The laws of Higher Ed.

Wonke on the laws that govern us.

• The first law of higher education is that the future of universities is political not technical.
• The second unchanging law of higher education is that there is no situation so bad that it cannot get worse.
• The third law of higher education, as exemplified by the classic University Challenge episode of The Young Ones, is that the posh kids always win.
• The fourth and final law of higher education, that exceeds the first three, is that universities outlive ministers.

And if the is not enough food for thought, consider this:

Higher education in England is no longer a supply-led industry. English universities are now in a demand-led environment in which the regulator has the last word. The Rubicon has been crossed, and few in higher education have really begun to understand what the implications of that are for universities. They will have the next five years of Conservative government to contemplate it.