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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...
CDBU publishes position paper on Academic Freedom
PRESS RELEASE: JULY 6, 2021 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...
News round-up: Unions unite against ‘devastating arts cuts’
Seven trade unions have jointly written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to oppose cuts to creative and performing arts subjects in the Higher Education Teaching Grant budget for 2021-2022. UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'These cuts would devastate arts and...
News round-up: Universities hire investigators to deal with sexual assault allegations
Top universities including Durham, York and Manchester have employed specialist investigators to deal with a rapid rise in reported sexual assault cases, with some paying investigators up to £10,000 per case. This follows the publication of a new anonymous testimonial...
The New Model University
Words by Professor David Midgley. The writing was on the wall in January. It was then that the government published its response to Dame Shirley Pearce’s review of the Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework, commonly known as the TEF. Dame...
News round-up: Sheffield Archeology department closure is ‘an act of cultural vandalism’
On 27 May, staff at the University of Sheffield received confirmation via email that it's renowned archeology department will close and be merged with other departments. The decision has been met with huge criticism and described as an 'act of cultural vandalism'. The...
‘Skills for Jobs’ – what the FE Bill means for HE
Words by Patrick Ainley, former professor of training and education at the University of Greenwich and regular contributor to the Post-16 Educator. The ‘Skills for Jobs’ Bill proposed in the Queen’s speech last week and introduced to Parliament today ‘is not a serious...
News round-up: Freedom of Speech Bill continues to disturb and disrupt
The Higher Education Freedom of Speech Bill, and debates surrounding it, have continued to disturb and disrupt the higher education sector this week. Critics have suggested that the bill will have a 'chilling effect' by threatening universities and student unions with...
Freedom and its opposite in universities
Words by Savitri Hensman, Writer and Activist. Foreword by Dr Rowan Williams, CDBU Chair of Trustees: “Any proposed changes in the law need to be scrutinised carefully to make sure that they address a clear and substantial gap in existing provision; they should never...
