Tag: universities

Why Are University Staff Going on Strike? Here’s What You Need to Know
University staff across the UK walk out tomorrow for the first time since March 2018. The strike resumes the struggle over detrimental pension changes, with further demands on casualisation and equal pay.
Should Students Demand Refunds? 3 Perspectives on Student Demands in the UCU Strike
Should students demand tuition fee refunds for days lost to strike action? The response to the demand has been mixed, with no clear dividing line between those who are for and against the strike.
5 Reflections on Trans Liberation in Higher Education
As trans issues become more visible, a reactionary backlash is surging to deride, undermine and repress the voices of trans communities. In this context, it is now more important than ever to examine how our universities have become a key site of contention around trans politics.
The Occupation Is Over, But Justice for SOAS Workers Must Still Be Fought For
Outsourced staff at SOAS have won their most pressing demands, but management's behaviour, and the ubiquity of outsourcing at UK universities, means the struggle cannot end here.
“We Are Workers”: U.S. Graduate Student Workers Fight for Union Recognition
Graduate student workers are fighting for union recognition. But universities are blocking their efforts, knowing that if they obstruct long enough, Donald Trump could rescue them from having to afford them their rights.  
We Have to Get Rid of Tuition Fees

Labour have pledged to abolish tuition fees. Aaron Bastani serves up 8 reasons why this is an excellent policy.

‘A Battle for the Soul of UCL’: The Academics Confronting Corporatisation in Higher Education
A group of senior UCL academics have successfully challenged an attempt by management to wrest even more democratic control of the university from those who work there. But with the corporatisation of higher education sweeping across the UK, this fight will need to be taken beyond UCL.
Organised Rage: The LSE Cleaners Strike
The LSE cleaners, represented by United Voices of the World, have staged a two day strike to fight for sick pay, maternity and paternity leave, and pensions. Led by migrants and women, the strike shows the potential for grassroots, fighting trade unions to win big victories.
3 Threats from the HE White Paper and 1 Way to Block the Government’s Plans
The new higher education white paper seeks to fundamentally overhaul the sector as we know it. But the plans depend on metrics extracted from student feedback, presenting students with a unique opportunity to sabotage the government's vision.
5 Insights from Number 10’s Leaked HE Briefing
Last week a photojournalist caught sight of an internal government briefing concerning proposed reforms to higher education. The document reveals that HE policy is in crisis.
4 Things We Can Learn from the Government’s Manoeuvring on Student Loans
As part of its fire sale of public assets, the government has been trying to sell off the student loan book for some time. Released without fanfare, the universities minister's newest strategy seeks to make student loans more appealing to buyers.
5 Threats to Post-2012 Student Debtors
Having shelved plans to sell off the student loan book in 2014, the government is continuing to fudge its uncosted £9k fee regime by returning to the possibility of retroactively changing the terms of student loan borrowing.
5 Reasons the Teaching in Excellence Framework is Bad News for Higher Education
Following in the footsteps of the loathed Research Excellence Framework (REF), the proposed Teaching Excellence Framework intends to allocate funding using dubious metrics for ranking HE institutions.