No.2 Son is pondering his future, as he still has no idea whether Winchester University will be open in September so he can resume his course.
Universities themselves are considering their future viability, with some fearing they will not survive; however, a model for their future has already undergone proof of concept - the Open University. The fact that most of the studying is done remotely means the OU is not limited in terms of the number of students it can accept - it is almost limitless. At 174,000 enrolled students, the OU is arguably one of the largest universities in the world.
Remember the bearded, sandal-shod lecturers on BBC2 during downtime? Iconic.
Remember the bearded, sandal-shod lecturers on BBC2 during downtime? Iconic.
The OU is the perfect model for the salvation of universities, as they would no longer be limited by physical constraints and could make up lost revenue by going much more international. Students too would save a packet by studying from the comfort of home and not have to pay for digs.
One downside is the loss of the 'university experience'; that first step of independence, the all-night parties, meeting your future wife or husband, sharing bio-hazard squats, missing lectures, being thrown out of your course, etc.
One downside is the loss of the 'university experience'; that first step of independence, the all-night parties, meeting your future wife or husband, sharing bio-hazard squats, missing lectures, being thrown out of your course, etc.
The other cohort who would lose out are the landlords in university towns and cities, leading to a crash in the rental sector. Not the best time to be holding on to student accommodation.
1 comment:
I endorse the benefits of the OU wholeheartedly. I spent two years knocking off some useful units in Science and Maths which can be bolted on to the credits for other professional qualifications (i.e. RICS Finals), and can result in a BA.
The Maths foundation course is great.
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