The USA does have 7 out of the 10 best universities in the world (the other three are in the UK, as it happens) so it does have a credible claim to have the "best higher education system in the world". On the other hand, in proportion to population, 3 in the UK vs 7 in the USA is pretty impressive, so we in the UK may have an equally valid claim. As far as there being a "world of difference" between the best and the worst in the USA, that is also true in the UK - consider, for instance, Thames Valley University (say) and Cambridge!

Martin, Newmarket, Suffolk

The problem with the introduction of diplomas is that as is the typical British fashion it is being done on the cheap. A levels allow for the in depth study of of two or three subjects closely linked to a prospective degree course. The depth of the A level takes in the equivalent of the first year of a a continental 5 year degree. Now that depth will be diluted with many more subjects at diploma level but the length of the degree course in the UK will not be extended to 5 years.

It will be even more detrimental to to all science courses. This is an idea dreamed up by arts people.

Rick, London, United Kingdom

Joe Kolar: you say that the US has the 'best Higher Education system in the world'. You are deluded. The gap between, let us say, Williams College and Short Planks College is unbridgeable, and I suspect that you know it. When I taught for a US college (now a University) I was told that is I must NEVER fail a student, not matter how hopeless the student's work was. Believe me , Princeton and a respectable land grant University are not exactly on the same level.

Dectora, London, UK

Ok, am I really the only person who sees a problem with the fact that these diplomas are designed to "end the divide between practical and academic learning" - this divide is good. It means that people who want to do academic subjects can (without having to compete for places/teaching time with people who don't want to) and people who want to do vocational courses also can (without the same problem). I'm in my second year of college and enjoying my very much academic courses - I don't want to be forced into doing vocational stuff, any more than someone who wants to do vocational construction might want to be forced into studying English Lit and History. It's also worth remembering that the UCAS tariff, while not pointless, is not actually commonly used for offering places at Uni - I only know one person who has had a single offer based on tariff points rather than A Level grades

sam, farnham, uk

Most good universities (that I've seen) don't do the tariff points- you have to get at least the minimum grades required or you don't get in, because there have been problems with people who've just done extra AS levels or something to get the number of points required.
They also said that a small number of those GNVQs(?) would be worth 16 GCSEs a few years ago, but they're virtually worthless

Bryony, London,

There is no point declaring by fiat that a vocational qualification in vehicle maintenance is worth a Maths A level.
If you want to design car engines you have to be comfortable with differential calculus. That's beyond what most people can do, but the average person can learn enough to maintain engines designed by someone else, according to instructions written by someone else. It's a perfectly honest way of earning a living, but not of equal status to engineering.

Malcolm McLean, Bradford, UK

It's interesting to read about your struggles with different types of high school diplomas. In the States, students receive a general high school diploma, academic ability is determined by national college entrance exams using either the ACT or the SAT. Colleges and Universities look at these scores, the students GPA and the quality of the high school attended to determine admission.

We have the best higher education system in the world and have one of the worst secondary systems of any industrialized country. We need all the help we can get. Maybe our educational leaders should watch what is happening in the UK. Maybe it could help a failing, government supported, public school system in desperate need of improvement.

The Bush "No Child Left Behind" policy is a failure and hopefully a new administration will bring much needed improvement to US education at the secondary level.

Joe Kolar, LaGrange, USA / Illinois

Equivalent to three of the current A levels? Ah.....5 old GCE's then.

Judy , Liverpool, england

This report does not pick up what appears to be a deliberate mis-statement by the Schools and Children Department given the BBC gives the same account.

Tue the diplomas will be worth up to 420 points compared with 360 for 3 A levels but A level students typically take a fourth subject at AS level in their first year, worth up to 60 points. So an A level programme is worth, surprise, surprise, up 420 points.

The Government should have said the two programmes have equal worth and their intention is to achieve parity of esteem. Why didn't they say this?

Mike Cushman, London,