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MAN OF THE WEEK

No, I didn't write Leighton Andrews' speech last night but if I had, it wouldn't have been too different to that delivered at Cardiff University.

Politically, Leighton and I have major differences on a range of issues but on this one, we agree completely.

As someone who has fought against the system throughout his career to try and do something innovative and enterprising within the university sector in Wales, I have nothing but admiration for a man who can make the statement that

"those running Wales’ universities are an out of touch elite whose poor leadership is hampering attempts to improve the country’s prosperity".

The touchpaper has been lit.

One can only hope, if the Minister, as the Mexicans would say, the cojones to drive through reforms that finally see the development of a Welsh university sector that puts Wales, and the Welsh economy, first.

Comments

Anonymous said…
interesting move indeed but will it enlighten or stifle innovation and free thinking research as it doesn't 'fit' the WAG vision? We will await and see.. the RAE (as was) certainly never helped free thinking but will this threaten it even further, surely there's room for research innovation that may not 'yet' fit the political visions? Do politicians really want to understand HE or do they want to control it as they do the FE Sector?

On a related matter, what do you think of the three Leighton Andrews appointments Dylan?

Interesting times indeed for the HE Sector in Wales. What chance mergers and return to HE Institutes (vocational ie. Polytechnics)?

Mr Logical
May 26, 2010 8:36 pm
Anonymous said…
I blogged on this too About time we has some ballsy ministers
May 26, 2010 9:18 pm
Anonymous said…
What do you think of Monbiot's ideas regarding admissions?

http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2010/05/24/universal-cure

Is there any need for this in Wales (Cardiff in particular)?
May 26, 2010 9:26 pm
Anonymous said…
Given the fact that the welsh conservatives don't seem to give a hoot about your opinions, why don't you jump ship to Labour, prof :)
May 27, 2010 6:30 am
Anonymous said…
Given the fact that the welsh conservatives don't seem to give a hoot about your opinions, why don't you jump ship to Labour, prof :)

Neither did Neil Kinnock when he was a prochancellor of UCC! Sure he could have said something!
May 27, 2010 8:29 pm
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