Paideia NEWS FRIDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2009 P8-P9 Higher education ‘not a public good’ Greeks going international Speaking to the Athens News, economics professor George Bitros uses the rigorous logic Giving students an edge: The International School IB offered since Baccalaureate leads to final examinations of his academic discipline to explain why good ACS Athens January 1976 private universities could pull Greek higher and qualifications widely-recognised by Anatolia College October 1997 education out of its present morass leading universities around the world Campion School December 2000 Costeas-Geitonas April 1994 School By Kathy Tzilivakis Doukas School December 2001 By Dimitris Yannopoulos GROWING number of Greek parents are Geitonas School March 1995 HE INTERVENTION of George Bitros joining more than a million others around the HAEF (Psychico College) June 1996 in the debate about the pros and cons of world and enrolling their children in schools IM Panayotopoulou May 1996 private higher education has acted as a A offering the International Baccalaureate - a School catalyst for the rigorous debunking of T standardised, internationally-recognised International School February 2000 article 16 orthodoxy by state university diploma. But with its reputation for rigour, the of Athens academics over the past decade. Bitros programme isn’t for anyone. Moraitis School December 1984 is a highly acclaimed emeritus professor The IB degree is best suited to students Nea Genia Ziridi May 2006 of economics at the Athens University of planning on attending university abroad and Pinewood School June 1999 Economics and Business (formerly those who are constantly on the move because in ASOEE). His numerous articles in the curriculum is the same from Athens to A European pupil’s dream to graduate from Harvard St Catherine’s British March 2002 Athens daily To Vima and other Dublin to Taiwan. Embassy School publications have virtually sealed the may start from the International Baccalaureate There are currently more than 753,000 IB R e u t r s informed debate in favour of university students at 2,732 schools in 138 countries privatisation. His views are outlined in a around the world. Thirteen of these schools are have the prerequisites as a student to go reported on recent research carried out by theory of knowledge,” she said. “It also involves seminal monograph of January 2006, in . ACS Athens was the first to offer through it. So we are trying to protect the London-based ACS International Schools, community involvement.” “Why and which Reform in Higher the programme more than 30 years ago. students instead of exposing them to potential whose schools have taught the IB for more From Angola to Zimbabwe, the IB works Education” (Γιατί και ποιά “The IB programme is good for those who failure.” than 30 years. The findings of the research with 2,732 schools in 138 countries to offer IB μεταρρύθμιση στην Ανώτατη aim to study abroad,” said Julia Tokatlidou, IB suggest an IB diploma is the most respected programmes to approximately 753,000 Εκπαίδευση), which is available on the programme director at ACS Athens. “It More challenging qualification among university admissions students. In Greece, there are 13 IB schools internet in Greek. provides a benchmark for standards which are In general, the IB diploma programme is officers. Universities reportedly welcome the offering one or more of the three IB diploma Athens News: Professor Bitros, you uniform. This means that evaluation for considered more academically challenging and independent thinking and creativity the IB programmes. have argued in several articles that higher admission is done better. It has worldwide broader than a regular American high school programme develops in students. The International Baccalaureate education (unlike, for example, defence) uniform standards and is recognised by all diploma and three or four A-levels under the The IB is based on a curriculum developed Organisation plans to expand capacity over the is not a public good because demand for universities.” British system. by the International Baccalaureate next 12 years in preparation for an estimated it can be served by a private market. But According to John Papadakis, director of In a December 2006 article in Time Organisation, an educational foundation with 2.5 million students and 10,000 IB programmes then why is Greece the only country in the enrolment management and community affairs magazine titled “How to bring our schools out headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. worldwide in 2020. world where something like article 16 in at ACS, it’s a demanding two-year curriculum. of the 20th century”, the IB diploma According to Tokatlidou, the IB In Greece, the two-year diploma our constitution - prohibiting private “We promote it only to those students that are programme is described as “a rigorous, off-the- programme provides a more holistic approach programme costs about 28,000 euros. Students universities - remains in effect for nearly really worthy of getting through it and are able shelf curriculum recognised by universities to learning. “They take courses from six with a high score on their IB diploma are often

40 years? Why hasn’t the dynamic of a S t e f a n W r m u h / R s to do it because the programme is academically around the world”. different subjects, they conduct independent preferred by leading universities abroad over private university market in Greece Competitive excellence at the top of the league: Oxford University (R) row on their way to winning the 155th annual Boat Race against Cambridge intense,” explained Papadakis. “You have to Last week, the UK’s daily Independent research and they write an essay about the candidates with a traditional diploma. managed to overturn this brainchild of the University on the River Thames in London on March 29 1967 military dictatorship? George Bitros: This article, erode their super-duper incomes. excluded after being subjected to certain university system are also forced via their I always expressed my first-best credibility so downgraded, how could recognise its potential. But think of the international community that such find the standards in terms of staff universities are, for example, distinctly ie article 16, should have never However, to be fair, I must add that selection criteria. Second, higher taxes to pay for the higher education of position in favour of abolishing article 16. Greek private colleges ever hope to compete potential of the new model to which I institutions of higher learning would be qualifications, space per student, less qualified than the same graduates been enacted in a country that responsible for the lack of progress in this education is not general education, but professionals. Third, the public provision That is why on several occasions in the with even “below-average” Greek state hinted above. Under the new welcome. But I would be the last to computing capabilities, leisure facilities from the economics department of the prides itself as the inventor of respect have been also the backward professional education. This means that, of a private good or service ends up in past I have praised publicly the universities (AEI) or technical education arrangements, private Greek colleges and exclude the possibility that Greek etc which are necessary for operating Athens University of Economics and democracy, the reason being leftist and statist attitudes that have while general education prepares oversupply and bad quality. Are our courageous initiative of George institutes (TEI)? universities can join forces with entrepreneurship may work wonders and such a high-education institution. Then, Business. Perhaps the same is true with that in a democracy the only prevailed among the citizens of Greece children to become literate and law- observations of the Greek state university Papandreou to adopt this approach. But Simply, they cannot. Bureaucrats and prestigious foreign universities and offer surprise us all. find out by how much the same the graduates of departments from monopoly to which the state is in recent decades. As long as these will abiding citizens, higher education system not solid proof of this after the latter reneged on his word and politicians in the ministry of education affordable, good-quality higher education conditions in the Greek state universities other scientific fields. The degrees do entitled from the social contract continue to be the driving forces in our prepares them to enter into the various proposition? If Prof Gemptos replies in fell in line with his party’s old guard, I lost concocted law 3696/08 to eliminate even for the local and export markets. The State laggards fall short of the international standards not seem to be comparable. So there is is the safeguarding of the life, society, the main political parties will play professions and earn their living. The key the negative, then, to say the least, he hope, and as a second-best solution I the remotest threat to the state monopoly change in this direction is already visible Some of your colleagues argue that the and adjust the requirements imposed on some substantive basis for the property and basic natural rights fiddler on the roof because their main word here is “earn” their living. Since we should explain how come there are so started to support the arguments by well- in higher education from such and I am pleased that I have contributed criteria for evaluating and granting college the private universities and colleges opposition of professional groups in of its citizens. On the contrary, business is to alternate in power. respected analysts of constitutional law institutions. But life goes on and the in this direction. accordingly. It is just as simple as that. Greece. A solution might be to forget with this article the state has Recently, your colleague Prof Petros that article 16 is not after all an ingenuity of Greek entrepreneurship has From your experience with good foreign Everything else is petty talk to stifle the about the formal years of university

established a destructive Gemptos reached the same conclusion in Since we know that higher education is accompanied insurmountable barrier of entry into the found the right model to force a big-time universities, do you think that a “top class” Are we willing as citizens to pace of competition and the forthcoming education, which make no sense in monopoly in favour of all those favour of private universities by arguing higher education sector by private shakeup in this sector. Sooner or later EU university would be willing to invest in change. If anything needs to be done is Greece anyway, and concentrate on the

who are secluded within the walls of the that higher education is indeed a public by‘ high monetary and other returns, taxpayers, and particularly colleges and universities. As a result, I some of the well-known universities and a Greek franchise or subsidiary, instead of welcome such a top class the way the ministry of education number of credit hours a student must state universities, as well as of those good which calls for a state role in its expected that the present government colleges of the EU and USA will start continuing to “export” its services from its ‘ regulates the higher education market. earn in order to get his or her degree. If ‘ those who are excluded unwillingly from the sta‘ te university university to our country? I ask your privileged classes of professionals who “provision” but can also benefit from would provide a viable legal framework operations in Greece alone or in home base? The bottleneck and the lack of we make it equal to 128 credits and get their degrees at the expense of the private “production” of this good. Do you system, should not have to finance with their taxes the education for the operation of such institutions in cooperation with local entrepreneurs, Are we willing as citizens to welcome readers to answer this question transparency are there and it is every course counts for 4 teaching taxpayers and then feel entitled to exploit agree? our country. Now, like many others, I am and then political parties and their vested such a top class university to our unfortunate that the present government hours, a bachelor’s degree would them in numerous ways that cannot be After the discussion I had on the of university graduates so that they can make and keep for disappointed because law 3696/08 has constituencies will not be able to stop the country? I ask your readers to answer because the business climate is has failed to act on its commitments. correspond to 32 courses, which would described here in any detail. Hence, in same subject several years ago in To themselves these high returns been enacted to achieve exactly the change. At least this is what I hope. this question because the business hostile to such overtures The revised EU directive 2005/36/EC shrink significantly the difference my view, the dynamic of the private Vima with another professor from the opposite, ie not to allow the establishment Can colleges (under the present climate is hostile to such overtures. I equates professional qualifications earned between the British and Greek degrees universities has failed not so much University of Athens, I thought that the in the private sector of formidable private circumstances) help stem the tide of relatively understand that however hard certain in British universities after three years of in terms of the respective completion because of the lack of leadership on the debate had closed in favour of my know that higher education is many departments all over the country colleges and universities that would have wealthy Greek students seeking higher football clubs try to bring to Greece licences are too low. Do you agree with this undergraduate study with the Greek deadlines. As for those who have part of the two major political parties, arguments. Now I understand that Prof accompanied by high monetary and other without students. the power to challenge the state education and well-paid work abroad? players of even medium standing, they assessment? Is this another way to protect degrees earned after a minimum of already some professional rights based but mainly because of the invincible Gemptos either is not aware of that returns, taxpayers, and particularly those monopoly in higher education. Yes, they can. As a matter of fact, cannot do so because the latter do not state universities from college competition? between four and five years of study. Is this on the earlier regime, we should think alliance between those who work in the debate or simply he was not convinced. who are excluded unwillingly from the Constitution bypassed The new law 3696/08 legalises colleges they can offer good-quality higher have a high opinion of Greek football. I What needs to be improved in your a fair arrangement? Are Greek universities of a scheme to drive a wedge between state universities and enjoy the security So let me explain briefly the main state university system, should not have You have also argued that the but only under the rubric of “post- education not only to Greek students provide this example in order to suggest opinion? and professional groups justified in the older and the newer graduates just of employment for life and the reasons why he is wrong. First, if higher to finance with their taxes the education constitutional “prohibition” of article 16 secondary, non-typical education”, not as going abroad but also to students from that we should not expect at present any Fortunately, what it takes to operate opposing it? to ease the reactions to change. professional classes which, under various education were a public good, every of university graduates so that they can need not be lifted before private universities institutions of higher/tertiary education. neighbouring countries. Higher move from top-of-the-line foreign an institution of higher education is well This is a difficult problem. It seems monopoly arrangements via their citizen would be entitled to go to a state make and keep for themselves these high can operate in Greece. To what extent do Furthermore, colleges are prohibited from education has the potential to become universities and colleges to establish established by international quality to me, but I stand ready to be corrected * Prof George Bitros is professor emeritus professional associations, freak out over university, no matter how good or bad. returns. This constitutes double jeopardy you believe the new law 3696/08 vindicates claiming to offer “higher or university the third major export industry in this operations here. It will take time and standards. Nothing needs to be invented by data showing the opposite, that the at the Athens University of Economics the idea that potential competition may Yet we know that some citizens are because those who are excluded from the your position? degrees”. With their academic status and country and it is a shame that so few effort on our part to convince the from scratch. Just open the books and economics graduates from British and Business