by Becca Bashford | Nov 25, 2021 | Academic freedom, Academic Freedom Blog Series, Brexit, CDBU Updates, Free speech, Government, Higher Education and Research Act, Humanities, In the News, Marketisation, National Union of Students, Office for Students, Opinion, Protest, Racism, UCU, Uncategorized
Words by Dr Heather McKnight, founder of the social enterprise Magnetic Ideals and Doctor of Legal Studies. In 1970, the Commission on Academic Freedom and the Law (CAFL) released research exposing changes in how universities were using the law: a discontinuity that...
by Becca Bashford | Mar 5, 2021 | Academic freedom, Casual staff, CDBU Updates, Covid-19, Erasmus, Erasmus+, Free speech, Further education, Government, In the News, Marketisation, National Union of Students, News round-up, Opinion, Pensions, Uncategorized, University governance
As the government prepares to gradually ease Covid-19 restrictions, with the hope of returning ‘to normal life’ by late June, university staff and students have been left wondering when, or if, they will be expected to resume face-to-face teaching and...
by Becca Bashford | Feb 19, 2021 | Academic freedom, CDBU Updates, Covid-19, Free speech, Government, In the News, Marketisation, National Union of Students, News round-up, Opinion, Racism, Scotland, Uncategorized, University governance
The “free-speech debate” has intensified after the government announced it would introduce a ‘Free Speech Champion’ for higher education who will have the powers to fine universities or student unions that restrict free speech. The announcement...
by Becca Bashford | Nov 13, 2020 | Casual staff, Covid-19, Employability, Government, In the News, Marketisation, National Union of Students, News round-up, Opinion, Uncategorized
Plans for mass testing and staggered departure dates over a one week period have been laid out by the government in order to allow students to return home for Christmas. The plans have been met with criticism from some universities who say mass testing might be...
by Becca Bashford | Oct 30, 2020 | CDBU Updates, Covid-19, Employability, Further education, Government, In the News, Marketisation, National Union of Students, News round-up, Opinion, REF, Scotland, Uncategorized, Wales
UCU have called for a judicial review of the government’s decision to ignore calls from its own Sage committee to move all non-essential teaching online and instead reopen campuses for face-to-face teaching. Sage advised the government that coronavirus outbreaks...
by Becca Bashford | Oct 29, 2020 | Covid-19, Employability, Further education, Government, In the News, National Union of Students, Opinion, Uncategorized
Words by Martin Allen, author of Education, Economy and Society. Winter is closing in on the ‘Covid Generation’ – those young people most affected by the pandemic. Youth unemployment, though creeping up significantly, has not yet reached the levels feared in the early...