by Dr Elizabeth Lawrence UCU President 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 ID: 651775
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Slide1
The Green Paper on HE and Privatisation
byDr Elizabeth LawrenceUCU PresidentSlide2
What is Higher Education for?
What do we mean by marketisation and privatisation?The impact of marketisation and privatisation to dateThe Green Paper
Regulation of the HE sector – who can become a university?
Implications for studentsUCU response
2
Introduction – themes of talkSlide3
Humanistic values surrounding educationThe development of human beingsThe education of citizens for a democratic society
Enjoyment in learningAdvancement of knowledge and scienceContribution to a better society, economic regeneration, social welfare and social justicePreparation for employment (not employability)What is Higher Education for?
3Slide4
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
What do we mean by marketisation and privatisation?
4Slide5
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 titleThe decline of collegiality and democratic governanceDiscourse around ‘business’ not ‘service’Changes in employment status and conditions for some groups of workersThe impact of marketisation and privatisation to date
5Slide6
A privatisation agenda – belief in marketsProposed 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
The Green Paper6Slide7
Some regulation is needed around:Right to university title, degree awarding powers and academic standards
Academic freedom and governanceProvision for studentsEmployment conditions of staffFinanceHow can the regulatory framework support the sector and not create excessive workloads or take major resources away from research and teaching?Regulation of the Higher Education Sector
7Slide8
Minimum size and number of students on a range of degree coursesCommitment to academic freedom and other core values of universities
Minimum number of years of operation before getting university titleThe 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 HEWho can become a university?
8Slide9
Linking of increased tuition fees to TEF
scoresNot 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?
Implications for students
9Slide10
Working with allies to defend educational values and academic freedom
Challenging privatisation and the rapid growth of a private for-profit sectorThe need to unionise the private sector of Higher Education and improve employment conditions there
Implications of TEF for workloads and pedagogic
freedomRisk of closures of departments and universities– loss of jobs and educational provision
How should UCU respond?10