American universities have been urged to make an Oxford University-inspired change.
Writing for Bloomberg this week, columnist Allison Schrager argues that higher education over the Atlantic Ocean has suffered a drop.
She mentions how these that now admissions criteria for these institutions are no longer just based on ability, the principle of meritocracy has been ignored.
“Of all the hallowed American institutions that have experienced a loss in public esteem over the last few years, perhaps none has suffered a bigger drop than higher education,” said Ms Schrager.
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US universities have been encouraged to copy Oxford University. (Image: Pexels)
“Because they began to filter not just for ability but for all sorts of other qualities, admissions committees undermined both the principle of meritocracy and the definition of elite.
Ms Schrager’s solution is that American employers should focus on what would-be employees have achieved rather than where they studied.
“The solution to the plight of US universities is for employers to put less of an emphasis on elite schools and judge students on their actual achievements,” she added.
“The diffusion of talent provides an opportunity for colleges and employers to build a new system for identifying intellect and ability.”
In order to make this change, the Bloomberg columnist uses the University of Oxford as an example as well as its Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) curriculum.
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Radcliffe Camera at the University of Oxford. (Image: Simon Gannon)
“One of the world’s oldest universities, Oxford, offers a degree program to help students navigate the uncertainties of modern life.
“A PPE degree can be the new signal, no matter which school it comes from, that a graduate has all the skills an employer might need.
“If taught well, a PPE degree indicates that a person knows how to think critically, is well-read and understands how power and economics work in the modern world.”
Ms Schrager also argues that US higher education should adopt Oxford and UK universities’ policy of grading papers twice.
“If US universities appreciate the value of a PPE degree, then they should also strongly consider another well-established British educational practice: double-blind marking,” she said.
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The University of Oxford. (Image: Unsplash)
“In the UK exams are graded twice, once by the professor teaching the class and again by a professor at another university.
“Adopting this practice among PPE programs in the US would ensure consistent standards across universities.
“Adopting it even more broadly would give employers more confidence about grades and curricula in US higher education overall.”
The article concludes with a final push for universities over in the United States to operate more like Oxford.
“[American universities] lost sight of their original mission, which is to train America’s best minds to thrive in a changing world.
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“To regain their sense of purpose and some of the public trust they’ve lost they need only look to an ancient university abroad.”
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