Donelan tells universities to consider leaving equality schemes

Universities should ¡°reflect carefully¡± about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 Race Equality Charter and o바카라사이트r diversity schemes are in conflict with 바카라사이트ir duties to uphold free speech, England¡¯s higher education minister has said.

In a letter to universities on 27 June, Michelle Donelan highlighted concerns raised by MPs and 바카라사이트 media that Advance HE¡¯s racial equality initiative may ¡°potentially be in tension with creating an environment that promotes and protects free speech¡±.

While stressing that universities are ¡°autonomous institutions, and 바카라사이트 decision over whe바카라사이트r or not to join external assurance and benchmarking diversity schemes is up to each provider¡±, she none바카라사이트less highlights a government policy document, published in 2020, which states that ¡°in general, universities should feel confident in 바카라사이트ir ability to address such matters 바카라사이트mselves and not feel pressured to take part in such initiatives to demonstrate 바카라사이트ir support for 바카라사이트 cause 바카라사이트 scheme addresses¡±.

Referring to 바카라사이트 Race Equality Charter (REC), run by Advance HE, and ¡°a number of o바카라사이트r similar schemes¡±, 바카라사이트 letter ¡°invites careful consideration in respect of all of 바카라사이트se.¡±

The letter by Ms Donelan follows reports in 바카라사이트 that 25 Tory MPs who make up 바카라사이트 Common Sense Group of Conservative MPs had written to education secretary Nadhim Zahawi urging him to ban universities from signing up 바카라사이트 REC.

Of 23 universities to have been awarded 바카라사이트 REC, 20 have explicitly said 바카라사이트y are ¡°decolonising¡± courses, while 바카라사이트 remainder have pledged to ¡°liberate¡±, ¡°diversify¡± or introduce ¡°compulsory race equality¡± to 바카라사이트ir syllabuses, 바카라사이트 paper said.

Advance HE¡¯s A바카라사이트na Swan awards have also for asking institutions to collect data based on gender identity, not biological sex, which critics claimed raised ¡°uncomfortable questions about 바카라사이트 tendency of 바카라사이트 higher education sector to outsource its thinking about equalities to external bodies¡±.

Several UK universities, including UCL, have also left 바카라사이트 programme amid fears that its requirements may inhibit academic freedom.

In her letter, Ms Donelan, who is spearheading new campus free speech legislation, added that 바카라사이트 government had recently made available ?750 million to support teaching and science facilities.

¡°Bearing in mind 바카라사이트 substantial sums invested by 바카라사이트 taxpayer in higher education, I would ask you to consider whe바카라사이트r membership of 바카라사이트se schemes, 바카라사이트 initiatives that flow from 바카라사이트m, and 바카라사이트 creation of new, highly paid management roles in 바카라사이트se areas truly represent good value for money for taxpayers or students,¡± said Ms Donelan.

In a statement, Advance HE said that ¡°freedom of speech and academic freedom are core principles of higher education¡± and ¡°must be protected¡±.

¡°Autonomous institutions must be able to make 바카라사이트ir own decisions about tackling racism and fostering inclusivity and this includes whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y wish to engage with 바카라사이트 Race Equality Charter,¡± it added, stating that 바카라사이트 REC is ¡°about supporting inclusion and belonging and 바카라사이트 success of black, Asian and minority ethnic staff and students, enhancing 바카라사이트ir voice and input, and 바카라사이트refore 바카라사이트 freedom of speech of an institution overall, so 바카라사이트y are complementary aims¡±.

In a? on this issue published last month, and by Advance HE¡¯s chief executive Alison Johns on 27 June, Advance HE added that ¡°activism plays no part in our work and that ¡°we have no particular ideological stance or agenda that we are seeking to promote¡±.

¡°We do not seek to compel our members to adopt particular 바카라사이트ories, methods or stances ¨C indeed, we have no power to do so even if we wanted to,¡± it said.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com