Coventry University?: The Polytechnic

When Mr Gordon Walker pointed out, in his stormy speech recently at Manchester University, that there was confusion as to the role of the polytechnics in higher education — he was no doubt right. Though by his answers he seemed as confused as anyone else as to the ways in which they might develop. On one thing he was adamant, the polytechnics would not be universities. Also, whatever else they would be rested on the cohesion of the constituent colleges and the skill of the local authority in managing them. Results from our previous surveys have shown this skill to be as variable as the general understanding of the polytechnic principle.