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Academic Freedom Blog Series #1
'On the Nature of Academic Freedom' Kindly contributed by Professor Dr. Peter-André Alt, President of the German Rectors' Conference. Adapted from a speech given at the CDBU AGM. In early May, the German Rectors’ Conference published two statements. And although both...
New Blog Series on Academic Freedom Launching Today!
[Image Description: Blue graphic with an image of a yellow megaphone. The text reads: 'The Council for the Defence of British Universities is pleased to announce a new blog series on the subject of academic freedom. We will be publishing regular blogs on the workings...
News round-up: Proposal to lower student loan repayment threshold met with outrage
Ministers are understood to be considering lowering the student loan repayment threshold to £23,000, or an average increase of £400 in repayments per year. The decision has been met with widespread criticism and concern about how this might affect those on lower...
News round-up: University staff to be balloted on strike action
UCU has voted to support a motion calling for industrial action over pensions, pay and casualisation, with potential strikes looming before Christmas. Meanwhile, the sector has shown mixed reactions to the sacking of Education Secretary Gavin Williamson in the...
News round-up: UCU warns that strike action is ‘inevitable’ after Universities UK moves forward with pension cuts
UCU has warned that industrial action is 'inevitable' after Universities UK voted for proposals to cut thousands of pounds from the retirement benefits of university staff. The cuts will see a typical lecturer lose about a third of their guaranteed pension benefits....
Why Art?
Words by Dr Jon Hall, senior lecturer at the Open University and CDBU's Company Secretary. “Accessing our creativity is a fantastic way to top up our resilience.”Chief Operating Officer, North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust Resilience means being able to...
News round-up: Visa delays hinder students’ year abroad plans
Post-Brexit visa delays have hindered UK students' hopes of studying in Europe, with many reporting that it has become increasingly difficult to obtain appointments at embassies to secure the necessary paperwork. Meanwhile, there has been widespread criticism of the...
News round-up: Covid vaccine passports will not be required for university students
Last week, the Department for Education confirmed that there are no plans to implement the use of vaccine passports on university campuses, after some ministers and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab had discussed the benefits of a passport system. Nevertheless, the DfE...
News round-up: Office for Students confirms cuts to arts and creative subjects amid government reforms
The universities regulator, The Office for Students, has this week confirmed drastic cuts to funding for arts and creative subjects amid government plans to redirect the money to fund other "high-cost" subjects including science, technology, engineering and...
CDBU Position Paper on Academic Freedom
The Council for the Defence of British Universities is pleased to publish its position paper on Academic Freedom brought together by three executive committee members: Dr Kelli Rudolph, Professor Susan Bruce and Professor John Holmwood. The paper articulates the...
