We should shut down the lower ranked universities and bull courses - debate

I agree that you have to take each course on its merits. Some lower ranked universities/colleges are excellent for a particular course. It can be hard to filter these out from the poor courses and the danger is that you'll get tarred with the same brush. This doesn't always happen though e.g. I know many who've done teaching at Ripon St Johns and done very well.

I don't agree with you about the academic content though. You may not write an academic essay again, but you will use the skills regularly. Most reports aren't hard to write (compared to an essay). For me university is about an academic education, not vocational training. This is the problem we've confused the two. If this wasn't true then why do some (top) employers target only very academic courses/universities. I work with many people who've studied philosophy at Cambridge and they are very capable people (despite having spent three years writing essays).

If you want a vocational training (and not an academic education) then I believe that there are many better and cheaper methods of obtaining this. Universities were once for top academic performers, the only way that we were able to increase the proportion attending was to lower the standard (at some institutions). I can't see how this has helped anyone?

Yeah shut them all down apart from oxford and cambridge. i hear they are good

or shut down oxford and cambridge as well

yeah **** it, who needs unis anyway