Leading article: Open choice

The news that record numbers of young people are opting to take their degrees with the Open University rather than at a conventional higher education institution is a sign of the times. Savvy teenagers, anxious to minimise their debt and work full-time while they study, know that the OU makes sense. Fees are lower, and they can fit their studies around gainful employment. It is good that they have the choice. And traditional universities have nothing to fear yet. Despite the debt, most students still want to join a conventional campus for the student life, and all the related fun.