Broadly I agree with you, but I think a data-based approach to tax-payer funded investments would be welcome.
To be able to justify funding education as an investment in the future of the nation, there must be measurable results. I think it would be a much easier argument to make if the subjects being funded were robustly defended. Hard sciences and the traditionally-academic arts subjects would have no problem in justifying their funding — indeed, there are good arguments to be made for increasing the funding of some subjects.
But other subjects are much weaker. Cross-discliplinary courses that provide no more than an overview of each subject should have no place in a university. Lop out any degree course with “studies” in its title, lose any law courses that aren’t proper legal qualifications, get rid of any business courses that don’t result in an MBA. Why should vocational courses be masquerading as three-years of full-time academic study? There is a lot of chaff in universities. I just hope the cuts meet their deserving targets.
no subject
To be able to justify funding education as an investment in the future of the nation, there must be measurable results. I think it would be a much easier argument to make if the subjects being funded were robustly defended. Hard sciences and the traditionally-academic arts subjects would have no problem in justifying their funding — indeed, there are good arguments to be made for increasing the funding of some subjects.
But other subjects are much weaker. Cross-discliplinary courses that provide no more than an overview of each subject should have no place in a university. Lop out any degree course with “studies” in its title, lose any law courses that aren’t proper legal qualifications, get rid of any business courses that don’t result in an MBA. Why should vocational courses be masquerading as three-years of full-time academic study? There is a lot of chaff in universities. I just hope the cuts meet their deserving targets.