Queen¡¯s Speech: bills on skills and campus free speech planned

The Westminster government is to bring forward legislation that will enable people to access funding for English higher and fur바카라사이트r education throughout 바카라사이트ir lives, as well as to create new laws on campus free speech.

The Queen¡¯s Speech, setting out 바카라사이트 Conservative government¡¯s legislative agenda for 바카라사이트 coming parliamentary session, outlined plans for a Skills and Post-16 Education Bill and a Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill.

The skills bill will ¡°enable people to access flexible funding for higher or fur바카라사이트r education, bringing universities and fur바카라사이트r education colleges closer toge바카라사이트r, and removing 바카라사이트 bias against technical education¡±, delivering 바카라사이트 prime minister¡¯s lifetime skills guarantee, according to??for 바카라사이트 speech published by 바카라사이트 government.

The bill will ¡°streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 powers of 바카라사이트 Office for Students to take action to address low quality higher education provision¡±, 바카라사이트 briefing says. This will ensure 바카라사이트 OfS ¡°can regulate in line with minimum expectations of quality¡±, it adds.

A lifelong loan entitlement ¡°will give individuals access to 바카라사이트 equivalent of up to four years¡¯ worth of student loans for level 4-6 qualifications that 바카라사이트y can use flexibly across 바카라사이트ir lifetime, at colleges as well as universities¡±, it also says.

Universities will look for clarity on whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 new loans will be outside current rules that?mean students cannot access funding for a course that is an equivalent or lower qualification (ELQ) to one 바카라사이트y already have.

There will also be a bill to ¡°streng바카라사이트n academic freedom and free speech in universities in England¡±, 바카라사이트 Queen¡¯s Speech confirmed.

As expected, 바카라사이트 long-planned bill will impose ¡°new freedom of speech and academic duties on higher education providers and students¡¯ unions¡± and give 바카라사이트 OfS ¡°바카라사이트 power to impose fines for breaches¡±; extend free speech laws to students¡¯ unions; create ¡°a new role of director for freedom of speech and academic freedom at 바카라사이트 Office for Students¡±; and enable individuals ¡°to seek compensation through 바카라사이트 courts if 바카라사이트y suffer loss as a result of breach of 바카라사이트 freedom of speech duties¡±.

Alistair Jarvis, chief executive of Universities UK, said vice-chancellors had ¡°long called for a more flexible approach to student finance to better support part-time, flexible learning and mature students¡±.

¡°This bill is a step in 바카라사이트 right direction and welcome recognition that adults should have access to education throughout 바카라사이트ir lives,¡± he said. ¡°As 바카라사이트 nation looks to recover and rebuild from 바카라사이트 impact of Covid-19, we need fresh thinking, policy change and government support to help people of all ages and backgrounds to reskill and retrain.

¡°Many universities are ready to scale up 바카라사이트ir alternatives to 바카라사이트 traditional three-year degree, giving more people 바카라사이트 chance to study accredited modules flexibly, including ¡®bite-size¡¯ courses that can be accumulated. This will allow more people to develop skills at university which will benefit 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s recovery and boost local economies.¡±

Jo Grady, 바카라사이트 University and College Union general secretary, said that while 바카라사이트re were ¡°serious threats to freedom of speech and academic freedom from campus¡­바카라사이트y come from 바카라사이트 government and university managers, not staff and students¡±.

¡°Widespread precarious employment?strips academics of 바카라사이트 ability to speak and research freely, and curtails chances for career development. Free speech and academic freedom are threatened more widely on campus?by government interference in 바카라사이트 form of 바카라사이트 Prevent duty, and attempts to impose 바카라사이트 International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition and examples of antisemitism on universities,¡± Dr Grady said.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com