Interesting article by the Times science editor Mark Henderson on science in the manifestos (so far): Manifesto watch: Labour and the Tories on science EDIT: Mark has now followed-up with a view on the Lib Dem manifesto on science: Manifesto watch: the Liberal Democrats on science

Labour’s election manifesto has now been launched. The key points on post-16 education are: Spending increased on frontline Sure Start and free childcare, schools and 16-19 learning. Every young person guaranteed education or training until 18, with 75 per cent going on to higher education, or completing an advanced apprenticeship or technician level training, by [...]

UCU today demanded that the Conservative Party comes clean on its plans for university funding after David Cameron told the Today Programme that university fees were here to stay. The Tory leader’s comments appear to put him at odds with his universities secretary, David Willetts, who said recently that universities had not yet made the [...]

UCU today welcomed announcements in the budget of extra student places in universities and colleges. However, it said high quality education could not be delivered with fewer staff and bigger class sizes. The union welcomed news of 20,000 additional university places, largely in STEM subjects, but questioned who would be teaching the extra students. The [...]

We are calling on all parliamentary candidates in the general election to pledge themselves to our vision of post-school education. 5 chances to support UCU’s vision for education: Will you support a high quality, publicly funded education system—at all levels of study—in which people are not deterred or prohibited by financial barriers? Do you agree that those who [...]

UCU launched its proposal for a Business Education Tax (BET) in the House of Commons on 3 March. The report is intended to re-open the debate on how we rebalance the contribution to university funding between, as Lord Dearing said, the state, the individual and the employer. UCU was joined by think tank Compass in [...]

A report released today by UCU recommends raising the level of corporation tax in the UK to the G7 countries’ average to raise enough money to abolish all university tuition fees.

UCU today welcomed the announcement by the Conservatives that they would suspend controversial new changes to the way university research is funded. In an interview with the Times Higher the shadow minister for higher education, David Willetts, said he would delay proposals that would force 25% of future research to be assessed on ‘economic impacts’ [...]

UCU today accused the government of being in ‘complete denial’ over the impact of university funding cuts. Responding to claims in today’s Guardian newspaper by the business secretary, Lord Mandelson, that slashing £900 million from the higher education budget would be ‘very small in the context of overall university income’ the union warned over 14,000 [...]

The theme of this year’s major political party conferences has been one dimensional with all parties warning of cuts in public sector funding after the next election. Within further and higher education so called ‘efficiency savings’ of £400m are already being sought as a result of the 2009 budget statement. These savings have a profound [...]