Governments should stop picking on elements of higher education because it’s politically salient to do so and recognise institutions such as Cambridge for the “soft power” asset they are, says Stephen Toope.
The outgoing vice-chancellor of the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world sat down with Times Higher Education to reflect on what has changed in the sector since he took up his post five years ago. In a wide-ranging interview he reveals how it felt being pilloried in the press, his views on collaborating with China, and the dangers of limiting international collaboration.
Political exploitation of the “culture wars” is one of the more disturbing trends to emerge during his time at Cambridge, Toope says. He finds the “pervasive” discussions “frustrating” and believes they obstruct the real conversations that should be taking place in the halls of Westminster and elsewhere.
