Questions concerning what should be believed, what should be done, and why, are unavoidable dimensions of a recognisably human life; and the arts and humanities in particular illuminate the conduct and predicaments of such a life […] to study the humanities, then, is to gather resources for learning how to live well, and – more...Read More

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

Words by Dr Jon Hall, senior lecturer at the Open University and CDBU’s Company Secretary. “Accessing our creativity is a fantastic way to top up our resilience.”Chief Operating Officer, North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust  Resilience means being able to bounce back after a blow, after a tragedy, after a crisis. With reserves sufficient...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

Reports that the Office for Students and Education Secretary Gavin Williamson plan to slash funding for arts subjects by 50% have caused uproar this week. The OfS have sought to clarify the situation, claiming that the proposed cuts only apply “…to a smaller subsidy provided by the OfS, not major funding streams”. Nevertheless, the move...Read More

Discussions about how to improve access for less advantaged students show no sign of abating – and subject-level TEF comes under attack from the Russell Group ‘Relax A-level grades for some medical students’ BBC, 24/05/2018, Katherine Sellgreen Academic entry requirements for medical degrees should be relaxed for students applying from the worst UK secondary schools,...Read More