UCU president's outlines challenges to UK HE at major international conference

At the Education International's 8th Higher Education and Research Conference, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 25-27 September 2012, Kathy Taylor, UCU's president, outlined the three main challenges currently facing higher education in the UK. These are that:

• the government's drive to reduce public spending means that less direct public funding is available for higher education and research
• the UK government's attack on pay and conditions generally, and those of public sector workers in particular, is putting pressure on academic pay, pensions and job security
• the ethos and values that underpin higher education and research are under attack from privatisation and marketisation.

Action taken to defend the academic profession by UCU has included:  

• industrial action
• working with other trade unions and education partners
• organising demonstrations
• fighting a high profile political and media campaign
• launching a public-awareness campaign on the need for greater investment in higher education in the UK
• promoting alternatives to neo-liberalism and austerity.

The Vandals at the Gate: Defending the profession in an age of austerity—the view from the UK, Kathy Taylor President, UCU [64kb]