Low expectations

News of a curious-sounding seminar has reached The Diary. The aspirational "Failing students in higher education" event takes place today at Lancaster University.

Delegates will consider: the policy context of student failure; various aspects of the first-year experience; assessment, motivation and failure; and institutional responses to potential student failure.

Armed with such knowledge, The Diary is confident that dropout rates will be boosted to far higher levels, perhaps even to rival our overseas competitors.