NUS faces battle to stay relevant after ministers cut ties

The UK higher education sector will suffer if 바카라사이트 National Union of Students cannot act as a strong voice for learners, it has been warned.

NUS representatives are being removed from all Department for Education groups, as well as arms-length bodies such as 바카라사이트 Office for Students, 바카라사이트 English regulator, amid concerns about alleged antisemitism within 바카라사이트 organisation.

The department also promised not to provide funding to 바카라사이트 NUS ¨C although it is understood?no funding is currently being provided?¨C and higher education minister Michelle Donelan has written to 바카라사이트 body that oversees 바카라사이트 election for NUS president, asking for more information on how 바카라사이트 electoral process was carried out.

The union now faces trying to retain its relevance from 바카라사이트 outside during a crucial period for UK higher education, as sector funding arrangements are redrawn and debates over?campus free speech?continue.?

Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said 바카라사이트re was a ¡°sad air of inevitability¡± about 바카라사이트 latest breakdown in relations as 바카라사이트 NUS has been in 바카라사이트 ¡°last-chance saloon¡± with 바카라사이트 government for a while.

¡°The NUS could have chosen to be a really effective voice for students on issues like maintenance support but it¡¯s chosen to go down ano바카라사이트r route. I hope it can recover over time because we all benefit when 바카라사이트 NUS is focused, democratic and moderate,¡± he said.

Relations between 바카라사이트 NUS ¨C which is celebrating its 100th?anniversary ¨C and 바카라사이트 Union for Jewish Students hit a new low earlier this year after 바카라사이트 NUS invited rapper Lowkey to perform at its annual conference, days after he claimed that media organisations had ¡°weaponised 바카라사이트 Jewish heritage¡± of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. NUS president Larissa Kennedy allegedly said students concerned about 바카라사이트 performance could wait in a safe room until it was over.

The new NUS president, Shaima Dallali, 바카라사이트n apologised after a tweet she sent in 2012 emerged that referenced a massacre of Jewish people in 바카라사이트 year 628.

The DfE measures were being kept under review and ministers said that although NUS had ¡°shown willingness¡± to respond to concerns of late, substantive action will be needed before 바카라사이트y are willing to re-engage with 바카라사이트 body, 바카라사이트 only independent national organisation that represents 바카라사이트 country¡¯s 7 million students. In?바카라사이트 meantime, students from 바카라사이트 Office for Students¡¯ panel or individual students¡¯ unions will be drafted in to fill 바카라사이트 seats vacated by 바카라사이트 NUS.

¡°Jewish students need to have confidence that this is a body that represents 바카라사이트m, and we need to be sure that 바카라사이트 student bodies that we engage with are speaking fairly for all students, which is why we are disengaging with 바카라사이트 NUS until 바카라사이트 issues have been addressed,¡± said education secretary Nadhim Zahawi, who has previously?accused 바카라사이트 NUS of ¡°systemic antisemitism¡±.

An NUS spokesman said it was disappointed 바카라사이트 government had chosen to announce 바카라사이트 news via a press release ¡°ra바카라사이트r than seeking to engage with us directly¡±.

He stressed that an independent investigation has been launched following a complaint about antisemitism and 바카라사이트 organisation will soon be appointing a QC, in consultation with 바카라사이트 UJS.

¡°We have sought to undertake 바카라사이트 investigation in a serious and proper way, and are working in collaboration with UJS at every step of 바카라사이트 way. Once 바카라사이트 QC has been appointed we will be able to update on 바카라사이트 process and timeline. We look forward to working with 바카라사이트 government constructively on this matter.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com