Hustling spires 高等教育的躁动

balance35qm8 · 发表于 2010-12-18 09:01

Britain's universities and foreign students
英国大学和外国留学生
Hustling spires
高等教育的躁动
A psychological leap is needed—both in British academia and in Westminster
心理跨越迫在眉睫—— 英国学术界和威斯敏斯特议会都需要的一剂良药

Aug 5th 2010 From The Economist print edition
2010年8月5日出自印刷版
EMO OF FRIESLAND was Oxford's first recorded foreign student, and since 1190 they have kept pouring in. Both sides have benefited: Britain's universities, economy and culture have been enriched, and foreign scholars have been privileged to mix with the best. In recent years foreigners' higher fees have helped to keep increasingly hard-pressed institutions solvent.
埃莫夫.弗莱斯朗是牛津大学第一位记录在案的外国留学生，自从1190年他来到英国之后，外国留学生便一直蜂拥而入。双方都从中受益：对英国的大学来说，外国留学生促进了经济的发展，也丰富了他们的文化，而外国留学生也有幸在最好的大学里学习。近年来，大学的处境越来越困难，外国学生更加高涨的学费成了帮助他们度过难关的一剂良药。
Now, as rich-world students become more adventurous, and prosperous emerging countries churn out would-be undergraduates faster than good university places, the market in international higher education is booming. The number of students enrolled outside their home country has roughly trebled since 1980, on OECD figures (see article). Britain is a world leader in this market, second only to America.
如今，随着发达国家的学生们变得越来越富有冒险精神，还有欣欣向荣的发展中国家准大学生数量的增长明显高于那些名校的招生数量 Fashion Synthetic Wigs，国际高等教育市场正在急速发展。根据经合组织的统计，自1980年以来在国外入学的学生数量基本上翻了三倍 Long Length Wigs。英国在这个市场遥遥领先于其他国家，仅次于美国。
But the business is changing. In addition to the traditional Anglophone competitors for foreign students, many continental European places now teach in English. Countries that once consumed international education now provide it: Singapore is well on its way to becoming a regional hub. Universities (including British ones) are setting up campuses across borders. In short, students have more choice than ever; they are less likely to tolerate being fee fodder to suBSIdise Britons' education just because a brochure boasts an ancient-looking crest.
但这个商业领域正在转变。除了传统的英国作为母语的国家争夺留学生以外，许多欧洲大陆国家现在也开始用英语教学。以往的国际教育消耗国如今成了供应国：新加坡就成功地成为一个地区性的教育中心。大学（包括英国大学）正在建立跨国校园 lace wigs。简单来说，学生们比起以往有了更多的选择；他们再也不会就因为大学宣传册上自我夸耀般的古老图章而轻易地成为资助英国教育体制的炮灰。
To flourish, British universities and their political masters must make a host of small changes and one huge one. The former mostly involve marketing. There is remarkably little differentiation now: Oxbridge colleges and former polytechnics all seem to have the same blurbs, which can lead foreign students to think they have been sold a pup. Too many universities think their job is done after the last exam: in fact forging strong alumni networks overseas is good for recruitment, good for ex-students and good for their alma maters' bank balances.
为了更好地促进国际高等教育的发展，英国大学和他们的政治主人必须做出一系列细微调整和一个大型的转变。前者主要和市场营销有关。很明显，现在已经几乎没有分别了：剑桥牛津的学院和以前的理工学院的简介看起来都一样，这有可能让外国留学生感到上当受骗。太多的大学以为在最后一门考试考完以后就不干他们的事了：事实上在海外建立起牢固的校友关系网对招收应届生，历届生还有他们母校的银行负债资产表都很有好处。
A geographic bias must be corrected too. China has been the big story, its students flooding Western campuses. Britain targeted that market well. But as that one-child country ages Synthetic Wigs, India is the place to go for. Britain is belatedly trying to fix a change to the visa regime that angered many Indian students in particular by appearing to lump them in with subcontinental terrorists. There is talk of British universities teaming up with Indian ones. But more could be done.
地理上的偏好也必须被纠正过来。中国一直备受关注，其学生如潮水般涌入西方的校园。英国很出色地瞄准了这个市场。但是随着这个奉行计划生育政策国家的留学适龄人口的萎缩，印度是下一个该瞄准的市场。英国试着改变把许多印度学生列为恐怖分子怀疑对象而让他们大为光火的签证制度，但显得为时颇晚。也有英国大学与印度大学打算合作而进行会谈。但这个领域还有很多可以努力的空间。
The huge change is psychological: stop thinking of foreign students as mugs to be overcharged to subsidise poor Britons. That has never worked in any business and it is not going to work in this one. Rather concentrate on making British universities as good as possible. That above all means allowing them to charge domestic students something close to the real cost of their education. This is fair: the average value of an education to the recipient exceeds the direst estimates of the fees involved. It also creates a virtuous circle. Better-funded universities can hire more good professors and build more modern laboratories. Britons will get a better education, and it will attract more foreign students too—who can help pay for more.
最大的转变应是心理上的转变：别再把外国留学生当傻瓜要他们付出高额学费来补助穷困的英国学生。这种做法在任何行业都行不通，高等教育行业也不例外。倒不如集中精力把英国大学越办越好。上述方法使得大学向本国学生收取接近于真正教育成本的费用。这很公平：目前本国学生接收到的平均教育对于即使是估足了的学费也是物超所值。这样做也能创造一个良性循环。资金充足的大学能够雇佣更多优秀的教授并建立更多的现代科研室。这样，英国的教育质量才会提高，更多的外国留学生才会被吸引过来，他们所交的学费才能进一步提高英国的教育质量。
The man with the chequebook is your student
拿着支票本的那个人就是你的学生
With their famous names and skilled workers, Britain's universities are in the same state as its motorbike-makers and banks were half a century ago. One clung to state handouts and the idea that people had no choice: it disappeared. The other decided to sell to the world and deregulated. For all the City of London's recent travails, it is surely a better model for Oxford, Cambridge et al than the likes of the BSA Triumph.
英国大学正遭遇和半个世纪以前声名显赫且人才济济的英国摩托车制造商以及银行业的一样的境况。一方坚持政府拨款，并认为人们不应该有选择：然而最终销声匿迹。另一方决定把销路向全世界敞开并且撤销一系列管制和限制。对于伦敦金融城近期为推动伦敦作为商业教育和职业培训中心而做出的努力来说，这个模式相对于BSA Triumph之流显然更适合剑桥牛津等大学。