New Universities
1
637 LEADING ARTICLES New Universities THE LANCET LONDON 20 MARCH 1965 THE Government announced on Feb. 24 that it did not propose to establish any more new universities before 1973, except perhaps a technological university in the North-East. (A little later it deleted the " perhaps Just now the universities, including the colleges of advanced technology, which will become universities this year, are in the midst of meeting the Robbins" emer- gency " demand for 190,000 student places in 1967-68. When that is achieved they will be expected to grow more slowly towards 218,000 in 1973; and the Govern- ment has concluded that the existing institutions, of which there are well over 40, need no help in that phase either from new foundations or from the elevation to university status of technical or other colleges. New foundations, of course, cost much more than the enlarge- ment of existing ones. The fifty or so towns which have staked claims to have new universities must now put their hopes into storage. The same announcement promises priority in the pro- vision of both capital and recurrent finance for the special development of four colleges of science and technology- namely, Imperial College, the Manchester College, Strathclyde University, and the new University of the North-East-so that they may undertake research, gradu- ate training in research, and graduate teaching on the scale recommended by ROBBINS for his Special Institu- tions. At the same time it is proposed to encourage and expand the many promising developments in the techno- logical departments of other universities, for the Government wishes to prevent the false impression that first-class technological education is to be had only in a handful of institutions. On general university expansion the Government works with arithmetical precision to the Robbins figures for total student places. On technological expansion it accepts a particular need to increase the supply of scientists and technologists, but it gives no figures and no dates for student places in these fields. On the expan- sion of medical education the Government is completely silent. The planning of a new medical school at Notting- ham is under way, but that is all. Existing medical schools were asked a year ago what contribution they would make to an increase of places, when the Ministry of Health said that at least 15% more were needed. The I medical schools replied, but their replies are presumably still being considered. The strength of the Robbins report was the appeal of its doctrine that the State should give a university educa- tion to every young person wanting it and qualified for it-an appeal that engaged popular enthusiasm and political support, and therefore Treasury money. Rob- bins undoubtedly started something. The weakness of the Robbins report was that it did not face the problem of ensuring that the expanding universities would pro- duce graduates, subject by subject, in the numbers that the country needs; while it was admittedly much con- cerned about teachers, it was vague about scientists and technologists, taciturn about doctors, and silent on lawyers and architects. That may be held not to matter. The function of a great report like that of RoBBINS is to rouse opinion, provoke discussion, and set a movement going, but not to prescribe every step in carrying out its policy. The implementation is a continuing task for Governments, Government departments, and the institutions con- cerned, which have to interpret the spirit of the report and plan precisely as they go. So far we have had too little critical interpretation, and too great a readiness to be satisfied with literal reference to the sacred text. Surely it is but common sense to expect that so highly organised a society as ours should try to forecast its needs for specifically trained skill (ten years ahead when the training takes ten years), and then should try to meet them. We are told the Russians do this, revising their forecasts, and their measures, annually. Yet our Govern- ment and its Departments are still shy of it. Perhaps, in the light of the past, they rely on individual choice and the forces of the remuneration market to ensure that- society will pay most to those it most needs, and so attract them in sufficient numbers. In that case they forget that lengthened training-times impose too great a lag, and that professional remuneration is no longer market-free but mostly regulated. To provide training opportunities for the minimum number of doctors and dentists held to be required from 1970 onwards, and to attract boys and girls to take those opportunities, is in these days an elementary Govern- ment responsibility. We should like to see the Government assuming it. Hypothyroidism after Treatment of Thyrotoxicosis with Radioiodine IN many clinics radioiodine is the chosen treatment for older thyrotoxic patients. Since more than half of those with thyrotoxicosis are over 40/ 2 large numbers qualify for radioiodine therapy. In this country younger patients are not usually treated with 1311 unless there are complications which might increase the risk of surgery. z1 therapy is certainly simple and effective: but is it safe ? The main hazard seems to be hypothyroidism as a late sequel. Although hypothyroidism arising several years after 1311 therapy has often been reported, the size of the problem was not realised until the very complete follow-up study by BELING and EINHORN 3 in Sweden. 1. Rundle, F. F. Joll’s Diseases of the Thyroid Gland. London, 1951. 2. Macgregor, A. G. in The Thyroid and its Diseases (edited by A. S. Mason). London, 1963. 3. Beling, U., Einhorn, J. Acta radiol., Stockh. 1961, 56, 275.
Transcript of New Universities
637LEADING ARTICLES
New Universities
THE LANCET
LONDON 20 MARCH 1965
THE Government announced on Feb. 24 that it didnot propose to establish any more new universities before
1973, except perhaps a technological university in theNorth-East. (A little later it deleted the " perhapsJust now the universities, including the colleges ofadvanced technology, which will become universities thisyear, are in the midst of meeting the Robbins" emer-gency
" demand for 190,000 student places in 1967-68.When that is achieved they will be expected to growmore slowly towards 218,000 in 1973; and the Govern-ment has concluded that the existing institutions, ofwhich there are well over 40, need no help in that phaseeither from new foundations or from the elevation to
university status of technical or other colleges. Newfoundations, of course, cost much more than the enlarge-ment of existing ones. The fifty or so towns which havestaked claims to have new universities must now puttheir hopes into storage.The same announcement promises priority in the pro-
vision of both capital and recurrent finance for the specialdevelopment of four colleges of science and technology-namely, Imperial College, the Manchester College,Strathclyde University, and the new University of theNorth-East-so that they may undertake research, gradu-ate training in research, and graduate teaching on thescale recommended by ROBBINS for his Special Institu-tions. At the same time it is proposed to encourage andexpand the many promising developments in the techno-logical departments of other universities, for theGovernment wishes to prevent the false impression
that first-class technological education is to be had onlyin a handful of institutions.On general university expansion the Government
works with arithmetical precision to the Robbins figuresfor total student places. On technological expansion itaccepts a particular need to increase the supply ofscientists and technologists, but it gives no figures andno dates for student places in these fields. On the expan-sion of medical education the Government is completelysilent. The planning of a new medical school at Notting-ham is under way, but that is all. Existing medical schoolswere asked a year ago what contribution they wouldmake to an increase of places, when the Ministry ofHealth said that at least 15% more were needed. The Imedical schools replied, but their replies are presumablystill being considered.The strength of the Robbins report was the appeal of
its doctrine that the State should give a university educa-
tion to every young person wanting it and qualified forit-an appeal that engaged popular enthusiasm andpolitical support, and therefore Treasury money. Rob-bins undoubtedly started something. The weakness ofthe Robbins report was that it did not face the problemof ensuring that the expanding universities would pro-duce graduates, subject by subject, in the numbers thatthe country needs; while it was admittedly much con-cerned about teachers, it was vague about scientists andtechnologists, taciturn about doctors, and silent on
lawyers and architects.That may be held not to matter. The function of a
great report like that of RoBBINS is to rouse opinion,provoke discussion, and set a movement going, but notto prescribe every step in carrying out its policy. The
implementation is a continuing task for Governments,Government departments, and the institutions con-
cerned, which have to interpret the spirit of the reportand plan precisely as they go. So far we have had toolittle critical interpretation, and too great a readiness tobe satisfied with literal reference to the sacred text.
Surely it is but common sense to expect that so highlyorganised a society as ours should try to forecast its needsfor specifically trained skill (ten years ahead whenthe training takes ten years), and then should try to meetthem. We are told the Russians do this, revising theirforecasts, and their measures, annually. Yet our Govern-ment and its Departments are still shy of it. Perhaps, inthe light of the past, they rely on individual choice andthe forces of the remuneration market to ensure that-
society will pay most to those it most needs, and soattract them in sufficient numbers. In that case theyforget that lengthened training-times impose too greata lag, and that professional remuneration is no longermarket-free but mostly regulated.To provide training opportunities for the minimum
number of doctors and dentists held to be required from1970 onwards, and to attract boys and girls to take thoseopportunities, is in these days an elementary Govern-ment responsibility. We should like to see theGovernment assuming it.
Hypothyroidism after Treatment ofThyrotoxicosis with Radioiodine
IN many clinics radioiodine is the chosen treatmentfor older thyrotoxic patients. Since more than half ofthose with thyrotoxicosis are over 40/ 2 large numbersqualify for radioiodine therapy. In this country youngerpatients are not usually treated with 1311 unless there arecomplications which might increase the risk of surgery.z1 therapy is certainly simple and effective: but is itsafe ? The main hazard seems to be hypothyroidism as alate sequel. Although hypothyroidism arising severalyears after 1311 therapy has often been reported, the sizeof the problem was not realised until the very completefollow-up study by BELING and EINHORN 3 in Sweden.1. Rundle, F. F. Joll’s Diseases of the Thyroid Gland. London, 1951.2. Macgregor, A. G. in The Thyroid and its Diseases (edited by A. S.
Mason). London, 1963.3. Beling, U., Einhorn, J. Acta radiol., Stockh. 1961, 56, 275.
