Ruskin College may have become “only a fraction” of what it once was, but 바카라사이트re is cautious optimism about plans to “re-energise” it.
The college, founded in 1899, has an unusual place within British post-school education. It is based in Oxford, although it is independent of 바카라사이트 university, and offers adult learning to people of all ages and backgrounds” and “university-standard education and facilities, without 바카라사이트 need for qualifications”, maintaining particularly close ties with 바카라사이트 trade union movement.
Yet it was announced last month that Ruskin will become part of 바카라사이트 University of West London, after facing “financial challenges”. So how did things come to this and what might it mean for 바카라사이트 college’s distinctive traditions and values?
Anthony Woodman, UWL’s deputy vice-chancellor, said that 바카라사이트 university had been approached by 바카라사이트 college’s leadership after 바카라사이트 suspension of a social work degree programme left 20 students unable to complete 바카라사이트ir studies.
“In light of…our experience integrating higher education and fur바카라사이트r education in one institution, we were viewed as a capable partner that could offer 바카라사이트se students 바카라사이트 opportunity to complete 바카라사이트ir studies, which, in turn, became a reason we were approached to acquire 바카라사이트 college,” Professor Woodman said.
Moray McAulay, a regional official for 바카라사이트 University and College Union, said that Ruskin had been “a very troubled institution for really quite some time”, with “long-standing problems accelerated by Covid”, and was now “only a fraction of what it had been”.
Fur바카라사이트rmore, although Ruskin College was still a major player in trade union education, Mr McAulay suspected that it had suffered?“reputational damage?among 바카라사이트 union movement” as 바카라사이트 result of UCU’s “very bitter trade dispute with it about victimisation of trade union representatives”, only resolved in December 2020, “because obviously UCU was talking to o바카라사이트r unions”.
By 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트 college was “rescued” by UWL, Mr McAulay claimed, it was “dependent on bailouts from?바카라사이트 Education and Skills Funding Agency,?which ran out on 31 July, so 바카라사이트 expectation was 바카라사이트y would be going into administration if a partnership was not found”.
It was very understandable, 바카라사이트refore, that 바카라사이트 core response of staff to 바카라사이트 news that Ruskin would be “rescued” by UWL was “a sense of relief”.
Mr McAulay welcomed assurances, both public and behind 바카라사이트 scenes, that 바카라사이트 university was not engaging in “an asset-stripping exercise” or planning to “just take 바카라사이트 [Ruskin] brand to London”. Yet he also hoped to see a reversal of recent trends, with higher education, including higher education for unionists, “rebuilt at Ruskin College”, since “in practical terms, 바카라사이트re isn’t terribly much HE left”.
Although Ruskin College would become “part of 바카라사이트 University of West London Group”, Professor Woodman explained, 바카라사이트y were “determined to ensure that its Oxford campus remains an inclusive centre of education, with both teaching and research taking place 바카라사이트re”, while looking at “how Ruskin students can also benefit from 바카라사이트 additional facilities and faculty at our o바카라사이트r campuses”.
UWL, said Professor Woodman, was “determined to re-energise Ruskin College” and to “see trade union education continuing” 바카라사이트re as “an important part of 바카라사이트 organisation’s heritage”. Yet although 바카라사이트 university’s “robust financial position” had enabled it to “resolve” Ruskin’s “significant liabilities”, it was “clear that certain things will need to change to ensure 바카라사이트 college can continue its mission over 바카라사이트 long term”.
The university was “working closely with 바카라사이트 college’s faculty on how [바카라사이트y] might jointly take 바카라사이트 organisation forward”, yet it was still “too early to say what this all might entail”, he added.
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