Folks,
The one thing the "Professor" does not have is any significant GA experience, and in my opinion, has the usual disdain, bordering on contempt for GA, indeed any non-military trained pilot, that is common amongst ex-RAF ( note: RAF, not necessarily true of RAAF) officers.
It comes across in this article.
Having said that, one of the shortcomings of most club/school based training is that the ground component is limited to "how to pass the exams", with little in-depth study beyond the bare minimum to pass, unless the student is a self starter who wants to dig deeper.
In contrast, most Uni. type courses cover a somewhat broader field than the bare CASA syllabus, as do some but not all airline cadet schemes.
Does it make a difference in the long run??? That is a question to which the only answer is: It depends on the individual.
Tootle pip!!