Talk:Higher education

comment

Should governments in developing countries promote adult higher education or should efforts be concentrated on the more youthful population and preparation of the adults for retirement?

Durability of higher education

- - Occasionally, it is argued that higher education is no longer necessarly as it become obsolete soon after graduation. This observation is raised of a couple of reasons; - - * Industry changes are so fast these days that a particular know how is only relevant for a short time before it is obsoleted by the next fad. - * The Internet has made information so pervasive that one can understand and undertake most jobs that previously required training after a short on line search. - * Globalization has lead to a decreased emphasis on research as both governments and industries have pursued cost cuttting to the hilt. Employers therefore value an employees who can provide an narrow immediate skill than a broad knowledge but no specific skill. This is ironic in that most government leaders are trying to move their governments to information economy. For example, this is the primary goal for Lisbon Agenda. - * The observation may be driven by delusion as higher education no longer garantee employment as it used to be in the past. - * As governments have cut back on education spending, some higher education have baised their teaching material to a specific vendor in an attempt to secure funding. This however reduce the durability of awarded diploma as its validity is rigidly tied to a particular vendor. - - Despite these observations, higher education especially in universities is still important. Higher education, when well delivered, is supposed to educate the candidate how to acquire a necessary skill and why a specific way of dealing with a problem is superior to an alternative. This is possible as higher education allows one to face a problem from a holistic point of view. Higher education also helps fill information gap, which is very pervasive in skilled but uneducated employees.

Some relevant facts

• I am aware Britian, Canada and USA have cut their education budget substantially in the last 10 to 15 years
• China on the other hand have increased their education spending to a ridiculous level. I can't find it now, but I am very sure I saw an article on BBC that claimed China has over 700,000 government sponsored student in western universities. Thats on top of those they are training locally. On the article, bbc also commented how loyal the students are to their mother country China. I think the only other country that I can think of that have increased investment on education was *Venezuela* (sorry for the spelling)

Just some points that may looks really obvious some years to come, but can't currently be entered in wikipedia. Note, I completely understand why western countries trimmed their education budgets, but I can't help feeling they are misguided for putting too much of their future on IP given these facts. Just my two cents

Removed section "Catholic higher education"

I temporarily move the text below here. The subject deserves a discussion, possibly even in a separate article, but the particular text below has not found its proper context in the current state of this article. (This unsigned comment was from me --Yuzz 23:55, 11 May 2006 (UTC))

Catholic higher education

Sacred Heart University of Fairfield, Connecticut, was founded in 1963 by a group of laypersons with the leadership of the Most Reverend Walter W. Curtis, Bishop of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Sacred Heart is the first institution of Catholic higher education established to be administered by the laity.

Merger

I think the two articles should be merged. Post-secondary education defines itself as higher education in the article so it should be merged. --Noetic Sage 17:08, 21 June 2006 (UTC)

→Keep Post-secondary education is split into Further Education (FE) and Higher Education (HE). FE is GCE A-Level, Scottish Higher and other non undergraduate post-16 awards. HE is under- and post-graduate courses such as degrees and HNDs. The subjects are not the same. --Andy Hartley 12:52, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

→Keep There is a clear (legal) distinction between Further Education and Higher Education. The article could do with a re-write to make that a little more apparent. I agree with the above that it not appropriate to merge the articles. Jhamez84 01:00, 29 June 2006 (UTC)

→Keep Don't merge things just because one of them has the definition wrong! ;) Perhaps it's just that the post-secondary education article needs some work. – Kieran T ^{(talk | contribs)} 18:52, 13 July 2006 (UTC)

No Merger

Post-secondary education could refer to any form of education after completing one's Secondary Education. This could be job training, certification (such as HVAC technician), vocational-technical, or Higher Education. While often used synonimously, they are not. Higher Education refers to a degree from a college or university. Elwood64151 18:40, 13 July 2006 (UTC)

• Don't merge I came here following a link on tertiary education, a term I was unfamiliar with. It was useful to have a short article explaining it. --Utahredrock 03:54, 22 July 2006 (UTC)

Criticism?

Higher education could definitely have a criticism section, from multiple viewpoints. I know here in the US it's seen as a sad joke from people of all poitical persuasions. - MSTCrow 03:16, 15 October 2006 (UTC)

I believe you mean secondary education, not higher education. Higher education is one of the US's largest exports (three times the size of steel). Also one of the fastest growing (8% annually for the past decade). On the other hand, a high school diploma in the US is virtually worthless. Wikiant 12:47, 15 October 2006 (UTC)

Their higher education isn't much better than their secondary schools. The only difference is less critics. It deserves a criticism section. On the curriculum and the high view most of society has on students of higher learning and how they perceive them to be "smart" which isn't always true.

I have nothing against including a criticisms section, however, the market clearly disagrees with you. Higher education in the US is not mandatory, yet not only do foreigners come here in record numbers for higher education, but the market value of a US degree (vs. a US diploma) has risen 70% over the past 20 years -- net of inflation *and* net of tuition increases. Wikiant 11:40, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

Not to criticize the value of degrees but the validity of them.

[1] Valid enough points. --Kenneth M Burke 14:15, 5 August 2007 (UTC)

Bad merge

There is a distinction between post-secondary education and higher education. Examine:

• Further education
• Sixth form college
• Ontario Academic Credit
• CEGEP

In many places outside the U.S., there is a notion of a level of education above compulsory secondary education but lower than university-level higher education. - Keith D. Tyler ¶ (AMA) 00:50, 15 February 2007 (UTC)

Federal Bureau of Investigation created the National Security Higher Education Advisory Board

While that section is interesting, I don't think it belongs on a general page about higher education around the globe. I think it should be relocated.

Concerned Scientist says : 1) The above observation is completely alien to me - but where would the person advise that it be relocated to?

2) PLEASE SIGN YOUR POSTS (JUST USE ConcernedScientist 17:15, 22 June 2007 (UTC) )

ConcernedScientist 17:15, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

Higher Education Institutions By Region

It seems to me that the List of Higher Education Institutions by Region does NOT include the UK. Is there any reason for why Higher Education within the UK is not included ? (of course, I suppose it is just waiting for someone to add it)

I haven't had too much time to review this particular Higher Education wiki (or think about how UK Higher Education institutions would work out) – but this would be a good thing to do at some point.

ConcernedScientist 17:15, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

"Types--general" inappropriate tone

On the second paragraph:

"Deciding to further your education and attain a degree tends to improve many aspects of life. People with college degrees tend to earn more money and salary increases over the years are more substantial than for those that do not have a college degree or university degree. Additionally..."

From then on, the thing's packed with vague positives. ("Tends to improve many aspects of life"--which ones?) It also addresses the reader in the second person ("The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a wonderful tool that you can use in various ways.")
Clearly, college can be useful, but this makes it sound a bit a college brochure. Do we edit it for tone and length, or just cut it out altogether? The bit about it impacting salary strikes me as valid enough. Kennard2 09:56, 8 July 2007 (UTC)

I agree. I think the entire section should be cut. If someone wants to add a section regarding the salary content the so be it but I don't think it should be under the section "General". Bmstephany 19:22, 5 October 2007 (UTC)

"Tertiary" = "post-secondary"

For uses of "tertiary education" to mean all education past secondary – Colleges of F.E., undergraduate courses, graduate courses, etc. – see Australia, Greece, Mauritius, new Zealand, Trinidad & Tobago, the [2], theWorld Bank, and this journal). See also the Analytic Quality Glossary definition and description (which also includes reference to the "third-level" synonym),

I've merged the maetrial from the "tertiary education" article, and redirected it here. --Mel Etitis (Μελ Ετητης) 10:48, 15 April 2006 (UTC)

Merger Proposal

Given that all the good information from Tertiary_education is here, and that I'm proposing that that page merge with this one. By the way, Post_secondary Education has been merged into this page, but it still has a seperate talk page. Is that correct? GumbyProf: "I'm about ideas, but I'm not always about good ideas." 20:55, 14 October 2007 (UTC)

Disagree. Tertiary education should remain a short signpost article both to higher education and to vocational education, since tertiary can mean either or both. --Hroðulf (or Hrothulf) (Talk) 10:43, 27 October 2007 (UTC)

Disagree. Tertiary education isn't just Higher Education - Further education is usually considered to be tertiary as well for a start. Timrollpickering (talk) 23:12, 5 December 2007 (UTC)

With no consensus, I am removing the merge proposal banners from the articles. --Hroðulf (or Hrothulf) (Talk) 16:45, 3 April 2008 (UTC)

I'm concerned that this series of articles is very muddling. In the UK, post-secondary education includes both further education and higher education. Also in the UK, "tertiary education" does not always equate to HE, but can be restricted to FE - a "tertiary college" does not offer degree-level programmes. There also needs to be space to describe the Australian TAFE. Itsmejudith (talk) 12:50, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Itsmejudith, I think the word 'college' in the phrase 'tertiary college' is that bit that suggests it doesn't offer degrees (though - even more confusingly - some vo-tech colleges now offer foundation degrees). Go ahead and link in TAFE - judging by its article, I think it should be summarised in further education.

The English language is complicated, particularly when it comes to specific technical terms. One job of an encyclopedia is to explain them as clearly as possible. We are not yet achieving that, so I, for one, would welcome improvements. --Hroðulf (or Hrothulf) (Talk) 08:52, 26 April 2008 (UTC)

What?

Several institutions claiming to be of higher education are not and are deceiving thousands of people. Please address this. 199.117.69.8 (talk) 19:57, 17 November 2008 (UTC)

References please: who says they are not? --Hroðulf (or Hrothulf) (Talk) 11:00, 18 November 2008 (UTC)

What about Science, Technology, Engineering and Math?

Is there a reason why these are omitted from any mention under "Types" of higher education?

Please forgive me if I haven't done this right. I have never edited or posted anything on Wikipedia before.

--64.24.152.3 (talk) 18:14, 15 February 2009 (UTC)

hello —Preceding unsigned comment added by 147.72.73.3 (talk) 19:00, 25 February 2009 (UTC)

still no criticism?

The article for anti-intellectualism does not address the viewpoint several people including myself have of valuing knowledge but opposing the elitist, greedy, snobbish, aristocratic, and oftentimes hypocritic collegiate and university establishments and we question the validity of their academic degrees, curriculum, tuition fees, and methods of grading. We also oppose the judging of a person's value based on which places of higher learning they attended, if any at all. We oppose the whole idea of credentials actually. 199.117.69.60 (talk) 00:05, 15 May 2009 (UTC)

This is an encyclopedia, not a debate forum. If you can cite reputable sources and provide a cogent and relevant treatment, then by all means include the argument in the article. Wikiant (talk) 01:23, 15 May 2009 (UTC)

Some truths

From Ferdinand Lundberg's "The Rich and the Super-Rich":

"The original American fortune-builders, the Robber Barons of the nineteenth century, it is well to notice, were all with hardly an exception faintly educated or illiterate lower-class men, none at all above the lower middle class and many from even further down: unskilled laborers, farmers, wandering adventurers."

"That the values put to the fore by the success cult are destructive is seen most readily in the blighted personal lives even of winning strivers under the system."

Most taxes are paid by the nonpropertied. Most people blame themselves for failure. Corporations pay no taxes; they pass it on to the consumers. Intermarriage of wealth is concentrating wealth into fewer hands. Corporations see wars as being very profitable. The rich don't pay taxes. Foundations are formed by the wealthy to avoid paying taxes. Nearly every person is forced to work for a corporation or not work at all & starve. Entrepreneurialism is very risky; no small businesses survive. Stars4change (talk) 20:57, 21 November 2009 (UTC)