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Published byTiffany Jefferson Modified over 9 years ago
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by Dr Elizabeth Lawrence UCU President
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What is Higher Education for? What do we mean by marketisation and privatisation? The impact of marketisation and privatisation to date The Green Paper Regulation of the HE sector – who can become a university? Implications for students UCU response 2
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Humanistic values surrounding education The development of human beings The education of citizens for a democratic society Enjoyment in learning Advancement of knowledge and science Contribution to a better society, economic regeneration, social welfare and social justice Preparation for employment (not employability) 3
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How is a market created in higher education? Can a degree be a commodity? Can education be purchased? How many forms can privatisation take? ◦ Charging fees/students as ‘customers’ ◦ Selling qualifications, ‘buying learning’ ◦ Outsourcing/sub-contracting of areas of work – catering, security, teaching etc. ◦ Growth of private for-profit providers of Higher Education 4
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The impact on the status and role of students – the rise of the customer discourse The National Student Survey and metrics Growth in the number of posts with ‘business’ and ‘management’ in the job title The decline of collegiality and democratic governance Discourse around ‘business’ not ‘service’ Changes in employment status and conditions for some groups of workers 5
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A privatisation agenda – belief in markets Proposed new regulatory body replacing HEFCE and OFFA with OfS (Office for Students) Linking of fees to TEF scores Metrics for TEF- danger of proxy metrics, e.g. NSS scores as a measure of student learning Increase in number of HEIs, quicker route to degree-awarding powers HEIs entering and leaving the sector more rapidly 6
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Some regulation is needed around: ◦ Right to university title, degree awarding powers and academic standards ◦ Academic freedom and governance ◦ Provision for students ◦ Employment conditions of staff ◦ Finance How can the regulatory framework support the sector and not create excessive workloads or take major resources away from research and teaching? 7
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Minimum size and number of students on a range of degree courses Commitment to academic freedom and other core values of universities Minimum number of years of operation before getting university title The dangers in the rapid growth of a large number of private for-profit providers as stand-alone universities – threat to academic standards and to reputation of UK HE 8
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Linking of increased tuition fees to TEF scores Not all students are geographically mobile and able to relocate to complete studies. What is a degree worth if the HEI closes after the student has graduated? Does the ‘market value’ fall? Whose children will go to HEIs likely to close? How will graduates obtain validation of qualifications or references from an HEI which has closed? 9
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Working with allies to defend educational values and academic freedom Challenging privatisation and the rapid growth of a private for-profit sector The need to unionise the private sector of Higher Education and improve employment conditions there Implications of TEF for workloads and pedagogic freedom Risk of closures of departments and universities– loss of jobs and educational provision 10
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