Matthew Andrews is the Chair of the AUA, the professional association for administrators and managers in UK higher education, which has a long-established relationship with AACRAO. Tom is a long-time AACRAO member and has served as chair of several AACRAO committees over the years. He currently serves as the Director of Technology Solutions and is a Managing Consultant. Matthew and Tom have enjoyed discussions about the nature of their higher education sectors in conferences on both sides of the Atlantic and this session seemed a natural evolution of those discussions.
See this session and others at AACRAO's 100th Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado. Register today!
First, what was the impetus for this session? That is, what gave you the idea? What problem did you see that needed to be addressed, or what gap in information were you trying to fill? How did the session come about?
Both the US and UK systems are facing dramatic changes in their higher education sectors based on the essential concept of a free market, yet the nature of the market in each country has developed differently within different social and political expectations. The UK system, with comparatively heavy state control and limited institutional flexibility, has led to different problems than those experienced in the US, where increasing tuition costs have raised anxieties about the long term sustainability of higher education funding. There are similarities in the responses by institutions and governments which help identify important lessons that can missed by concentrating on each system individually. Examining the differences between the problems confronting each sector not only helps contextualise the nature of those problems but also enables a richer understanding of the reasons for the approaches take by institutions in both countries in response.
Second, who will benefit from the session, and what will they take away? How will the session impact attendees?
Self-reflection can be difficult! Both presenters are experienced speakers with knowledge of a broad range of institutions from the most competitive and prestigious in each system to those that have to work harder to meet their enrolment targets. Although the session is designed to support reflection and increase knowledge of sector-level trends, it is also hoped that participants will gain practical insights that will help them make decisions in their daily working lives.
Anyone attending the AACRAO Annual Meeting with concerns over how institutions meet rising costs, demonstrate value for their educational offerings, retain and graduate students, etc., should find the comparison of the American and UK systems valuable. While we all feel that some pressures are unique to our institutions, participants may come away with a larger appreciation for our shared pressures, regardless of institution or system, and a broader perspective on how differing approaches may be applicable to their own circumstances.
Third, what's an unexpected or compelling aspect of the session?
The UK has one of the lowest drop-out rates of any higher education sector: the best institutions have completion rates in excess of 98% and the lowest still achieve around 80%. Matthew will offer some insights into how this achieved!
The US has faced increasing cost and value pressures for decades and our responses to those pressures have been honed through research and experience. Tom will talk about how those issues have evolved, leading practices and what may lie ahead for American colleges and universities.
Fourth, in honor of AACRAO's 100th Annual Meeting, I'm curious if you remember your first Annual Meeting, or if there's one that really stands out as remarkable? Feel free to share an anecdote or memory from that meeting.
Matthew: This will be the first Annual Meeting for me so I will leave Tom to answer this question!
Tom: Barely, in the sense that I can’t quite recall if the location was Dallas or Orlando. That aside, I clearly remember my impressions of the conference that year. There were so MANY sessions about topics of interest to me. I just couldn't get enough. I had never been to a conference that had so much information. I was hooked!
Finally -- is there anything I didn't ask about the session that you think it's important to include?
We want to make sure that there is time for questions and discussions, so participants should come expecting to participate!