Wolverhampton’s recaptured purpose belies ‘rip-off’ degrees rhetoric

Excellent article. Let's hope there is no going back, but I fear the anti-Enlightenment, philistinism of the current batch of politicians (and their constitutencies) has taken a perverse grip in countries all around the world now, not just in the UK. Hopefully, the young don't buy it though.

But haven't you realised yet that 'levelling up' is just hot air, not a genuine policy? They just want to look good.

In the realm of education, a stark reality exists, which is a glaring divide that bifurcates our academic landscape into two distinct tiers, and it is disconcerting to note that it is the wrong tier that garners all the admiration and applause. At the apex of this hierarchy are the so-called 'elite' institutions, often entwined with the prestigious 'Russell Group.' These establishments tend to attract students hailing from relatively privileged and advantaged backgrounds, serving as exclusive finishing schools for the select 'high achievers' of society. With a disturbingly disproportionate allocation of resources, these institutions are customarily afforded preferential treatment, as though they epitomize the zenith of educational prowess. In a perplexing display of political and media sycophancy, ministers and tabloid newspapers appear to bend over backward in their efforts to showcase these 'elite' institutions as emblematic of all that is virtuous and exceptional about our nation. They are heralded as bastions of excellence, symbolic of the country's intellectual grandeur and the crème de la crème of educational institutions. On the contrary, the overlooked, undervalued and disparaged segment of our educational system comprises the 'new' or 'modern' universities, such as Wolverhampton. Regrettably these institutions are identified by the backgrounds of their students - those mostly who hail from relatively disadvantaged circumstances. These institutions strive to provide transformative education, not merely imparting knowledge but addressing critical issues that impede progress. Their primary focus is on empowering individuals with limited opportunities, dismantling barriers rooted in lack of confidence and belief, and contending with the ever-persistent specters of imposter syndrome and structural impediments to learning. The pronounced disparity between these two tiers of education lays bare the persisting inequalities embedded within our society. It is in the so-called 'elite' institutions that privilege seems to congregate, propagating a self-perpetuating cycle of inherited advantages for the few, while a substantial proportion of the population is left grappling with the suffocating grasp of limited prospects. As C. Wright Mills, in The Power Elite notes, people "with advantages are loathe to believe that they just happen to be people with advantages. They come readily to define themselves as inherently worthy of what they possess; they come to believe themselves 'naturally' elite; and, in fact, to imagine their possessions and their privileges as natural extensions of their own elite selves.” The mission of the 'new' or 'modern' universities as articulated by John Raftery deserves recognition and support. As they endeavor to uplift the marginalized and less fortunate, their efforts to level the playing field should be celebrated and emulated, not disparaged. Indeed, under the burden of limited funding and resources compared to the 'elite' sector, in a absurd culture of league table, where oranges are ranked alongside their apples and pears, their achievements often go unrecognised. This simply reinfirces a prevailing mindset that places 'elite' institutions on a pedestal while relegating the rest to the shadows perpetuates a disheartening narrative of inherent worthiness, where the privileged are deemed intrinsically superior and the less fortunate are seen as intrinsically inferior. This is a notion that urgently needs to be dismantled. In our pursuit of true progress and social cohesion, it is imperative to recognize the invaluable role played by the 'new' or 'modern' universities in fostering inclusivity and reshaping lives. The path towards a fair and equitable educational system lies in appreciating and bolstering these institutions as they work tirelessly to break down barriers and foster real transformation for individuals who have long been marginalized.