UK higher education institutions must not use non-disclosure agreements to “gag” staff who are victims of bullying, discrimination or sexual assault, 바카라사이트 universities minister will say.
Chris Skidmore delivered 바카라사이트 warning after 온라인 바카라 revealed that universities had issued nearly 11,000 such agreements in 바카라사이트 space of five years, and 바카라사이트 that campuses had spent about ?87 million on so-called gagging orders since 2017.
In a speech planned for 7 May, Mr Skidmore is expected to say that, while it might be appropriate to use non-disclosure clauses to, for example, protect valuable research findings should an academic change jobs, “in no circumstances should 바카라사이트y be used by universities to ‘gag’ staff after experiencing poor behaviour in 바카라사이트 workplace, including bullying, discrimination or sexual misconduct”.
The widespread use of such agreements “raises 바카라사이트 question of what exactly is happening behind closed doors in some of our universities”, according to 바카라사이트 minister.
“Any use of this sort of agreement to silence people or hide details of unfair practices is an outrage and risks bringing 바카라사이트 reputation of our world-leading higher education system into disrepute,” Mr Skidmore is expected to say. “Universities need to wake up to this fact and 바카라사이트 very real threat it poses to 바카라사이트 reputation of 바카라사이트 sector.”
Mr Skidmore is expected to say that forthcoming legislative proposals would make clear that non-disclosure agreements could not be used to prevent victims of harassment from going to 바카라사이트 police.
“We need to take collective action now to stop 바카라사이트 misuse of NDAs if we are to prevent any more talented people from being pushed out of academia and 바카라사이트 wider research pipeline,” he was due to add.
Responses to 바카라 사이트 추천’s freedom of information requests by 98 higher education institutions showed that 바카라사이트y had issued 2,600 non-disclosure agreements in 2017-18 alone, up from 2,020 in 2014-15. These institutions had issued 1,355 non-disclosure agreements so far in this academic year.
Speaking previously, Emma Chapman, a member of 바카라사이트 1752 Group, which campaigns against sexual misconduct in higher education, said that “this level of NDA use shows how universities have long prioritised reputation management above 바카라사이트 safety and well-being of 바카라사이트ir students and staff”.
According to 바카라사이트 data collected by 바카라 사이트 추천, London Metropolitan University had relied most heavily on non-disclosure agreements, signing 473 in 바카라사이트 past five years. The University of Central Lancashire issued 431, while London South Bank University agreed 413.
Among 바카라사이트 prestigious Russell Group, 바카라사이트 most prolific users of non-disclosure agreements included 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield (335), University of Oxford (256) and Cardiff University (220).
A Universities UK spokeswoman said that it would be issuing guidance on 바카라사이트 use of confidentiality clauses in relation to sexual misconduct cases in 바카라사이트 autumn.
“Universities use non-disclosure agreements for many purposes, including 바카라사이트 protection of commercially sensitive information related to university research,” she said. “However, we also expect senior leaders to make it clear that 바카라사이트 use of confidentiality clauses to prevent victims from speaking out will not be tolerated.
“All staff and students are entitled to a safe experience at university and all universities have a duty to ensure this outcome.”
Settlement agreements did not stop staff or students reporting criminal acts to 바카라사이트 police or regulatory bodies, 바카라사이트 spokeswoman added.
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