On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 22:50:14 +0000, Tom Cordiner
wrote:

Most of this 'devaluation' was done in 1992 by the Conservative
government. The Further and Higher Education Act (1992) granted
university status to most of the national network of polytechnics and
colleges.

Despite being a Cambridge snob (!) I was under the impression
Roehamption was one of the better new universities?

Perhaps.

The thing that annoys me about it is not the "devaluation" of degrees,
but the fact that what were superb polytechnics, teaching hands-on
subjects to those to whom normal academia was unsuited, turned in many
cases into second-rate universities. This killed off a vital source
of vocational training, and has partly lead to the shortage of skills
like building, plumbing and electrical.

The idea that the polys were just second-rate universities, and not
something different and equally valid, contributed to this damage.

I think we may well be the only country in Europe that did this. The
Technische Universitaeten in Germany seem much more highly respected
as they are, for very good reason.

Neil

--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.