The universities regulator will say today (Tuesday) that it
would not bail out universities
in financial difficulty. Responding to the announcement by
the Office for Students (OfS), the University and College Union
(UCU) said it would be writing to all MPs with a university in
their constituency asking if they back plans to allow their
institution to go bust.
UCU said universities are often one of the key
employers in the area and their impact on the local economy and
on local opportunities is difficult to overstate.
The union added that the OfS should work on ensuring
greater scrutiny of how universities are run, not wash its hands
if things don’t go to plan.
UCU head of policy and campaigns Matt Waddup
said: ‘In places like India and China they are
opening new universities. Do the regulator and minister really
want to voluntarily reduce our country’s intellectual, social and
cultural capital? We shall be writing to every MP with a
university in their constituency asking if they are happy with
this move.
‘Allowing universities go to the wall has consequences far
beyond just education – universities are often one of the key
employers in the area and their impact on the local economy and
on local opportunities is difficult to overstate.’
‘Universities do need to be properly run and the OfS should
focus its efforts on ensuring better governance structures and
scrutiny of the decisions taken at the top table. The
regulator and government should be supporting universities to
excel, not washing their hands when things don't go to
plan.
‘Michael Barber’s comments demonstrate just how out of
touch those in charge of our universities really
are. You don’t protect students’ interests by
bringing about the demise of their local university. It would not
simply be a case of students moving to another university if
theirs were to experience financial trouble.’
