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

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 mathematics, medicine and healthcare. The cuts have been described as ‘the biggest attack on the arts in living...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

The government recently published their ‘Restructuring Regime’ for universities facing financial collapse, causing many to question whether university autonomy is a thing of the past. The petitions committee announced that there will be no automatic tuition fee refunds for students, and a new student loan repayment system has been heavily criticised for ‘misleading’ graduates. Latest...Read More

The government’s rejection of the multi-billion pound bailout needed to save universities has raised serious concerns for the future of higher education. Voluntary severance schemes have been introduced, graduate prospects look bleak, and the shift to online learning could see the poorest students left behind. Government refuses multi-billion pound bailout for universities – The Guardian,...Read More

“If we wish to change the model, to have higher education serve the public, students and academics, and not as a Ponzi scheme floated on a bubble of student fees, we need to act now”, argues John Holmwood. The financial crisis facing the higher education sector is immediate and developing fast. There is no doubt...Read More

The election result could have major implications for the higher education sector, including the possibility of recruitment challenges in the wake of Brexit   UK universities face up to Brexit after Tory election win Times Higher Education, 13/12/2019, John Morgan The certainty that Brexit will happen, a potential reshaping of the research funding system to...Read More

Professor GR Evans takes a look at what the three major political parties have planned for higher education   For those of us interested in higher education, one of the most eagerly-awaited aspects of the manifestos was how they would deal with the recommendations of the Augar Review into higher education funding. The review had...Read More

Norman Gowar was unimpressed by the Augar Review’s recommendations on student finance. He lays out an alternative proposal that would work for students, universities and taxpayers   It is sad that the government’s attempts to marketise universities received scant attention by the Augar Report, but I do welcome the recognition that there has been a...Read More

As figures show that half of young people now go to university, Labour has announced plans to limit the number of students universities can accept from private schools   UUK president aims to show degree value ‘not all about money’ Times Higher Education, 03/10/2019, John Morgan The new president of Universities UK has said that...Read More