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100:00:00.778 00:00:05.037[Don Swift] You see I believe that we members of The Open University are
200:00:05.037 00:00:13.049making a great discovery. We're learning the real meaning of the term 'ivory tower'
300:00:13.049 00:00:17.061It has been thought to mean that university life and learning was
400:00:17.061 00:00:24.225separated from the real world that surrounded it. But I believe, and I
500:00:24.225 00:00:30.077believe we're all learning that this is true, that it's better understood as the
600:00:30.077 00:00:35.688theory of human ability which universities impose upon their late
700:00:35.688 00:00:43.056juvenile neophytes and in so doing, upon themselves.
800:00:43.056 00:00:49.471The ivory tower is not a ring of bricks and mortar but the academic ring of
900:00:49.471 00:00:55.718confidence which is offered to entrants and denied non-entrants to the
1000:00:55.718 00:01:03.592awful detriment of our society. The theory on which it's based is tried
1100:01:03.592 00:01:11.341and trusted and seldom questioned. The pre-university system is a means
1200:01:11.341 00:01:18.414for sorting and sifting academic talent as the crème de la crème at the end of this
1300:01:18.414 00:01:25.473process, the newly entering group is bound to contain few sow's ears, and
1400:01:25.473 00:01:27.880you know the story well.
1500:01:27.880 00:01:34.809The ivory tower manifests itself in the restriction upon our social role as
1600:01:34.809 00:01:40.552university teachers which follows from this restrictive theory of ability.
1700:01:40.552 00:01:46.962The restriction is found in its purest form, at the apex of the educational
1800:01:46.962 00:01:52.508pyramid in the universities. But it's also a pervasive influence on the remainder
1900:01:52.508 00:02:00.194of the system. As such, we have to see it as a major barrier in our attempt to
2000:02:00.194 00:02:08.101improve access to knowledge in our society. Because of it, we offer
2100:02:08.101 00:02:12.362university knowledge and learning to fewer young people than if we were not
2200:02:12.362 00:02:21.561so burdened. But not only is education too important to be reserved for a few young
2300:02:21.561 00:02:30.680people it's also too important to be reserved mostly for young people.