"There are no bad universities"

Some argue that there are little or no truly bad universities. Instead, those at the bottom of university rankings are instead of a satisfactory or better quality, whilst those nearer the top are just very good or outstanding.

Discuss.

I'm undecided on the matter, as I've only just started my A2 year of sixth form, so I don't think I'm in the right place to comment. :biggrin:

Reply 1

Chlorophile

20

Well it's all relative, isn't it? To a certain extent it will depend on an individual's personal expectations but a university at the bottom of the league tables will undoubtedly not be remotely as good as a university at the top. Whether or not you decide to call that bad or not is up to you.

Reply 2

nulli tertius

21

Original post by SP0TIFY

Some argue that there are little or no truly bad universities. Instead, those at the bottom of university rankings are instead of a satisfactory or better quality, whilst those nearer the top are just very good or outstanding.

Discuss.

I'm undecided on the matter, as I've only just started my A2 year of sixth form, so I don't think I'm in the right place to comment. :biggrin:

Read this abstract:

http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/eb001683?journalCode=et

written 43 years ago.

and then read this from this year:

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/london-met-told-to-act-or-face-extreme-vulnerability/2012866.article

and then realise that they are about the same institution

Now try to convince me that this is not a truly bad institution.

Reply 3

BigJim123

1

Original post by SP0TIFY

Some argue that there are little or no truly bad universities. Instead, those at the bottom of university rankings are instead of a satisfactory or better quality, whilst those nearer the top are just very good or outstanding.

Discuss.

I'm undecided on the matter, as I've only just started my A2 year of sixth form, so I don't think I'm in the right place to comment. :biggrin:

So many factors, like what course and what job one is aiming for. But I think one has to say that there are certainly bad university/degree combinations in the country.

Original post by SP0TIFY

Some argue that there are little or no truly bad universities. Instead, those at the bottom of university rankings are instead of a satisfactory or better quality, whilst those nearer the top are just very good or outstanding.

Discuss.

I'm undecided on the matter, as I've only just started my A2 year of sixth form, so I don't think I'm in the right place to comment. :biggrin:

Possibly, relative to places like India, there are no truly bad universities in this country; however, relative to this country only, there are some quite bad institutions.

Reply 5

JVD

OP

18

Original post by Smack

Possibly, relative to places like India, there are no truly bad universities in this country; however, relative to this country only, there are some quite bad institutions.

This is more along the lines of what I was thinking. However, I'd say that a truly "satisfactory" or "not bad" university in the UK is likely to lie below the mid way mark in university rankings tables. Perhaps the bottom 1/3 of universities are lacklustre, not just the bottom half...

Reply 6

ParetoOptimum

11

Original post by Smack

Possibly, relative to places like India, there are no truly bad universities in this country; however, relative to this country only, there are some quite bad institutions.

You done goof'd by choosing India, the land of IIT's and IIM's

Original post by ParetoOptimum

You done goof'd by choosing India, the land of IIT's and IIM's

India does seem to have quite a problem when it comes to producing graduates deemed "unemployable".

Reply 8

Mackay

17

University is about so much more than course. Great article in today's Telegraph from Timpson which shows why.

Reply 9

Okorange

17

Original post by SP0TIFY

Some argue that there are little or no truly bad universities. Instead, those at the bottom of university rankings are instead of a satisfactory or better quality, whilst those nearer the top are just very good or outstanding.

Discuss.

I'm undecided on the matter, as I've only just started my A2 year of sixth form, so I don't think I'm in the right place to comment. :biggrin:

Thats just sugar coating it.

Reply 10

JamesManc

15

I went to North Londonshire Polytechnic and did ok

Reply 11

Daftpunker

4

Of course there are bad universities. There are though far more bad decisions by individuals to attend university and people choosing to go to university for bad reasons.

Reply 12

JVD

OP

18

Original post by Okorange

Thats just sugar coating it.

Care to explain your reasoning??

I'm just putting forward the question to a point that others have made to me...

Reply 13

ParetoOptimum

11

Original post by Smack

India does seem to have quite a problem when it comes to producing graduates deemed "unemployable".

And India also has a reputation for producing some of the best graduates in the world. What I'm trying to say it's kind of inane to superficially compare Britain's worst universities with the whole Indian university system.

Reply 14

Okorange

17

Original post by SP0TIFY

Care to explain your reasoning??

I'm just putting forward the question to a point that others have made to me...

Well your raising everyone up. Bad becomes Good and Good becomes Outstanding. Its just to make everyone feel better about themselves.

Original post by ParetoOptimum

And India also has a reputation for producing some of
the best graduates in the world.

It does?

What I'm trying to say it's kind of inane to superficially compare Britain's worst universities with the whole Indian university system.

I kind of agree with this; the point I was trying to make is that even our worst universities are still good relative to the average university in many countries, particularly developing ones.

Reply 16

ParetoOptimum

11

Original post by Smack

It does?

Yep. You might wanna research IIT's and IIM's (Indian Institutes of Technology and Indian Institutes of Management).

I kind of agree with this; the point I was trying to make is that even our worst universities are still good relative to the average university in many countries, particularly developing ones.

Fair play, that's a better way to put it!

But for the very worst UK universities aka London Met... I dunno mate... do they even constitute universities?!