UCU has produced a short response to issues raised by the 2010 Queen’s Speech: UCU response tp the 2010 Queen’s Speech, May 10 (.pdf) [51kb] UCU response tp the 2010 Queen’s Speech, May 10 (.doc) [162kb]

We’ve received a short report from a ‘meet the candidates’ meeting held at the University of Northampton on 23 April. Ten candidates vying for the seats in Northampton North and South attended, including those representing the three major parties, the Green Party, UKIP, Save Our Public Services and two independents. The candidates were asked to [...]

A full rundown of the Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem and Green party manifestos as they spell out policies on adult, further and higher education, plus trade union issues. The party manifestos – FE Adult and HE (.pdf) The party manifestos – FE Adult and HE (.doc)

The NUS has now published the names of 1,000+ parliamentary candidates who have signed their pledge. This includes, so far, 200 Labour, 400 Liberal Democrat, 13 Conservative, 200 Green, and 200 UKIP candidates. The pledge reads: ‘I pledge to vote against any increase in fees in the next parliament and to pressure the government to [...]

Education issues are largely devolved in both Wales and Scotland. However there are some issues which are covered in the Plaid Cymru and SNP mafestos: Plaid Cymru: We support a Welsh-language Coleg Ffederal with an independent stream of funding and an independent student register. We will also continue to campaign for a National Veterinary School for Wales. We [...]

The Times Higher has been on touch with academic candidates from the three main parties to find out why they have decided to run for national office. These are Nader Fekri, Lib Dem candidate for Keighley and Ilkley, Anneliese Dodds, Labour candidate for Reading East and Adeela Shafi, Conservative candidate for Bristol East. Read the [...]

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 [...]

Just been having a quick peruse of post-16 education in the BBC’s rundown of key party policy from the three main parties. Conservatives: ‘create 10,000 extra university places in 2010 and 100,000 additional apprenticeships and training places a year; give bonuses for early repayment of student loans.’ Labour: ‘encourage universities to set Academies up as well [...]

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 [...]