Quest Lecturer for What is Education, Olive Hopker

Olive Hopker head of planning and development at Swansea metropolitan university

She spoke about ‘collaboration v competition’ within university.

Current collaboration:

·         Research projects

·         Library access

·         Purchasing

·         ICT

·         External examiners

Current competition:

·         League tables

·         Research funding

·         Student places

Collaboration benefits:

·         Greater expertise and knowledge

·         Cost saving

·         Greater efficiency

Competition benefit:

·         Promotes better efforts

·         Provides choices

HEI (higher education institutions)

Small HEI benefits:

·         Small classes

·         Flexibility

·         Tailored programmes

·         Direct management control

Limitation:

·         Small resource base

·         Limited choice

Large HEI benefits:

·         Large resource base

·         Significant buying power

·         Large subject base and range or courses

Limitations:

·         Remote management

·         Large classes

·         Defined courses

·         Rigid procedures