The gist of the report is that Scotland needs to diversify into high grade jobs and therefore requires high grade qualifications. I agree with every word. Far too many young people attend university because it's the 'done thing these days'. Many don't even know what they want to study when they apply. Also there are too many universities rewarding students for less than a recognised degree. Last summer I was quite embarrassed to attend a 'graduation' and lunch for a friend's grandson who had completed an HNC in IT. The reason I attended is because my friend is important to me and I kept my thoughts to myself. He had the whole works, the ceremony, the gown the hired kilt outfit. By my thinking an HNS is half way to an acceptable degree; call me old-fashioned.
If we provide more lessons in the sciences and maths for our primary children then we may have success in the areas the Universities Scotland report mentions. During my years in Germany, children around 7 were doing chemistry experiments which weren't on the curriculum here until they attended secondary school. Which country produces more science graduates?
We must use the present financial mess to refocus on teaching the correct subjects and encouraging young people not to take the easy options but stretch themselves further. Our commercial R & D figures are shameful - we are rated 16th out of 19 developed countries. Of course the universities will shout for more money, they always do, but it should not cost much more to produce more graduates who are fit to work in such areas as biotechnology or nanotechnology.
In England it seems applications for universities has increased by 8% this year and this may happen here too as more and more people become redundant and require to retrain. Universities, with a bigger pool of applicants, ought to be able to select more students interested in gaining high-end jobs.
Note: The SNP government has just invested £3m in Abertay university, Dundee, to make it the centre of excellence for computer games technology. More of the same please, much more.
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Seems there are few folks who go to university for the sake of scholarship, but many who go for a ticket to a career. I know quite a few folks with "high tech" degrees that are unemployed or doing "menial" work because that's all that's left.
Children have to be imbued with a sense of wonder as a well as a sense of discipline. Either one by itself results in dilitantes on one hand and yes men on the other. Seems to me though that the only thing children are being imbued with these days is a sense of entitlement.
Yes scunnert and a greed. The SNP really do need to look at these future technologies and get moving. It's such a shame that PhDs are for folk who can afford to do them.
We need to rearrange school curriculums. Speaking to the Rector of my old school about this the other week, he explained there is so much compulsory 'social' content that he wouldn't have time to fit in more academic subjects. Also it appears there's quite a shortage of quality teachers in the sciences and maths.
None of the folk you know fancy teaching it?
A lot of students attend university because of pure peer pressure, i remember all the fights and arguments i had with my parents about going to University and how i said its just a waste of time going.
Now its my little sisters turn, good luck to her.
In the end they won me over with bribes of generous assistance for a flat and would help fund any Sports apprenticeships that i wished to do along with a core coures in Accounting.
Well at least they have kept their word and to be honest i have enjoyed Uni enormously and if the Sports apprenticeship does not work out then i do have my accounting to fall back on which would help if i do decide to work for my father.
I agree, far to many students attend Uni and do courses which have little interest to them but do enjoy the student lifestyle.
I still think a lot comes down to peer pressure from much to do about nothing interfering parents wanting to keep up with the Joneses.
lol, BTW im not having a dig at my parents, they know if i really did not want to go to Uni then i would have told them both where to go.
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