warnings to 17 universities because they are not sufficiently socially "inclusive". A further 12 institutions have been told that they are "at risk of being financially penalised" if they do not improve their efforts to widen participation from lower socio-economic groups. Analysis by HESA shows that these universities are admitting too many pupils from independent schools, too few from the lowest socio-economic groups or too few from disadvantaged neighbourhoods. The worst offenders, which were found to be guilty of all three, were: Oxford, Cambridge, University College London (UCL), St Andrews, Imperial, Bristol, Edinburgh, London School of Economics (LSE), Exeter, Durham, King's College London, Nottingham, Newcastle, Oxford Brookes (the only former polytechnic), Leeds, Warwick and Bath.
John Clare, Education Editor, The Daily Telegraph 30 September
According to a report from the Institute for Public Policy Research, the barriers between further and higher education should be broken down, so that students can move seamlessly from one to the other. The report argues that enabling students to build up credits at colleges, which could be transferred to university, would help to make post-compulsory education more accessible. It also suggested that only universities which collaborate with further education institutions should be permitted to charge top-up fees.
Polly Curtis, The Guardian 10 September
Diverse Missions: Achieving excellence and equality in post-16 education, by Wendy Piatt (ISBN: 1-86030-225-4, price £9.95) is available from www.ippr.org/publications
An executive summary (PDF 8pp) is at http://tinyurl.com/3jeb5
In an article for The Guardian (31 August), philanthropist Peter Lampl, chair of The Sutton Trust, launches an attack on what he perceives to be the two-faced attitudes of those in government. In particular, he criticises the politicians who seem to believe that "choice" is a luxury reserved for the privileged. He argues that, while the government may look like it is increasing educational choices across the classes, it is the better-off that have disproportionately benefited. Sir Peter believes that the government needs to intervene in just three areas to open up the concept of choice to everyone:
Sir Peter responds to those who complain about the cost to the taxpayer of such a scheme, by pointing out that it is actually cheaper to sponsor a child in an independent school than it is to keep them in a comprehensive. Indeed, it is a great deal cheaper than developing an academy and then paying for a child to attend it. He also dismisses those who believe that selection by ability is immoral. Sir Peter points out that selection is already alive and well in the education system. It is just that, at the moment, selection is usually according to "cash and class".
Full article http://tinyurl.com/4oacq
The Sutton Trust supports innovative projects that provide educational opportunities for young people from non-privileged backgrounds – see www.suttontrust.com
Charles Clarke has announced that the government is considering interventionist initiatives to preserve "subjects of strategic national importance". Mr Clarke warned that the shortage of students in key subjects such as mathematics, the sciences and engineering has become "severe". He also highlighted the closure of science and modern language departments in universities across the UK, saying: "Although the government doesn't want to tell universities what to teach or students what to study, we do believe there needs to be a national debate about this. It simply can't be dealt with by the market systems."
Miranda Green, Education Correspondent, Financial Times 16 September
The Centre for Economic Performance (CEP) at the London School of Economics has recently published three valuable documents:
The returns to apprenticeship training
This paper uses recent data from the UK Labour Force Survey (LFS) to estimate the wage gains that individuals make on average if they complete an apprenticeship programme. The results suggest gains of around 5-7% for men, but no benefit for women. Further analysis extends the results by considering the returns by age group, by qualification obtained, by highest prior qualification and by industrial sector. A key finding emerging from this further analysis is the importance of acquiring qualifications with the apprenticeship, at level 3 or above.
Full paper (PDF 30pp): http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/dp0622.pdf
The impact of vocational qualifications on the labour market – outcomes of low-achieving school-leavers
This paper creates a pseudo cohort of individuals who left school in the mid-1990s. The extent of low achievement at school amongst this group is documented, and then the impact of such low achievement on labour force status is estimated. The main focus of the paper is then to investigate to what extent unqualified school-leavers can improve their labour market status through the acquisition of vocational qualifications. The results show that vocational qualifications at all levels can improve the employment chances of unqualified school-leavers. There are also small effects on occupational mobility, but little impact on wages. However, few unqualified school-leavers seem to be following this vocational route to qualification achievement.
Full paper (PDF 44pp): http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/dp0621.pdf
Further Analysis of the Returns to Academic and Vocational Qualifications
This report uses data from the Labour Force Survey to disaggregate the estimated returns to qualifications, focusing on changes in returns over time, by public and private sector, by age cohort and by highest school qualification.
Full report (PDF 97pp) http://cee.lse.ac.uk/cee%20dps/ceedp35.pdf
SSDA Intelligence Issue 27 (September 2004)
Speaking at the Labour Party annual conference, chancellor Gordon Brown promised that the government would give "a second chance in education for all". Mr Brown said that he would guarantee to everyone "the resources and the learning facilities to acquire the skills they need". Mr Brown's aides were unable to give details of how the pledge would be achieved other than saying existing "employer training pilots" would be extended nationwide.
Press Association, The Guardian 27 September
Teresa Tinklin and Sheila Riddell (University of Edinburgh) and Alastair Wilson (University of Strathclyde)
Drawing on the findings of an ESRC-funded research project, Disabled students and multiple policy innovations in higher education, involving a survey of higher education institutions, the article describes and discusses the current state of policy and provision for disabled students in higher education in Scotland and England. It concludes that, while there are definite signs of progress in the development of provision for disabled students, many areas need much further attention. A particular area of concern is teaching and learning. Effecting real change in this area means addressing questions which challenge conventional notions of effective teaching and learning practice. It is argued that improvements in provision for disabled students in this area would mean improvements for all students. Disability is still seen as a fairly distinct policy area, mainly addressed by student support services. Further significant progress can only be made if disability is embedded into all institutional policies and procedures. Its relocation, particularly in the area of teaching and learning, however, will demand a significant commitment on the part of all institutions.
Studies in Higher Education Volume 29 Number 5 2004
Sir David Watson, chair of Universities UK, has said that the government's policy of organising universities on a regional basis is not the best way to enable higher education institutions to succeed in the marketplace. Speaking at the UUK annual conference, he highlighted research from former Higher Education Statistics Agency chief executive Brian Ramsden, which found that there is "little logical relationship between the regional boundaries and the locality of higher education institutions". Sir David commented: "We have a government whose rhetoric is about following the market, yet it has produced a series of proposals that are about bucking the market."
Tony Tysome, The THES 17 September
The UK is slipping behind foreign competitors in the higher education spending stakes, according to international comparisons across other Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. The OECD research found that, between 1995 and 2001, UK spending on education grew just 8% in real terms. This is markedly lower than the average growth, which stood at 30%.
The THES 17 September
The new higher education minister, Kim Howells, is unlikely to have earned himself an invite to tea at Charles Clarke's house after delivering a stinging attack on education policy since 1998 (the year that he was last an education minister). In his first speech since joining the DfES, Dr Howells:
He also placed himself quite squarely opposite Mr Clarke by championing learning for the sake of learning, saying that learning is "wonderful". This is in sharp contrast to the Education Secretary's comment last year that: "Education for education's sake is a bit dodgy." Dr Howells was speaking at the launch of a booklet and web-based package to help prospective students choose courses, which has been produced in conjunction with the National Union of Students.
Polly Curtis, Education Correspondent, The Guardian 23 September
For more information about Thinking it Through, see: www.aimhigher.ac.uk
The proportion of youngsters who drop out of the British education system is one of the highest in the developed world, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's annual report. Regarding participation in education among 15 to 19-year-olds, Britain ranks 24th, with just Mexico, Portugal and Turkey having worse records. The report also revealed that, while the number of overseas students coming to Britain to study continues to increase, the proportion of migrant students studying at UK institutions has fallen. Britain's overall market share in 2002 stood at 12%, compared to 16% in 1998. However, the increase in earnings enjoyed by British graduates remains among the highest in the world. University graduates earn 59% more than those with only school-level qualifications in the UK. This is the fifth largest earnings boost of any OECD country. It is only higher in Hungary (110%), the United States (86%), the Czech Republic (79%) and Portugal (78%).
Sarah Cassidy, Education Correspondent, The Independent 15 September
Education at a Glance (ISBN: 9-26401-567-1, price £34) is available from the OECD. For more details see http://tinyurl.com/52jyh
School Inspectors have criticised the government's policy of teaching children with special needs in mainstream schools. In an OfSTED report, due to be released in October, the standards watchdogs highlight shortcomings in many lessons that
leave these pupils "ill-served by the government's inclusion policy". Difficulties included a lack of funding to buy essential equipment, a lack of expertise among teaching staff, and low expectations about the performance of pupils with special needs. The report concludes that inclusion remains "a significant challenge" for many schools and that the government needs to do more to ensure that schools cater for the range of special needs and disabilities.
Julie Henry, Education Correspondent, The Sunday Telegraph 26 September
Poor literacy and the lack of basic skills caused by unrecognised dyslexia costs the UK economy £1 billion a year, the Dyslexia Institute warns. Research conducted by the Institute suggests that the UK economy "loses" £2.75 million a day because dyslexics are not being given the help they need. The extra costs include unemployment, dealing with youngsters excluded from school, and prison and probation services. Shirley Cramer, the chief executive of the Dyslexia Institute, said: "The cost to the taxpayer to train one teacher in every primary school to support children with hidden disabilities, such as dyslexia, would be £36 million. This is a fraction of the cost to the Treasury of the long-term problems for adults with dyslexia later in life, not to mention the wasted potential, tax revenues and missed contributions to society."
Angus Howarth, The Scotsman 24 September
For more information about dyslexia, or a free copy of
the full document brief outlining the hidden costs of dyslexia to the nation,
contact the Dyslexia Institute
tel: 01784 222300
URL:
www.dyslexia-inst.org.uk
A leading educational body has accused universities of over-diagnosing dyslexia in order to "boost exam results and get specialised support". Brian Harrison-Jennings, general secretary of the Association of Educational Psychologists, believes that universities are too ready to diagnose dyslexia, and questions the practice of "having a disability diagnosed by someone who is in the pay of an institution". The Association has called on the government to investigate both this practice, and the "rising number of cases of students being diagnosed as dyslexic at university and then suing their local authority for not spotting the disability".
Mandy Garner, The THES 10 September
Update comment: Who's right?
The Scottish Executive has been urged to launch an urgent investigation to find out why the gender gap in higher education participation is bigger than ever. The latest figures show the proportion of women under the age of 21 going on to higher education stands at 55.2%, compared to just 42.8% of young men. In what appears to be a repeat of the warnings issued two years ago by Universities Scotland, senior academics caution that, if the situation is allowed to continue unchecked, the increasing gender gap could lead to wider social problems such as anti-social behaviour. Professor John Field, a lecturer in lifelong learning at Stirling University, said that since the divergence began more than 15 years ago, it is "clearly not a blip". However, a spokesperson for the Executive appeared to reject the call for an investigation into the disparity in participation. He said that the Executive would "work to promote equal access for all – regardless of gender or social background – wherever possible."
Kevin Schofield, Education Correspondent, The Scotsman 14 September
Students from Greece who are studying at the University of Lincoln have been advised by their government to move to other universities following a scandal over fake degrees in Israel. Israeli police are currently investigating allegations that a franchise of the University of Lincolnshire and Humberside, which was subsequently renamed Lincoln University, distributed 5,500 bogus degree certificates between 1995 and 1999. A spokesperson for Greek authorities said that Greece will refuse to recognise the degrees, pending the outcome of the investigation.
Polly Curtis, Education Correspondent, The Guardian 8 September
A survey conducted by The THES appears to debunk the theory that young academics are all desperate to leave academe. The research questioned academics in their twenties and thirties about their views on university life. It found that 85% rejected the idea that they were looking for work outside higher education, with 62% of respondents strongly disagreeing. Two-thirds felt that they would not have to leave their institution for their promotional aspirations to be met, and there was little variation across either subject areas or UK regions.
The THES 17 September
"The plural of anecdote is not evidence."
Anon
Nearly half of all higher education staff work on a casual basis despite a number of government initiatives aimed at creating greater job security, claims a report from the Association of University Teachers (AUT). The report, The Unequal Academy, says that the "persistent casualisation of higher education" has distinct implications for women, as universities are increasingly being "propped up by an army of women on temporary contracts being paid less on average than men and facing unequal promotion prospects". The report also notes that the proportion of women in academia is almost always in inverse relation to the seniority of the grade. Stephen Court, senior research officer at the AUT and author of The Unequal Academy, said: "The report reveals the very different experiences of women and men working in higher education. Women may be flooding into universities but they do not appear to have the same opportunities as their male colleagues. This can be very demoralising."
Claire Sanders, The THES 1 October
The Association of University Teachers is calling for the government to write off the undergraduate tuition fees of all new academic staff, in a bid to make the profession more attractive. In its submission to the Langlands review on the shortage of academics, the AUT argued that fees should be written off at a rate of £3,000 per year to a maximum of £9,000. The union also called for an expansion of the "golden hellos" offered to academics in education, computing, information technology, business, mathematics, engineering, clinical medicine and clinical dentistry. The AUT would like to see other fields covered, including French, Spanish and German, architecture, built environment and planning, humanities, physics, and health and community studies.
Polly Curtis, Education Correspondent, The Guardian 3 September
Academics must work together more closely in the design of degree programmes to ensure that teaching methods help students develop the personal attributes employers are looking for, the head of a major government-backed project said. The project has been looking at ways in which undergraduate teaching and assessment can be used to enhance "student employability". Director of the project, Peter Knight of the Open University, said that many academics were guilty of developing their particular module of a course in isolation. He said that closer collaboration could improve the overall educational experience. He said: "The undergraduate curriculum should be considered in the old Cardinal Newman fashion as being an extended education, not just an induction into thermodynamics."
Paul Hill, The THES 10 September
An alliance of university heads is gearing up for a fresh revolt against the 2008 research assessment exercise. Vice-Chancellors believe they were duped into agreeing to the plans for the sector-wide race for research ratings and grants. They argue that the government failed to present them with complete information about the precise way in which this would work, and the effect that it would have on their procedures. Despite preparations for the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise being under way, heads of the three main university factions, the Russell Group, Campaigning for Mainstream Universities, representing new universities, and the 94 Group of small research universities, are united in their concerns. All three are discussing alternatives to the RAE, and will approach the government with their proposals.
Anthea Lipsett and Anna Fazackerley, The THES 24 September
A report from the Institute for Public Policy Research says that the RAE should be scrapped in favour of a direct bidding system, organised by the research councils. The IPPR believes that this would be "a fairer system that would reward research excellence and talent wherever it is", even if it is in a department that would have scored badly on the RAE.
Alan Thomson, The THES 10 September
A new survey identifying the best places to be a student in the UK has put Edinburgh in equal second place. The survey, conducted by the Accommodation for Students website, placed Newcastle upon Tyne in first place, with Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee tying in second place.
Edinburgh Evening News 9 September
Edinburgh University has been ranked the tenth best in Europe in a new international study. The institute was also placed 47th in a prestigious list of the top 500 universities across the globe, conducted by China's Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Harvard in the United States was found to be the best university in the world.
Edinburgh Evening News 15 September
New figures released show that the number of young Scots entering higher education has dropped below 50% for the first time since the turn of the millennium. The proportion of Scots aged under 21 entering higher education in 2002/2003 was 48.9%. In the previous two years, participation levels stood at 51.5%. John Field, a professor of lifelong learning at Stirling University, said the figures were "an issue for concern" for the Executive.
Kevin Schofield, Education Correspondent, The Scotsman 3 September
One in four students admits sleeping in lectures at university, a survey for The Independent newspaper reveals. The survey found that 27% of respondents feel the quality of lectures is so poor that they might as well sleep rather than listen. A worrying 58% admitted to missing lectures or turning up late, while 10% said that they had attended afternoon lectures after a lunchtime session at the pub.
Richard Garner and Lucy Hodges, The Independent 9 September
Hazel Christie and Moira Munro (Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh) and Tania Fisher (Northumbria University)
This article explores some of the issues surrounding student retention at two contrasting universities in Scotland. This comparison allows analysis of the constraints and opportunities that face all young people during their time in higher education, and the circumstances under which students decide to withdraw. This shows widespread and similar financial difficulties amongst students who continue and those who withdraw, suggesting that it is more useful to look at the points at which similar pressures seem bearable for one student but not for another. The research indicates that important factors in the decision to withdraw include: poor choice of course, limited social support networks and lack of "fit" between student and institution.
Studies in Higher Education Volume 29 Number 5 2004
Polly Parker, University of Auckland; Michael B Arthur, Suffolk University, Boston; Kerr Inkson, Massey University, Auckland
This paper explores the concept of career communities: social structures that provide career support and frequently transcend the boundaries of any single organisation. The theoretical background notes the convergence of a number of different perspectives from both career development and organisation studies, pertaining to the social contextualisation of careers. The results suggest that career communities typically involve a hybrid of types rather than any one pure type. Preliminary support is found for the view that career communities facilitate career support, sense-making and learning. The results invite further research into career communities and have implications for organisational behaviour and human resource management, suggesting greater appreciation of the extra-organisational as well as intra-organisational communities in which careers develop.
Journal of Organizational Behavior
Volume 25 Number 4 (June 2004)
The Education Secretary's "extended schools" plan has been criticised by educationalists who warn it could be harmful to children's development. The plan, designed to help working parents, means that some children could be in school from 8am to 6pm. However, both trade unions and leading educationalists believe that extended school hours may have a detrimental affect on children. Teacher unions argue that the government is trying to force them to become childminders – educationalists feel that the absence of a period of relaxation could harm pupil's emotional development.
Rebecca Smithers and Sandra Laville, The Guardian 9 September
Full article http://tinyurl.com/6fqqb
Education Secretary Charles Clarke has unveiled plans to turn schools into "the centre of local communities". Mr Clarke wants schools to replace churches as the hub of local life. They will, he said, offer a range of services, such as nurseries, kids' clubs and health centres. A senior government source said: "Churches used to be the centre of communities but they are not any more. The idea is to group together lots of different community services in schools and make use of school facilities so they become the hub of local communities."
Marie Woolf, Chief Political Correspondent, The Independent 7 September
Government ministers and teaching unions in Northern Ireland are calling for Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) to be extended to disruptive pupils. They would like to see the controversial orders used against "unruly and violent school pupils who disrupt classes". A spokesperson for the Ulster Unionist Party commented: "Since schools are public places, these young hooligans should have an ASBO slapped on them. If they behaved in a persistently loutish way in a public place, they would get an ASBO quick enough. Why not in schools and school classrooms?"
Jonathan McCambridge, Belfast Telegraph 15 September
According to figures released by the DfES, almost one in four secondary pupils played truant last year, a rise of 6.5% on the previous year. Despite a £16 million drive to cut the number of children skipping class, an average of 48,900 pupils missed school without permission each day, an increase of 2,000 students a day. Stephen Twigg, the Education Minister, responded by pledging a crack down on the "hard core" of "serial truants". He also highlighted a recent research report which suggests that almost half of truancy is caused by just 2% of students.
Sarah Cassidy, Education Correspondent, The Independent 17 September
Two-thirds of universities in England are preparing to charge students the maximum top-up fee of £3,000 for all their courses, according to a survey of Vice-Chancellors. Just 11% said that they will probably vary prices from course to course, with the remainder claiming to be "undecided". The Guardian survey revealed that there is "deep unease" among Vice-Chancellors about how the system will impact on higher education provision. Many of those questioned said that they would charge the full fees, as they felt that to charge less would be to make them appear "second-rate". The survey also revealed that V-Cs have "serious doubts" that the new Office for Fair Access will help to increase university attendance from a wider range of social backgrounds.
Polly Curtis and Rebecca Smithers, The Guardian 21 September
Full results: http://tinyurl.com/52sy8
A university education is becoming so devalued that students will be forced to take multiple degrees to prove their worth to employers, a report by the centre-right think-tank The Bow Group claims. The report, Higher Education Funding: a structured approach, argues that future students will have to take further degrees such as masters and doctorates to mark themselves out as the best candidates. The report also recommends an alternative funding structure to the one proposed by the major political parties. Under the Bow Group structure, the intellectual top 10-12% of students would be entitled to a full scholarship from the government. This would cover both fees and maintenance. The next 13 to 35% bracket would be offered low-rate loans for the total amount of their studies. Anyone who does not qualify for either loans or scholarships would have to pay the full market rate for their studies. The report states that, not only would this reduce the need for capping student numbers, it would also reduce financial wastage by capping government spending on higher education.
The Daily Mail 22 September
The full report (PDF 25pp) [which is actually very interesting, says Dawn] is at www.bowgroup.org/pub/HigherEducationPaper.pdf
Scotland's universities are among the most financially insecure in the United Kingdom, according to a new report from Universities UK. The report examined universities' financial health and found that only institutions in Northern Ireland are in a less precarious position. Opposition politicians said that the report "should act as a wake-up call for Scottish ministers".
Kevin Schofield, Education Correspondent, The Scotsman 17 September
Research conducted by the British Council reveals that almost four in ten research students at UK universities is from outside the UK. Piera Gerrard, Deputy Director of Education for the British Council marketing division, said that there has been a significant increase in the proportion of research students who are from overseas. Indeed, the figure for the 2002/03 academic year rose to 37% from 32.5% in 1998/99. She said that the increase is particularly worrying when one considers that the number of UK undergraduates is increasing.
Claire Sanders, The THES 17 September
Universities UK (UUK), the body which represents Vice-Chancellors, has urged universities to do more to increase the number of staff, students and business opportunities they glean from abroad. UUK President Ivor Crewe warned that institutions "cannot afford to fall behind international competitors in responding to the globalisation of higher education". In a speech to the UUK Conference, Professor Crewe urged the government to do more to support UK universities' global activities.
Tony Tysome, The THES 10 September
In an article for Agenda for Local Economic Development (Number 69 (July 2004)), Professor Stephen Roper of Aston Business School considers ways in which universities can support business creation. Professor Roper argues that universities need to be "more than mere knowledge generators". He believes that they have a profound economic and social obligation to foster and support business innovation and enterprise in their local community. He suggests a number of ways in which this may be achieved, including spinning out companies based on in-house research findings, transferring knowledge to existing firms and supporting students and staff to start up their own businesses. Professor Roper tells us that, while these activities may seem to be of benefit only to the institutions themselves, there is much evidence to suggest that this kind of activity produced a "ripple effect". A prosperous university with a good reputation for innovation can stimulate the same kind of enthusiasm for enterprise and entrepreneurship in the businesses surrounding it. This creates pockets of high performance which can, in turn, ripple even further outward.
"Mathematics is a game played according to certain simple rules with meaningless marks on paper."
David Hilbert
The government will increase its spending on higher education by £2 billion between 2004 and 2008, according to official figures from the DfES. The department released information about forthcoming spending plans for higher education, which suggested that universities will share a total of £9.5 billion by 2008. It also indicated that research funding will rise by 9% in real terms between 2005 and 2008, from £1.2 billion to £1.4 billion.
Paul Hill, The THES 24 September
University students are finding the job market so competitive that they are going back to college to try and improve their A-level grades. A spokesperson for the Federation of Small Businesses in Wales said that there are now so many students with "good" degrees that job-seekers are having to "perfect" their CV to gain a fighting chance of an interview. He said: "No doubt students will have worked very hard for their degree but everyone else is working equally as hard to get to the same level."
Jenny Rees, The Western Mail 21 September
Graduates from Welsh universities are more likely to receive salaries that scrape the bottom of the barrel, according to a new survey produced for The Sunday Times University Guide. The highest starting salary that a Welsh graduate can expect is £15,204 after finishing at the University of Wales, Glamorgan. However, the UK worst is Aberystwyth with £12,968. The average starting salary for a graduate is £16,393.
Claire Hill, The Western Mail 13 September
Students who start degrees at Welsh institutions in 2006 may have to pay top-up fees from 2007, university heads fear, writes Tony Tysome (The THES 24 September). A letter from the Welsh Assembly to Vice-Chancellors stated that "no decision" had been taken on whether the 2006 cohort of undergraduates in Wales would be required to pay top-up fees. James Lusty, chair of Higher Education Wales, the body which represents Welsh V-Cs, said that the Assembly had reneged on a its commitment to protect these students from the fees. He said: "Until now, there has been a firm commitment that the cohort would be protected. We were surprised and disappointed to learn that that has been withdrawn."
Vice-Chancellors from Scottish universities have responded with concern to The Guardian survey which showed that two-thirds of English institutions would charge the maximum fees for all their courses. Both V-Cs and opposition MSPs renewed calls for the Executive to find additional funds for Scottish universities, to prevent them from being "left behind". Murdo Fraser, the Scottish Conservatives' lifelong learning spokesman, commented: "Ministers must ensure that Scottish universities are not lagging behind, otherwise we will see a loss of status and the loss of well-regarded academics going south in search of better-resourced positions."
Kevin Schofield, Education Correspondent, The Scotsman 22 September
At least 30 local education authorities have abandoned efforts to process student loan applications using a new purpose-built computer system, and have been forced to fall back on emergency teams of night workers to clear the backlog in time for the new academic year. According to confidential documents seen by E-Government Bulletin, batches of unprocessed applications from around 30 of the total 172 LEAs in England and Wales have been sent to a team working round the clock as part of the contingency plans drawn up by the Student Loans Company on behalf of the DfES.
E-Government Bulletin, Number 170 (17 September)
Parents and headteachers have joined in calling for clearer national guidelines to prevent inequalities in operating the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) scheme. Both the Scottish Parent Teacher Council (SPTC) and the Headteachers' Association of Scotland (HAS) are concerned that EMAs are being applied in different ways across Scotland. To qualify for the payment, students must prove that they have attended regularly and met targets for attainment. However, it is up to the individual teacher to decide how that attainment is measured. In addition, the bonus element of the EMA – two payments of £150 at different stages of the school year – is dependent on whether a headteacher feels that the student merits it. The SPTC and the HAS believe that, without nationally accepted guidelines, the EMA will be subject to differing standards within and across local authorities.
Elizabeth Buie, Education Editor, The Scottish Herald 20 September
This consultation document puts forward practical proposals for implementing the commitments in the Skills Strategy around "first steps" and personal and community development learning opportunities for adults. The main proposals in the document are to fund all first step learning through the FE approach, and to fund personal and community development learning through a simpler approach. Funding for this provision should be distributed more equitably, to reflect the size of the adult population, weighted for disadvantage and area costs. The consultation ends on 17 December 2004.
LSC email alert
The full document (PDF) is at http://tinyurl.com/5hjro
The Learning and Skills Council has been forced to refute accusations that it has run out of money following an announcement that payments to colleges would be delayed in the new academic year. The Association of Colleges insists that the LSC has had to use money from next year's budget to pay for part of this year's allocation. The AoC believes that this, when combined with the LSC's apparent refusal to increase funding for Entry to Employment and rumours that there is insufficient funding for apprenticeship places, is a clear indication that the LSC has over-stretched itself. A spokesperson for the LSC, however, flatly denied the allegation. She said that the delay to the issue of payments to colleges will simply mean that, instead of receiving 67% of their budget for this academic year by March 31, they will have received 60% by this date. The spokesperson said that this was an merely an administrative change.
Peter Kingston, The Guardian 7 September
The Office for Standards in Education (OfSTED) found that one in ten further education colleges inspected last year was "inadequate", according to the inspectorate's annual report. However, this figure is a marked improvement on the previous year, when one in five was described as failing. Of particular concern is work-based learning, which the report described as "a weak element of FE". Provision in this area was found to be unsatisfactory in two-fifths of colleges. Key points of the report include:
Joe Clancy, The TES FE Focus 1 October
In an article for The Guardian (21 September), Wendy Berliner reports on a new scheme which offers to pay the rent of students who might otherwise be deterred from going to university. The Uniaid charity was set up to help people overcome the financial barriers to higher education, the largest of which is usually the cost of accommodation. The Uniaid Accommodation Bursaries can either pay rents for students to in their home location, or to enable students go to institutions which suit their skills and talents, rather than staying at home.
More information is available on the Uniaid website at www.uniaid.org.uk
A Review of Funding for Learners, published today (22 September), makes recommendations which aim to improve the system for accessing funding. Jim Wallace, Lifelong Learning Minister, said the review would improve the efficiency of the way people are helped financially through vital years of study. It recommends:
A Delivery Group has been set up to ensure a wide range of improvements are made.
Scottish Executive press release 22 September
An article in the Daily Mail (27 September) claims that there is a growing band of students which is using subsidised government loans to buy cars, pay off mortgages or open high interest accounts. The loans, worth up to £5,050 a year, are designed to cover basic living expenses, travel costs and books. However, Sir Alan Smithers, Professor of Education at the University of Buckingham, praised these students for their entrepreneurial spirit. Sir Alan said: "All credit to these students. It shows they have imagination and intelligence in spotting a good opportunity."
"Everywhere I go, I'm asked if I think the universities stifle writers. My opinion is that they don't stifle enough of them. There's many a best seller that could have been prevented by a good teacher."
Flannery O'Connor
Jane Davidson, Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning, announced today (2 September) that nine new projects are to receive more than £140,000 in the latest round of funding under the Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship awards scheme. The scheme supports projects that boost the ESD&GC agenda in Wales through the development of creative approaches that support the Welsh Assembly government's sustainable development agenda within the wider education system.
Welsh Assembly press release 2 September
Teachers in Scotland are being given free massages from a mobile stress relief centre. The scheme uses a mobile treatment centre to travel around the country, offering stressed-out teachers Reiki, reflexology, physiotherapy and sessions with a psychologist. Treatment costs £20 per teacher and is paid for by schools. A spokesperson for the Scottish Parent Teacher Council commented: "Parents whose kids are sharing a textbook because of equipment shortages in schools will be asking some serious questions about this."
Edinburgh Evening News 11 September
Europe's largest centre for stress research has been opened at Bristol University. The £18.75 million Dorothy Hodgkin Building will house 120 researchers studying the relationship between stress, illness, and the brain. Health and Safety Executive estimates suggest that work-related stress costs the UK economy £1.4 billion every year.
Anne Casselman, The Guardian 23 September
Almost half of teachers find their jobs stressful, with a "resounding" nine out of ten believing the problem has become worse. But only seven of Scotland's 32 education authorities report having a dedicated welfare officer – one for every 7,000 teachers. These are among the significant findings from research carried out for Teacher Support Scotland by the Healthy Working Lives Unit at Glasgow University. The researchers argue that there is a clear case for more support, but say there is a lack of access for most teachers. Only 1.8% of 500 teachers questioned had any contact with two of the most common services, occupational health and counselling. Yet just under 12% said they suffered from mental or behavioural problems.
Neil Munro, TES Scotland 10 September
An article in The Economist (28 August-3 September) looks at the HSE decision to create guidelines so that employers can help their stressed-out staff. The author asks why there has been such a rise in self-diagnosed stress among workers, particularly when work is now safer than ever before. Moreover, she argues that the most frequent reason given by employees for feeling stressed – long hours and over-work – has little evidence to support it. The author says that working hours have declined steadily over the past century. Philip Hodson of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, suggests that rising stress levels can be directly attributable to the fact that employment conditions are good. He says that, as people become richer and more materially comfortable, their sense of "entitlement" to happiness increases, while their threshold for worry is lowered.
Participating in voluntary work could help the 12 million people in the UK who suffer from mental health problems combat stress and depression, research suggests. A survey conducted on behalf of Community Service Volunteers found that half of those who had volunteered for more than two years said it made them feel less depressed.
Press Association, The Guardian 28 September
According to research from the University of Essex, voluntary work may "hold the key to happiness in the community". Researchers at the university examined a random selection of district authorities and found that those with the best quality of life were also those with the highest levels of voluntary activity. Reported benefits included enjoying better health, feeling less fearful about crime and greater levels of overall well-being.
Press Association, The Guardian 20 September
Staff who fail to commit themselves to voluntary activity should be barred from pay rises or promotion, according to business leader Digby Jones. Mr Jones said businesses could do more to support volunteering. He suggested that voluntary work, which could be undertaken partly in contracted time and partly in an employee's own time, could be a condition of both career and salary progression. He said: "What I would like to see is that you are not getting promoted, you are not going to get your pay rise, if you do not show how many hours you have given to a voluntary organisation. Some part of it would be done in employer's time, some would be in the employee's time, and that could go into the annual report."
Hélène Mulholland, The Guardian 20 September
New research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council indicates that helping others raises quality of life for British citizens. When we volunteer our time to do something for others, such as helping out an elderly neighbour or taking part in a local community project, it can be good news for our health, our children's education and even reduce the local crime rate too. The research revealed that people who live in areas that record high levels of informal voluntary activity in their neighbourhood also enjoy better health, students achieve higher GCSE grades and their communities suffer fewer burglaries. Professor Paul Whiteley, Programme Director of the ESRC Democracy and Participation Research Programme which produced the findings, explains: "The research has revealed an interesting link between helping others and enjoying a good quality of life. It seems that when we focus on the needs of others, we may also reap benefits ourselves. It means that voluntary activity in the community is associated with better health, lower crime, improved educational performance and greater life satisfaction. Communities with lots of civic and community engagement are also communities that have environments that foster favourable outcomes such as these."
ESRC press release 20 September
This is a "rich collection of primary sources exploring the social and political history of the disability movement from the 1960s to the present", including oral histories and personal papers of people involved in the movement. It also includes a timeline and a webliography of related resources.
URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/collections/drilm/
Neat New Stuff I Found This Week, 1 October
http://marylaine.com/neatnew.html
© Marylaine Block, 1999-2004
Shawn Mach, Editorial Director of rightsnet, tells us what has been done to enhance this very useful website whilst ensuring that the bits that ain't broke didn't get fixed regardless.
URL: www.rightsnet.org.uk
Update comment: This has been added to our "go and fetch the news" list.
While congratulating students and teachers on this year's crop of GCSE results for high achievers, the CBI criticised the education system for letting down too many young people. Director Digby Jones has called on the government to mount a new effort to eradicate low levels of literacy and numeracy, which he described as "an absolute scandal".
Croner Training Briefing Number 13 (10 September)
The LSC commissioned a consultant, Tribal, to undertake a study to measure the progress being made in reducing the costs of bureaucracy following the release of the Bureaucracy Task Force's report. The research shows that the overall package of measures implemented to date will save the sector £26 million a year, money which can be ploughed back into front line delivery. Overall the LSC is continuing in its drive to reduce bureaucracy and is now responding to the Bureaucracy Review Group's annual report as chaired by Sir Andrew Foster. A copy of the LSC's action plan will be made available shortly.
Any queries relating to the report or the bureaucracy agenda should be addressed to Judi Douglas Director of Business Improvement by email judi.douglas@lsc.gov.uk or telephone 024 7682 3856
The report is at http://tinyurl.com/4cvt8
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has written to Gordon Brown to demand a public apology from the Inland Revenue (IR) after it sent letters to thousands of small businesses suggesting that their tax returns may be incorrect. The letters read: "We have identified an aspect of the self-employment pages of your return which may need particular attention." However, it is really just a list of common mistakes that people make when completing their tax returns. The Inland Revenue said that the letters were sent so that small business people would be able to fill out their forms accurately. The FSB has branded the letters "a complete disgrace" and is demanding an apology for all those who received them. FSB tax chair Neil Hamper said: "The letters … are vague and misleading. They suggest that a specific problem has been identified when in fact the letters have been generated by computer on the basis of standard triggers. The vast majority of taxpayers that receive the letter will have filed their return correctly and paid the right amount of tax. It's a case of let's shake the tree and see what falls out."
HRLook Daily News 20 September
Hampered by a lack of IT skills and resources but still with important technology needs, smaller companies are exploring outsourcing as a means of easing their IT burden. With research group IDC predicting strong growth for the small business outsourcing market, this report examines some of the benefits available to smaller companies and some of the problems to expect.
TheITportal Special Reports 17 September
Requires free registration
A 20-year drive by policymakers to craft business regulation has failed to improve life for SMEs, claims the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). According to a new report from the Federation, far from keeping its promise to reduce red tape, the government has failed to improve regulatory life for small businesses. The report reveals that:
Carol Undy, FSB national chairperson, commented: "Successive governments have made important commitments to better regulation and progress has been made in the level of advice and support offered to small firms. But policymakers make assumptions bordering on the heroic when they are asked to quantify costs to small businesses and never take the cumulative impact of regulation into account. … Twenty years on we are still waiting for the full-scale cultural change that is needed so that policymakers genuinely consider alternatives to traditional regulation."
HRLook Daily News 9 September
Full report (PDF 38pp) http://tinyurl.com/3zeb6
The government needs to do more to improve the take-up of government-funded business support services, argues the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). According to the FSB's biennial membership survey, government initiatives designed to encourage small business people to seek specialist advice are not having the desired effect. The report, Lifting the Barriers to Growth in Small Businesses 2004, reveals that the majority of small businesses seek advice from traditional outlets, such as banks, solicitors and accountants. The FSB urges the government to work harder to raise awareness of support services. The report also examines other issues relating to small business growth, employment, finance, and legislation. It considers a range of business issues and their effects on the small business sector. These include issues relating to bank switching, the National Minimum Wage up-rate, new employment directives, environmental compliance and business-related crime.
Norman Mackel, FSB Chair of Education, Training and Business Support, Agenda for Local Economic Development, Number 68 (June 2004)
The full report is available to download free of charge. More details at http://tinyurl.com/3ok5o
The Disability Rights Commission has produced a guide to help small businesses meet their duties as employers under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995. Top Tips for Small Businesses offers guidance on a range of issues, including best practice. It also enables employers to "take advantage of the considerable knowledge, skills and experience that disabled people have to offer".
Employing Disabled People – Top Tips for Small
Businesses is available free of charge from the DRC. It is also online
(PDF 36pp) at http://tinyurl.com/3mjtb
(Word document 60pp) at
http://tinyurl.com/49lsm
Disability Rights Commission Email Bulletin
Number 32 September 2004
A series of postcards which provide "top tips" on crime prevention for the business community has been launched by the Home Office today (23 September). The Putting Crime out of Business postcards provide step-by-step advice and top tips for all types of business on how to protect their staff from violence, tackle anti-social behaviour, protect their stock and prevent fraud. The postcards were developed with the help of a business-led forum which is looking at the provision of advice and information for the business community.
Copies can be ordered free of charge from the Home Office by contacting 0870 2414680 or emailing homeoffice@prolog.uk.com
The postcards are on the Crime Reduction website at www.crimereduction.gov.uk and a PDF of the postcards is available on the Home Office website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk
Home Office press release 23 September
Client ref 300/2004 GNN ref 102616P
What are the training needs of small businesses? How can business training be delivered and how can results be evaluated? This report, by Liz McGrath and Paula Jones of Learning South West, is based on an action research project with providers and small businesses conducted by Learning South West. It makes recommendations for learning providers, funders, and small businesses and identifies challenges for current policy and strategy-makers.
Download (PDF 13pp) from www.learning-southwest.org.uk/Great%Expectations.pdf
Marchmont WebFlash
Volume 8 Number 5 (September 2004)
This organisation gives businesses in the East of England access to the knowledge and support of universities and colleges in this area. It seeks to improve the way in which businesses and educational institutions collaborate with each other, through funding, facilitation and networking.
URL: www.i10.org.uk/
Agenda for Local Economic Development
Number 69 (July 2004)
Update comment: Is this type of service available in other areas of the country?
The TUC has published ambitious plans for a Union Academy, which will offer basic skills training to working people. The academy will commission courses from colleges, universities and other providers which will "help employers meet skills needs, assist working people get on at work and in their personal life, and spearhead the drive for the nation to overcome chronic problems, such as the five million people with basic skills difficulties". Owned and run by the unions, the academy will enable people to take bite-size courses or undertake lengthier part-time study. The plans are outlined in a consultation document, and have already received support from the government, as well as a number of employers and educational organisations, including learndirect and City and Guilds.
The Union Academy - a new step forward for
learning (PDF 12pp) is at:
www.learningservices.org.uk/extras/publications/academy.pdf
Polly Curtis, Education Correspondent, The Guardian 14 September
Halfords and Clarks are teaming up to trial a training scheme where employees spend a week working with disadvantaged children from the Bristol area. Under the management programme, participants plan and run all aspects of a holiday week for 30-35 nine- and 10-year-olds. Penny Brown, organisational development consultant at Halfords, said: "We are … confident that our employees will get a lot out of this. They will benefit from teamworking as well as working with colleagues from another retail environment. It is rare to find an experiential management course that gives something back to the community. This is something that we are very committed to."
Zoe Roberts, People Management Online 16 September
This academic paper by Bert Clough covers a number of topics, including:
The document (PDF 44pp) is at http://tinyurl.com/47y53
Marchmont WebFlash
Volume 8 Number 5 (September 2004)
"If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman."
Margaret Thatcher
Prisoners are being denied educational opportunities because of overcrowding in jails, reports Peter Kingston (The Guardian 14 September). According to a report from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Further Education and Lifelong Learning, prison education systems are badly managed, and often result in prisoners failing to receive worthwhile education and training. The report, Inside Track: Prisoner Education in 2004 and Beyond, says that government attempts to reform the system have been piecemeal and too slow to make any real difference. Key points include:
Employing ex-offenders may be a necessity for employers at a time of low unemployment and high demand for skilled and experienced recruits, according to a report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). However, the report also says that the government needs to do more to ensure that programmes to assist ex-offenders to return to work are properly geared towards the needs of employers. The report recommends:
HRLook Daily News 23 September
Employers and offenders: reducing crime through work and rehabilitation (PDF 18pp) is at http://tinyurl.com/5j7ch
Seven out of ten Welsh people have achieved better jobs after going into adult education or training, a benchmark survey has revealed. According to the National Learner Satisfaction Survey for Wales, the majority of learners who set out to improve their job satisfaction or progress their career believed their experiences helped them to realise their ambitions. Other findings include;
Paul Carey, The Western Mail 9 September
Over half of employers have increased the amount of job-specific training offered to their staff during the past year, the CBI Employment Trends Survey has found. The survey found that 51% of employers had increased their expenditure on training, with only 7% deciding to reduce spending. The figures show that UK companies compare well internationally on training, with 45% of employees participating in training in 2003, compared to the international average of 27%.
People Management Online 30 September
Employers are spending more on workplace learning and development, and the trend looks set to continue, according to research conducted by IRS Employment Review. The research found that almost half of the employers surveyed had increased spending in the past two years, and 50% believed that this spending will continue to rise. Just one in five said it had fallen.
HRLook Daily News 10 September
The report centres around a seminar on Adult Education, held in Brussels on 1 March 2004. It summarises presentations made at the seminar and the outcomes of workshops. Topics include:
Full publication (PDF 42pp) at http://tinyurl.com/4xojt
Learning Wales website 22 September
Six Scottish universities are giving first-year students classes in basic literacy, because so many of them are struggling to construct a simple essay. Napier, Heriot-Watt, Strathclyde, Aberdeen, Robert Gordon and Abertay universities have introduced remedial courses for this year's intake, after continual complaints about the lack of basic skills new students possess. A source at Strathclyde University commented: "We are dealing with people who have no idea of the grammar of their own language, so we have to do very elementary teaching before we can do any proper teaching of the target language."
Polly Curtis, Education Correspondent, The Guardian 27 September
Juliette Pavey and Stephen W Garland, University of Durham
Virtual Learning Environments provide a means by which students can interact with course material outside of contact time with lecturers; they also provide the potential to stimulate depth of learning by encouraging students to engage more fully with the topics and issues. A range of "e-tivities" delivered through a Virtual Learning Environment was implemented in a Sport and Exercise Physiology module – quizzes, interactive web pages and animations, topic discussions and an online lecture. Student questionnaires were administered retrospectively in order to assess the impact of these activities on student learning experiences. Staff reflection during and after the development of these "e-tivities" allowed for the formulation of guidelines for good practice. Strengths and weaknesses of this innovative approach to teaching are discussed.
Innovations in Education and Teaching International Volume 41 Number 3 (August 2004)
Trade unions are being urged by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) to do more to help solve chronic skills shortages in key areas of the labour market by tackling sex segregation in the UK workforce. New EOC research found strong agreement among employers that a more equal mix of women and men in the workforce would be good for business – 71% were in favour. EOC chairperson Julie Mellor said: "Trade unions have a key role to play in tackling sex segregation by encouraging employers to train more young people and make efforts to attract more women and men into jobs traditionally done by the opposite sex. Unions need to help employers turn principles into practice if we are to see a change in our workplaces."
HRLook Daily News 15 September
Jennifer Glass, University of Iowa
Little empirical study has been devoted to the impact of employer-sponsored work-family policies on women's wages. These policies include flexible scheduling, telecommuting, reduced hours of work, and childcare assistance. Although these work innovations may make family care-giving easier, many women fear that lower wage growth and blocked mobility will result from the use of these policies. This project followed a cohort of employed women for seven years after childbirth, using detailed information about coverage and use of family responsive policies across all jobs held during that period. Results show consistent negative effects of policy use on wage growth after controlling for many productivity-related characteristics, though the effects vary in size depending on the specific policy used, workers' job mobility, and the respondent's managerial or professional status.
Work and Occupations
Volume 31 Number 3 (August 2004)
This paper, by R Dimand, E Foret and C Nyland, examines the emerging picture of women and their role in the economic development of a country. The paper is an interesting read. It provides reassurance that women have indeed made huge strides since Adam Smith almost ignored their existence in The Wealth of Nations. For one thing, housework, while continuing to be regarded as something that women do, is no longer seen as unproductive, but has an economic value in its own right. Women have gained the right to vote, control their fertility, and own property, as well as a host of other rights and privileges. However, it is comforting to note that the more things change, the more they stay the same. The paper highlights the Poor Law Report of 1834, in which authors Senior and Edwin Chadwick wrote obsessively about that perpetual scourge – the single mother. Apparently, even 170 years ago, feckless women were about to bring the country to its knees with their immoral shenanigans. The Chadwicks called for parish councils to refuse alms to women who conceived children out of wedlock. It was imperative, they said, to protect the moral correctness of the patriarchal family, and to ensure that upstanding citizens did not bear the financial burden of supporting illegitimate progeny.
The Journal of Economic Perspectives
Volume 18 Number 1 (Winter 2004)
"Hanging on to resentment is like letting someone you despise live rent-free in your head."
Ann Landers
The Department of Trade and Industry has launched a new resource centre. The £4.1 million UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) is based at Bradford University, and aims to support all women in SET, including individuals, employers, professional and academic institutions, and Sector Skills Councils. Services include: statistics, expert women's database, mentoring information, courses for women in SET, and links to women's groups.
URL: www.setwomenresource.org.uk
The THES 24 September
This article explores the impact of social and economic change on men, as well as grass roots responses to such change. This is illustrated through the example of employment training – an area where there is significant potential for engaging positively with men. The paper then sets out some recommendations for the development of policy and practice pertaining to males and their position in the organisation of societies.
Sandy Ruxton, Local Economy Volume 19 Number 3 (August 2004)
Sandy Ruxton
ISBN: 0-85598-490-2
Price £9.95
In the UK, statistics such as these are regularly used to support the argument that masculinity is "in crisis". But the overall trends still show that women are the majority of those living in poverty in the UK. Although talk of a male "crisis" may therefore be exaggerated, there are nevertheless real concerns regarding the position of those groups of men in the UK at the sharp end of economic and social change. This research was commissioned by Oxfam's UK Poverty Programme to explore in more detail how such change is affecting men, and gender relations more broadly. Drawing upon interviews with project staff in key sectors – employment training, men's health, gender-based violence, and fatherhood – Sandy Ruxton analyses the nature, scope and effectiveness of work with men and suggests how this work should be developed in order to tackle poverty and promote gender equality.
Oxfam website August 2004
Publisher: Oxfam Publishing, 274 Banbury Road, Oxford,
OX2 7DZ
tel: 01865 312255
email: publish@oxfam.org.uk
Employers were forced to pay compensation totalling almost £4.2 million for unlawful discrimination at work in 2003, according to research by Equal Opportunities Review (EOR). While the figures for disability, race and sex discrimination are lower than those for 2002, they are still 11% higher than 2001 figures. Key findings include:
HRLook Daily News 6 September
The TUC warmly welcomes the new disability regulations, but is warning the many businesses that have not done enough to make their buildings fully accessible that they could end up in court facing hefty fines. TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: "Today's changes will make a real difference to disabled people's work and home lives. Previously the limited scope of disability legislation meant that small firms were able to get away with treating disabled people unfairly. Now, discriminating employers will no longer be able to hide behind the law. But although the changes have been well publicised, many firms have been burying their heads in the sand, hoping that today would never happen. Now all public buildings must be fully accessible, many companies could find themselves up in court."
TUC press release 1 October
An employment appeal tribunal has ruled that the Labour Party's failure to select a Pakistani Muslim as a candidate for election to Birmingham City Council in 1998 was discrimination on racial grounds. The EAT found that, because the defendant's race had a "significant influence" on the outcome of the selection procedure, this was enough to establish that less favourable treatment had taken place.
Labour Research Volume 93 Number 9 (September 2004)
A new report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development suggests that there is a growing need to take stock of the way law has influenced the progress of equal opportunities. Is it possible that current discrimination law is becoming an obstacle to employers who would otherwise embrace the need for progress in the area of diversity? How can we design law to help drive progress in diversity? "Does the law work or doesn't it?" is the question that runs through the report. The current climate is right for raising the level of debate. The creation of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights later in 2006 heightens the discussion level about the need to simplify the legal duties facing employers.
Patricia Leighton, author of Discrimination and the Law: Does the system suit the purpose, says, "Evidence suggests slow progress has been made to create equal opportunities at work despite increasing legislation. We need to consider what impact litigation has on the employer. Does it daunt people and create negative attitudes towards discrimination issues? Law can produce a defensive and negative response from managers - more marked in small firms. It is equally, if not more important to support progressive employers who are committed to diversity as it is to impose sanctions on reluctant and prejudiced employers." The report suggests bias will continue despite tight legislation unless employers understand the benefits diversity can offer. Once employers recognise how central diversity is to the way business is done they will engage and drive the change – diversity will be considered essential to the success of the business.
CIPD press release 8 September
Union campaigns to help council workers tackle the far right, young black people find work in film and television, and black footballers move into coaching and management positions have been celebrated with the awarding of the first ever TUC equality awards at Congress 2004. The awards were created to recognise union efforts to promote equality in workplaces up and down the UK. All three winners – public sector union UNISON, film and TV union Bectu, and footballers' union the PFA – have been chosen by the TUC because of their campaigns to eradicate racism in the workplace, although other entries submitted covered the areas of disability, age and gender.
TUC press release 14 September
Full details in the press release at www.tuc.org.uk/equality/tuc-8627-f0.cfm
The first magnification software for mobile phones will be available by the end of this month, allowing users of compatible phones to enlarge their on-screen text by downloading the software over the Web. Various areas of a phone's screen display can be magnified, and the software can be configured to begin working as soon as the phone is switched on. Mobile Magnifier works with Nokia 3620; 3650; 3660; 6600; 6620; 7610; 7650; N Gage; N Gage QD; and Siemens SX1 handsets.
A website where people can download Mobile Magnifier and access a list of distributors is at www.mobilemagnifier.com
E-Access Bulletin Number 57 (September 2004)
Public sector employers in the UK are set to face stronger pressure to ensure their IT systems are accessible to people with disabilities under draft legislation that could become law as early as November. The proposed Disability Bill would require public agencies to take a more active approach to assisting employees with disabilities. The draft law, which builds on the current Disability Discrimination Act 1995, is significantly stronger than existing law, which only requires organisations to avoid discrimination. In particular, the changes would increase pressure on public sector bodies to take accessibility into account when procuring new IT systems and equipment. The draft is set to be given a final reading in Parliament next month, and barring events such as an early general election, could be included in the government's next legislative programme to be announced in the Queen's Speech in November.
E-Access Bulletin Number 57 (September 2004)
Accessify Forum is a discussion forum devoted to all topics relating to Web accessibility. Topics cover everything from "Beginners" and "Site building and testing" through to projects such as the new accessibility testing tool WaiZilla and the accessibility of the open source forum software itself.
URL: www.accessifyforum.com Requires free registration
E-Access Bulletin Number 57 (September 2004)
Guess what? The UK is at the top of a list! Unfortunately, it is the list of the most expensive countries for high-speed broadband access. According to OfCOM, the communications industry regulator, the UK remained the most expensive country for broadband, despite a decrease in the price charged. The findings will be of concern to government officials, who are attempting to increase Internet use in the UK.
Information Age September 2004
Despite new laws requiring universities to provide equipment and support to disabled students, the higher education system remains far from accessible. Some of the barriers facing disabled students at university include a lack of sign language interpreters, minimal adapted software and furniture, few emergency evacuation procedures and inadequate student allowances. Students with disabilities are advised to shop around!
Nuala Calvi, Disability Now September 2004
The Disability Rights Commission has published a new guide to help organisations meet the needs of black and ethnic minority disabled people.
Our Rights, Our Choices is free from the DRC helpline in a
variety of formats and a range of community languages
tel: 08457 622
633
Working Brief Issue 157 (August-September 2004)
The Commission for Racial Equality has published Public Authorities and Partnerships: A guide to the duty to promote race equality. This is intended to help public authorities, and all organisations working in partnership with them, to make race equality a central part of their work.
Copies are available free of charge from CRE Customer
Services, PO Box 29, Norwich NR3 1GN
tel: 0870 240 3697
email:
CRE@tso.co.uk
It is also (PDF 38pp) at
www.cre.gov.uk/pdfs/partner_guide_final.pdf
Working Brief Issue 157 (August-September 2004)
According to a report published by Shelter, homelessness has risen twice as fast among ethnic minority households as among the population as a whole since Labour took power. The report reveals that:
Commenting on the findings, Adam Sampson, Director of Shelter, said: "The hidden housing crisis in Britain is having an immensely damaging effect on black and minority ethnic communities. For children who are already at serious risk of disadvantage, bad housing can have a devastating effect on their education, health and future prospects. More affordable housing is desperately needed. This would help reduce the large numbers of ethnic minority households living in unfit, emergency and overcrowded conditions."
Tania Branigan, The Guardian 22 September
The Black and Minority Ethnic Housing Crisis by Deborah Garvie (PDF 18pp) is at http://tinyurl.com/6c74f
Qualification bodies are unprepared to meet the demands of the Disability Discrimination Act when it comes into force on 1 October, according to a report from the Institute of Employment Studies (IES). The Act makes it unlawful for qualification bodies to "discriminate against a disabled person while conferring, renewing or extending a professional or trade qualification". Unfortunately, the IES report found that, while most examining bodies are aware of the changes, many are unsure whether the changes apply to them. The organisations surveyed include examination boards such as City and Guilds, professional organisations such as the General Medical Council, sector specific bodies such as the Amalgamated Chimney Engineers and Chartership bodies such as The Chartered Management Insitute. A further ten in-depth interviews were undertaken with organisations affected by the changes to the Disability Discrimination Act. They include: The Bar Council, City and Guilds, the Institute of Sports and Recreational Management, and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Jennifer Hurstfield, co-author of the IES report, commented: "Qualifications bodies have a crucial role as a gateway to employment for disabled people. Without professional or trade qualifications, disabled people are denied the prospect of obtaining or retaining a job, or of progression in work."
Anne Casselman, The Guardian 23 September
Qualifications Bodies and the Disability
Discrimination Act is available (ISBN: 1-85184-347-7; £35, hard copy;
£8, PDF) from IES
tel: 01482 224626
Paul Pedley, writing the editorial in Information Law Newsletter (Issue Number 55 (10 September)), says that: "When the UK government announced the timetable for implementation of the Freedom of Information legislation, it came as a surprise that legislation from 2000 would not be implemented until 2005. Compare the situation in Scotland, for example, where their Act wasn't passed until several years later (2002), and yet they are working towards implementation at the same time as the UK. So why, I wonder, is it that we end up with consultation papers whose consultation period doesn't end until the end of October (on the Environmental Information Regulations and the accompanying code of practice; and also a separate consultation paper on access to local authority information); and this at a time when we also have to wait for the final version of the Freedom of Information Fees Regulations to be issued. Public authorities are being told to ensure that they are ready for the full implementation of the legislation on 1st January 2005. But part of that preparation is to have training and awareness sessions which can only be based on legislation that doesn't yet exist in its final form."
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has issued a consultation paper, Local authority access to information: a consultation. The 56-page consultation document invites comments on proposals for regulations amending current access to information exemptions set out in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. The proposals would implement the recommendations of a Review Group on Access to Information in Local Government. With the full implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 on 1 January 2005, the government wanted to ensure the specific local government access to information rules were compatible with both the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The existing framework concerning access to information in local government was established in 1985 through amendments to the Local Government Act 1972.
Information Law Newsletter
Issue Number 55 (10 September)
Commenting on the "debacle of the huge postal voting trial on 10 June", Conservative MP Sir Paul Beresford said: "The demise of the Blair government will leave a long legacy of examples of rushed changes introduced for the sake of change. As one civil servant explained – they have given a new definition to the term reactionary: `sense a problem and react in haste without due thought or consideration'."
The Parliamentary Monitor Number 118 July 2004
The cult of the "gifted generalist" in the senior civil service is hampering public service reform, says a new report from think-tank Demos. The report, The Dead Generalist, suggests that government departments should be led by chief executives appointed directly by ministers to ensure that their policies are effectively implemented. Author Ed Straw argues that the "cult of independence" makes the civil service unsuitable for delivering government reform programmes. He recommends that every new government be able to appoint senior managers in departments to deliver its policy programme. He compares the proposed relationship between ministers and departmental heads to the corporate roles of chairman and chief executive; ministers would devise strategy, leaving chief executives in charge of implementation.
Demos press release 13 September
The Dead Generalist is published by Demos. The report can be ordered from Central Books by calling 020 8986 5488, price £10, or downloaded free as a PDF from www.demos.co.uk
According to a report from the Butler Group, Linux is now "a credible alternative for the core of the data centre, and will be one at the client end within two years". The report, Linux in the Enterprise is a detailed and comprehensive survey from a business perspective. Key findings include:
The report is available from The Butler Group, price £795 For more information, visit the website at www.butlergroup.com
A management summary is online at www.butlergroup.com/reports/linux/mansum.asp
John Lettice: The Register
ITproPortal News Roundup 13 September
Food for thought from Kenny MacIver, editor of Information Age. He writes: "Last month, I had the mixed pleasure of buying a new house. As a result, for a whole three days I had a six-figure sum in my current account. Those were nervous days – not because of fears of being gazumped or the chain falling through, but bec