The Great University Gamble

A critical and deeply informed survey of the brave new world of UK Higher Education emerging from government cuts and market-driven reforms. In 2010 the UK government imposed huge cuts and market-driven reforms on higher education. Proposals to raise undergraduate tuition fees lead to angry student-led protests. What will become of higher education under this new policy regime? The Great University Gamble outlines the architecture of the new frontier for higher education, surveying the financial and policy details, Andrew McGettigan asks the big questions: What will be the role of universities within society? How will they be funded? What kind of experiences will they offer students? Where does the public interest lie? With privatisation infringing on our universities and colleges education is threatened with transformation from a public good into a private, individual financial investment.

In 2010 the UK government imposed huge cuts and market-driven reforms on higher education. Proposals to raise undergraduate tuition fees lead to angry student-led protests. What will become of higher education under this new policy regime? The Great University Gamble outlines the architecture of the new frontier for higher education, surveying the financial and policy details, Andrew McGettigan asks the big questions: What will be the role of universities within society? How will they be funded? What kind of experiences will they offer students? Where does the public interest lie? With privatisation infringing on our universities and colleges education is threatened with transformation from a public good into a private, individual financial investment.