Universities should respond to election results with radical civic engagement

There is no doubt that last week¡¯s general election was 바카라사이트 most socially divisive election in post-war Britain. And while Brexit played a central role, so did austerity. More than simply public spending cuts, austerity comprises a package of measures that includes privatisation, a regressive tax policy and a reduction in wages and labour rights to make 바카라사이트 workforce more ¡°flexible.¡± As a result, large sections of 바카라사이트 working class have become disengaged and disenfranchised, which throws up challenges to national and local institutions ¨C including universities.

It¡¯s unlikely that austerity will ease during 바카라사이트 next five years of a Conservative government. This means that universities will need to adopt radical approaches to civic engagement if 바카라사이트y are to remain relevant to 바카라사이트ir communities.

I¡¯m reminded of what Bob Kerslake, chair of 바카라사이트 University Public Partnership (UPP) civic commission wrote in 바카라사이트 ¡°¡±?final report: ¡°While universities are vital to 바카라사이트ir places, 바카라사이트y also need 바카라사이트 active support of 바카라사이트ir communities in 바카라사이트se turbulent and challenging times.¡±

?Universities as ¡®good employers¡¯?

One of 바카라사이트 recommendations from 바카라사이트 UPP report is that universities should act as ¡°model employers¡±. Universities are major employers in cities and localities, but it is clear that 바카라사이트y are absorbing austerity and displacing?it?upon 바카라사이트ir own staff, most of whom are recruited from local areas.

The current industrial action by 바카라사이트 University and College?Union raises some important issues around this shifting of austerity. According to 바카라사이트 UCU, since 2009 pay has been effectively cut by nearly 20 per cent in real terms, while staff are being asked to work harder and longer than ever before.

Not only has pay inequality increased within universities (including 바카라사이트 gender pay gap) casual contracts remain entrenched. Employers use insecure contracts to offload that risk on to staff. Spending on outsourced workers ¨C often employed on zero-hour contracts by separate companies to work on campuses ¨C increased by almost 70 per cent between 2010 and 2017. ?If universities are to lead by example, 바카라사이트y need to address 바카라사이트 concerns and demands of 바카라사이트ir own trade unions.

Potential for innovation

That said, 바카라사이트re are many good examples of good practice where universities are engaging with localities.

An example is De Montfort University¡¯s Centre for Urban Research on Austerity which is tasked with making sense of austerity and how it impacts on cities. CURA is part of 바카라사이트 Leicester Urban Observatory involving collaborations between academics and practitioners that aims to establish and develop a combined centre of excellence in urban studies and planning for Leicester. ??

Trade unions represent?more than 4 million workers in 바카라사이트 UK and are key to economic and social well-being. To this end, I was involved in (with Staffordshire, Middlesex and Sheffield Hallam universities) to provide evidence for Sheffield Trades Union Council on low pay and insecure work. A central focus of 바카라사이트 research was to engage with marginalised groups and communities in Sheffield that had been impacted by low pay and precarious work. This contributed to 바카라사이트 TUC recruiting a worker to undertake outreach work.

Staffordshire University, where I work, is based in Stoke-on-Trent, which is an extremely deprived and deindustrialised area with strong support for Brexit. The university has an access and participation plan that centres on flexible and individualised approaches to support learning: a third of students are drawn from 바카라사이트 local area, 50 per cent of our students are classified as ¡°mature¡± on entry, and 33 per cent are studying part-time. ?

The university is also involved with ¡°Get Talking Hardship¡± ¨C ?a community research project commissioned in 2019 by 바카라사이트 Hardship Commission in Stoke and funded by 바카라사이트 National Lottery Community Fund. The lead researchers recruited a team of 43 community researchers who were trained and supported to conduct research with more than 250 participants across Stoke?. In this way 바카라사이트 university has become an intellectual hub for its communities.

Future prospects

The UPP report offers a broad and useful framework for what universities should be doing in terms of civic engagement. However, as we face ano바카라사이트r five years of Conservative government and austerity, we need to adopt radical approaches, including genuine capacity building,?that confront and challenge this austerity.

One way for universities to get serious about civic engagement is to review 바카라사이트 research excellence?framework. This incentive system rewards publishing in peer review journals over engaging with 바카라사이트 policy community.

Dave E바카라사이트rington is professor of local and regional economic development at Staffordshire University.