Universities Minister Chris Skidmore announced this morning that University Fees would remain frozen at their current level, with a maximum fee of £9,250 per year. University Alliance CEO Vanessa Wilson said, “The announcement today that tuition fees will be frozen for a third successive year in 2020/21 amounts to a significant cut in university budgets in real-terms.” “This hurts students and staff as universities are forced to make savings as c…
…ns will be brought forward in the second stage of consultation, which is expected in late 2019. To discuss our response, please contact Ellie Russell, Deputy Head of Policy ellie@www.unialliance.ac.uk…
In response to the Augar Review released today, Professor John Latham, Chair of University Alliance and Vice-Chancellor of Coventry University said: “This is a quietly damning critique of the existing system – and a decade of bad policy decisions. Augar is right to argue the current model is unfair, inefficient and incoherent. There are good ideas here, some areas of concern but overall much to support – and he’s set out a solid roadmap for us to…
University Alliance has backed new measures to tackle ‘unexplained’ grade inflation and protect the value of degrees. The new sector-wide statement-of-intent sets out how universities will be more transparent about how degrees are classified and to tackle perceptions that courses are being dumbed down. It follows a UK-wide consultation on degree classification led by the UK Standing Committee for Quality Assessment (UKSCQA). Professor Debra Humph…
University Alliance was represented by three member Vice-Chancellors on the advisory panel for the Universities UK and NUS’s report “Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Student Attainment at UK Universities: #ClosingtheGap” The report also highlights projects by University Alliance members. Kingston University Vice-Chancellor Steven Spier “It shouldn’t need stating, but it is simply unacceptable that race and ethnicity should have any bearing on h…
…put down on individual students lacking skills or aptitude, rather than structural issues within institutions. “We must not treat minority ethnic students as a homogenous group. People have multiple identities which all intersect .This is not a numbers game. It is about reality for individuals at university and beyond. Racial discrimination manifest itself in everyday situations, processes and behaviours, whether overt or unconscious. “University…
…ation has collapsed and the apprenticeship system has serious budget and structural flaws. We are in danger through chronic under funding of letting one of the UK’s most valuable assets: it’s education system, collapse The current volatile policy, political and public environment gives us the chance to put forward a bolder vision, mission and strategy for the entire education system. We must build consensus around the value that technical, profess…