Education Solidarity Network » Resources

Stand by for more for-profit universities in UK

ucu campaigns — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 10:59:46 +0000

In spite of persistent lobbying by the University and College Union, not least in our recent report on the scandals in the US for-profit sector, the Coalition government seems hell-bent on opening up the UK university sector for private sector profit. BPP, which is owned by Apollo, Kaplan and Laureate have been lobbying the government to create a ‘level playing field’ (read: public subsidies that direct taxpayers money into shareholder profit). The Browne report has given them a lot of what they want, but you can read their whole manifesto in a recent report from the Tories’ favourite think tank, Policy Exchange: http://www.policyexchange.org.uk/publications/publication.cgi?id=212

UCU has tried to warn the government that it risks creating the conditions for the same scandals rocking the US for-profit sector but without success. Ideology and profits, it seems, are powerful. Read our report here: http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/k/l/ucu_subprimeed_briefing_sep10.pdf

Sub-Prime Education

ucu campaigns — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 11:04:09 +0000

A UCU report on the scandals in the for-profit sector in the USA: http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/k/l/ucu_subprimeed_briefing_sep10.pdf

Privatising our Universities

ucu campaigns — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 11:05:08 +0000

A report from before the General Election in May 2010 which outlined the union’s opposition to the cross-party consensus on the privatisation of UK HE:

http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/9/6/ucu_privatisingouruniversities_feb10.pdf

New briefing on KAPLAN

ucu campaigns — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 16:21:32 +0000

Please find a new briefing document, produced by UCU on KAPLAN’s presence in UK higher education. KAPLAN are on of the three large US education businesses, alongside Apollo and Laureate, that now have a foothold in UK higher education. With the new Coalition government set to encourage more private companies to step in to fill the holes left by their massive funding cuts, KAPLAN are to be watched. Hope you find it useful: http://educationsolidaritynetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/CME-Kaplan-briefing.pdf

23 unions call for a change of direction as German and Austrian student protests grow

ucu campaigns — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:36:06 +0000

Our colleagues in GEW in Germany have asked us to circulate the statement signed by 23 unions across the world calling for a change of direction in higher education policy as a wave of student protests has built up in Germany and Austria against the underfunding, marketisation and deterioration of university and college education. The statement calls for proper investment in education, job security and career paths for academic staff and the democratisation of higher education institutions. You can read the full statement here:

High time for a U-turn in education policy

Students and staff unite against educational ruin

Education unions support protests by students across Europe

Appeal by 23 education unions from 19 countries

Francfort / Vienna, 14 December 2009

School and higher education students in Austria, Germany, and several other countries have started to protest against educational ruin. The students’ protests are supported by school and higher education teachers and their unions. A widespread Euopean movement for a U-turn in education policy is developing. Therefore GEW (Germany) and GÖD (Austria) have submitted this appeal in order to support the students and invited education unions all over Europe to sign the appeal too. Until now 23 education unions from 19 countries have decided to sign the joint appeal. Please contact Dr Andreas Keller (GEW board member in charge of higher education and research) to get any further information: andreas.keller@gew.de.

There’s something rotten in Europe. Schools, universities and other education establishments are chronically underfunded. Whereas billions of euros were mobilised overnight to salvage the banks, governments find it hard to put their fingers on the money so urgently needed to invest in the future by committing to education. Young people are deprived of prospects by a lack of education opportunities and a shortage of places to train and study. Children from families with little education and low incomes are severely under-represented in higher education. The Bologna Process promised better courses and easier mobility, but in many European countries its implementation is actually making things worse. Schools and universities are exposed to markets and competition and they are being restructured as education companies. Working conditions and terms of employment in the education sector are increasingly subject to demands for flexibility and fixed-term contracts are spreading fast. This is damaging the quality of education and the appeal of challenging professions in teaching and research.

We have to put a stop to this! It is high time for a U-turn in education policy, which should be aimed at fighting education poverty, creating equal opportunities and providing a decent education for all!

Therefore education unions all over Europe demand

· a marked improvement in funding for education establishments, not in spite of the financial and economic crisis, but because of it: investing in education and in the future prospects of young people are the best stimulus package there is;

· equal opportunities for all young people – founded on a solid schooling for all which stops children being filtered out and ensures that every individual can develop, with effective grants for all students and a reduction and ultimately abolition of all education fees from nursery to university;

· a change of tack for the Bologna Process which strengthens the social dimension to the European Higher Education Area, ensuring an unconditional transition from a bachelor’s to a master’s degree, mobility for students and higher education staff and a boost to the quality of teaching and studying;

· innovation through democratic participation in schools, universities and other education institutions – with more consultation rights for staff and students alike;

· improved working conditions and terms of employment for the staff of education institutions – founded on employment contracts negotiated by their trade unions, social insurance rights and appropriate pay.

The quality of education and the quality of working in education are two sides to the same coin! The time has come for a protest movement in which higher education and school students join with teachers, researchers and everyone else working in the field to pull together, adding their combined weight to calls for a U-turn in education policy. Together against the crisis – for decent education and decent work!

The following education union have signed this appeal:

Azerbajan:

Independent Trade Union of Education Workers of the Azerbaijan Republic (ARCITUEEI)

Austria:

Gewerkschaft Öffentlicher Dienst (GÖD)

Croatia:

Independent Union of Research and Higher Education Employees of Croatia (IURHEEC)

Denmark:

The Danish National Federation of Early Childhood Teachers and Youth Educators (BUPL)
Dansk Magisterforening (DM)

France:

Syndicat National de l’Enseignement Supérieru (SNESUP)
Syndicat National des Enseignements de Second Degré (SNES-FSU)

Germany:

Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft (GEW)

Greece:

Greek Federation of Secondary State School Teachers (OLME)

Hungary:

Syndicat des Enseignants de Hongrie (SEH)
Teachers’ Democratic Union of Hungary (PDSZ)

Ireland:

Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT)

Israel:

Israel Teachers Union (ITU)

Italy:

Federazione Lavoratori della Conoscenza (FLC CGIL)

Latvia:

Latvian Education and Scientific Workers’ Trade Union (LIZDA)

Netherlands:

Algemene Onderwijsbond (AoB)

Romania:

Federatia Nationala Sindicala ALMA-MATER (ALMA-MATER)

Russia:

Education and Science Employees’ Union of Russia (ESEUR)

Slovenia:

Education, Science and Culture Trade Union of Slovenia (ESTUS)

Spain:

Confederación de Sindicatos de Trabajadoras y Trabajadores de la Ensenaza – Intersindical (STEs-i)

Switzerland:

Verband der Fachhochschuldozierenden Schweiz (fh-ch) within Dachverband Schweizer Lehrerinnen und Lehrer (LCH)

United Kingdom:

Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL)
University and College Union (UCU)

Branch campuses – union advice for members

ucu campaigns — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:43:09 +0000

Hi all,

Thanks to the CAUT for the helpful posting on the OBHE report on branch campuses (called offshores in the UK), the UCU has just published advice for members whose institutions set up such campuses. This follows on from pioneering work by the NTEU in this area.

To view the UCU advice, click here: http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=4368

To view the NTEU guidance, click here: http://www.nteu.org.au/publications/other/overseas

Sharing resources on Navitas

ucu campaigns — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:28:32 +0000

Sharing resources on Navitas

Earlier this year, Navitas, the Australian private education provider announced two new partnerships with UK higher education institutions, including Portsmouth and Plymouth Universities. UCU has produced a campaign briefing which gives some background on Navitas, which you can download here: http://www.ucu.org.uk/utilities/action/act_download.cfm?mediaid=2796

In Autumn 2008, the UCU branch at Manchester Metropolitan University successfully campaigned against a similar partnership with Navitas. You can view their campaign blogpage here:

http://navitas-privatisation.blogspot.com/

UCU Guide for branches fighting privatisation

ucu campaigns — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:37:56 +0000

UCU has produced this guidebook to help its branches, operating in th context of the increasing interest among UK universities in outsourcing areas of academic provision or in establishing public private partnerships with private education companies like INTO, Study Group International, Navitas and KAPLAN. This guide was produced in collaboration with Professor Dexter Whitfield of the European Services Strategy Unit (ESSU). You can access it here: http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/r/e/ucu_challengingthemarketguide.pdf

For the ESSU, click here: http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/

Global privatisation of tertiary education – UNESCO report highlights threat to staff

admin — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:50:56 +0000

A report by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) has illuminated the extent of the private sector’s takeover of higher education across the world. The report claims that 30% of global HE is now provided by private providers. It also says that private sector HE ‘is run mostly on a business model, with power and authority concentrated in boards and chief executives. Faculty hold little authority or influence and students are seen as customers.’ They also make the key point that private providers drive down costs, partly because they rely on casualised academics.

UNESCO’s report – A new dynamic: private higher education (.pdf)

Education International Report on Public-Private Partnerships

ucu campaigns — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 12:14:18 +0000

Here’s a link to Education International’s useful recent report on the experience of dealing with Public-Private Partnerships in tertiary education, including EI’s own recommendations for unions facing PPPs:

http://www.ei-ie.org/en/news/show.php?id=1039&theme=gats&country=global