Is the well-worn idiom that came from Harold Wilson in 1964. It rings out every now and again when there are periods of rapid change and this week was a good example. The week was pivotal in revealing the attitude of the government to universities and their students. It looks like control and suppression will dominate in the post-COVID-19 era. One leading UCU activist described the ‘Higher Education Restructuring Regime’ released yesterday as “The most politicised state intervention into universities the UK has ever seen” . The opposition is gathering in strength and the first cohort of Generation Alpha students entering universities will find themselves in the vanguard. The hope is that fairness and equal access will become the foundation of the ‘new normal that they will have to fight for . The last few days have been critical ones for the future of our universities and the quest for widening access and equality for students. The government arrived at a crossroads and ...

Yesterday the Universities Minster, Michelle Donelan, was questioned by the Education Select Committee about the impact of COVID-19 on universities (see TEFS 15th July 2020 ‘It doesn't matter about looking at which groups don't get to university’. In addition to dismissing universities as a driver of social mobility, she sidestepped questions about what the government would do if any university was in financial difficulty and at risk of insolvency. It turns out that she had simply waited to release the planned ‘regime’ today to avoid awkward questions yesterday. One only has to read a short way into ‘Establishment of a Higher Education Restructuring Regime in Response to COVID-19’ to see why she avoided the hard questions on this topic. Those who can influence the new controlling regime will hold most of the power as all universities bend to the pressure to conform. This is a very dangerous development. The Ministerial Forward starts with the exaltation “Providers n...

T he title is the astounding answer the Universities Minister, Michelle Donelan, gave to a simple question about helping disadvantaged students in the COVID-19 crisis earlier today. The corollary is simple to deduce, it matters about looking at which groups do get into university. This heralds a novel approach to a redefined ‘social mobility’ agenda in which the idea of setting access targets for disadvantaged students in universities will be abandoned. It caused some confusion to those present and comes on top of the decision to abandon the idea of getting 50% of young people into university that was first proposed over 20 years ago. It marks a low point in promoting universities as drivers of social mobility and seems to redefine the chances for a new generation of young people. These are ‘Generation Alpha’ who were born this century and will be setting out in an economy that will have to be rebooted or rebuilt. The government’s vision is those with advantages will be given pri...

A speech by the Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson yesterday further reinforced the views expressed by the Higher Education Minister, Michelle Donelan last week (see TEFS 1st July 2020 ‘Government minister points the finger of blame’ ). Both speeches were an admission that their own government of the past ten years had failed – and failed very badly. After deliberately expanding universities in what was a free market, both now admit that it was wrong. Unlike Donelan, Williamson fell short of an all-out criticism of our universities. However, the hint of cutbacks to come is still there. Donelan had no reservations and attacked universities for failing in a regime concocted by her own government. The blame for the neglect of Further Education is put onto Tony Blair for some obscure reason that eludes even those with good memories. Both characters seem to have forgotten their own origins and, mesmerised by the ‘elite’ they have joined, pulled up the ladder after themselves. Apparent...

The government’s ‘Plan for Jobs’ statement emerged today and it heralds a major injection of borrowed money into the economy. The numbers are incredibly eye-watering and reflect the extent of the recession storm coming soon. The £30 billion of incentives to businesses may be only the start and become a tactic that could backfire if they don’t take the bait. The impact on students will be indirect as there is no indication that additional maintenance or hardship support will be offered. It is particularly disappointing that the chance to reinstate some element of maintenance grants has been lost. However, the fear that COVID-19 will strike again and precipitate another lockdown is still with us. This would be a disaster for universities already close to organisational collapse. Also, there is no explanation about how it will all be paid for and we will probably learn in an Autumn statement about more taxes and what the consequences will be over time.  The idiom ‘there ain't...

The Institute for Fiscal Studies(IFS) produced a report today ( ‘Will universities need a bailout to survive the COVID-19 crisis?’ ) that takes a closer look at the finances of our universities through the lens of HESA statistics and projects them onto 2024. As TEFS concluded in May with the question ' How precarious are universities in the UK? ', it appears that some are more precarious than others to an alarming degree. The prospect of insolvency is considered in three different scenarios, optimistic, central and pessimistic, taking into account moves made by the government so far. The headline conclusion is that. “For around a dozen universities, insolvency is likely to become a very real prospect without a government bailout”. Missing is the impact upon widening access by ‘disadvantaged’ students from low participation areas. This may become the battleground as some universities mount a fierce defence.  Back in May, on what seems like a different planet to the...

A recent report from researchers at UCLA  and Los Angeles Community College District, ‘Unseen Costs’ , highlighted the pressure on many students in Los Angeles County. Despite being one of the richest metropolitan regions in the world with a population of just over 10 million, more than half of its students are struggling with part-time jobs and inadequate funding. This mirrors a similar situation in the UK and further emphasises the widening gap between those with and those without family support. The COVID-19 crisis exacerbates the situation and will continue well into the coming year. The UK is not the only jurisdiction that urgently needs to help its students and avoid a generation losing out. There are uncomfortable parallels with London where students might have more in common with their peers in Los Angeles than they might think.  One of the greatest lines in English literature “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” opens a tale of two majo...