by CDBU Admin | Mar 26, 2018 | Grade inflation, Opinion
UCU has asked external examiners to resign in support of the strike over pensions. But what exactly does an external examiner do? Professor GR Evans reflects on the value of an undersung role On 15 March the University and College Union (UCU) asked external examiners...
by CDBU Admin | Mar 6, 2018 | Casual staff, Opinion, Uncategorized
A Freedom of Information request from the University and College Union reveals a reluctance by universities to share information about their use of teaching staff on hourly contracts Casual staff have always played an important role in university teaching. Many...
by CDBU Admin | Mar 1, 2018 | Guest blog, Office for Students
The newly-published regulatory framework runs to 167 pages – but still leaves many questions unanswered, writes Professor GR Evans At last the Office for Students (Ofs) has published its Regulatory Framework. It will be laid before Parliament but essentially this is...
by CDBU Admin | Jan 10, 2018 | Government, Guest blog, Opinion
Professor DVM Bishop bids a not-so-fond farewell to universities minister Jo Johnson. So Jo Johnson is gone, brought down by poor judgement demonstrated by, first, the appointment of Toby Young to the Board of the Office for Students, and second by his obstinacy in...
by CDBU Admin | Jan 5, 2018 | Office for Students, Opinion
The launch of the new higher education regulator at the beginning of January was dominated by a single story – the controversy over the appointment of Toby Young to its board. In this opinion piece, Professor GR Evans and Professor DVM Bishop look at the challenges...