Lords revolt over plans for free-market universities
Source: The Guardian
The government faces a huge cross-party revolt next week over controversial reforms of higher education that would make it easier for new colleges to award degrees, become universities and make profits from teaching students.
Labour, the Liberal Democrats and crossbench peers in the House of Lords have joined forces in an attempt to scupper what they believe is an attempt at full-scale “marketisation” of the sector – a move they say would lower standards and damage the UK’s reputation for running many of the best universities in the world.
The peers – and university leaders – also say the reforms would destroy the cherished autonomy of UK universities and allow political interference by ministers into how they are run, teach courses and conduct research.
On Sunday, in a further blow to the higher education and research bill, Lord (Chris) Patten, the former Tory party chairman and now chancellor of Oxford University, described the reforms as “hamfisted”, coming at a time when universities were already facing massive challenges as a result of the Brexit vote and changes to immigration policy.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/dec/31/lords-revolt-tory-plans-free-market-universities
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