The second reading of the Higher Education and Research Bill is tomorrow (Tues 19 July).
Please contact your MP and ask them to attend Parliament and vote against this Bill.
According to UCL UCU, if the Bill is passed in its current form it will:
- introduce a new TEF premised on metrics which, the Royal Statistical Society point out, do not correlate with actual quality measures, and abolish QAA and HEFCE
- allow new companies to become "universities" and gain degree-awarding powers extremely quickly and easily
- remove Privy Council's involvement in accreditation and supervision of statute reform, reducing protections for academic freedom
- dissolve research councils and innovate UK into one institution, UKRI
These are radical changes to the sector. UK universities are already facing a massive post-Brexit challenge, as it is likely that student numbers and EU research funding will both be hit. The last thing the sector needs now is more change and more challenges.
Thank you for your support.