NEW ON THE CDBU BLOG IN PURSUIT OF PREVENT – Words by John Holmwood, emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Nottingham John Holmwood considers how the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill intersects with the government’s counter-extremism policy, in the light of recent leaks about the recommendations to be expected from the Shawcross...Read More
NEW FROM CDBU! Legislating against a phantom: Making sense of the Higher Education (Free Speech) Bill Notions of an ‘intolerant’ university that polices and controls the speech, behaviour and political standpoints of students are increasingly pushed by right-wing commentators. Along with the obligatory references to cancel culture, ‘woke bullies’ and de-platforming, Donelan informs us...Read More
CDBU UPDATES Last month, the CDBU Executive Committee met to discuss some new ideas for 2022. We are very pleased to announce that we will now be offering a fee to those who write for our blog! We are particularly keen to offer this fee to help support students and casualised workers. We would also...Read More
THE LATEST CDBU NEWS: – New on the CDBU blog: ‘Getting off the back foot – and taking the offensive’ Words by Peter Scott, CDBU Trustee, Emeritus Professor of Higher Education Studies at the UCL Institute of Education and former Vice-Chancellor of Kingston University. – Contribute to our blog series on academic freedom! Email cdbupress@gmail.com. You...Read More
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 site, Everyone’s Invited, which has amassed nearly 50,000 testimonies of sexual assault, harassment and misogyny...Read More
A website has accrued over 15,000 anonymous testimonies of sexual harassment, assault, and other accounts of deeply entrenched misogyny at universities across the UK. Naturally, this has caused students and staff to question whether enough is being done to tackle rape culture on campuses. Meanwhile, the government has announced that students may return to campuses...Read More
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 return to campuses. New on the CDBU blog! Gurminder K Bhambra, Professor of Postcolonial and...Read More
Strong words from the education secretary on free speech, and new figures show that two in five 18-year-olds now apply to university Gavin Williamson gives universities final warning on free speech The Times, 07/02/2020, Rosemary Bennett The education secretary has given universities a final warning to guard free speech or face legislation. In an article for The...Read More
If grade inflation continues at the current rate, by 2030 all students at some universities will graduate with first-class degrees. Plus: regulation is costing universities more than £500k a year First-class degrees for all students by 2030 The Times, 27/12/2019, Rosemary Bennett All students will graduate from some universities with a first-class degree in...Read More
University staff are to strike over pensions, pay and working conditions – and an imminent general election casts uncertainty over higher education policy December election puts UK policy progress on hold Times Higher Education, 01/11/2019, Simon Baker News that a general election will be held in December may have finally given some people optimism...Read More
