Reply #60: It sounds like typical modern education-speak [View All]

HEFCE, the body that funds higher education in Britain, has as more-or-less the first sentence in its latest policy document: "Higher education is critical to the development of a modern knowledge-based economy." So we Brits *also* need education to develop a modern economy, in the words of the administrators. One might argue about whether this represents an excessively utilitarian view of education, but it seems to apply to everyone!

Palestine, as an independent state, is a new state: it is not surprising that someone might refer to their 'developing a modern state', as one might of any new state.

But in any case: the original point was that British academics would be better employed trying to do something constructive, and within our capacities, with regard to Palestine than focusing on a boycott. It does *not* necessarily have to take the exact form suggested by Friedman. Perhaps we should focus more on donating funds to universities and educational projects *within* Palestine, rather than overseas scholarships. Perhaps we should do both that *and* offer scholarships here. In any case, we would need to consult and work with Palestinian academics, in deciding what should be the priorities and how they should be addressed. There are many precedents for such work, in collaborations between a variety of countries.