by Becca Bashford | Jan 8, 2021 | A-levels, Academic freedom, Covid-19, Erasmus, Erasmus+, Free speech, Further education, Government, In the News, Marketisation, News round-up, Opinion, Uncategorized, Widening access
As the world welcomes a new year, the issues that the coronavirus pandemic has inflicted on higher education remain. Students across the UK have begun rent strikes, university staff face the prospect of returning to unsafe campuses, and debates about the value of...
by Becca Bashford | Aug 22, 2020 | A-levels, Admissions, Casual staff, Covid-19, Further education, Government, In the News, Marketisation, News round-up, Ofqual, Opinion, Uncategorized, Unconditional offers, Widening access
After thousands of A-level and BTEC students were downgraded on results day, Gavin Williams and Ofqual – in a highly predictable U-turn – scrapped the algorithm and allowed students to use Centre Assessed Grades (teachers’ predictions) instead,...
by Becca Bashford | May 29, 2020 | Academic freedom, Admissions, Casual staff, CDBU Updates, Covid-19, Further education, Government, In the News, Marketisation, National Union of Students, News round-up, Opinion, Scotland, Uncategorized, University funding, University governance, Wales, Widening access, Workplace stress
This week, universities continued to come to grips with the prospect of shifting online, raising questions about quality and accessibility. CDBU also expressed their support for disabled students who feel left behind amid Covid-19 chaos, and we have issued a call for...
by CDBU Admin | Mar 20, 2020 | Academic freedom, Admissions, Free speech, Marketisation, News round-up, Uncategorized, Unconditional offers, Widening access
Inevitably, this week’s round-up is dominated by one story – the coronavirus’s impact on teaching, exams and admissions Exam cancellations to spark ‘almighty scramble’ in UK admissions Times Higher Education, 20/03/2020, Anna McKie The cancellation of exams caused by...
by CDBU Admin | Feb 21, 2020 | Admissions, Horizon, News round-up, Uncategorized, Vice-chancellor pay, Widening access
This week has seen another round of strikes by academics, while UK universities come under pressure to reform the admissions process UK ‘could only join Horizon Europe with transition extension Times Higher Education, 21/02/2020, John Morgan The UK will only be...
by CDBU Admin | Feb 7, 2020 | Academic freedom, Admissions, Casual staff, Free speech, Government, Grade inflation, News round-up, Pensions, Uncategorized, Unconditional offers, Widening access
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...