London Socialist Historians Group
Media Release 16th July
Contact Dr Keith Flett 07803 167266
Historians warn that Government loans for Universities raise spectre of the ‘business university’
The London Socialist Historians Group, which organises the socialist history seminar at the Institute of Historical Research, University of London has warned that Government plans for loans to Universities who face COVID-19 funding problems raise the spectre of the ‘business university’
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has outlined the plans in a 15 page guidance document.
This notes that in some cases Universities will need to ‘reorientate’ themselves towards the ‘needs of the local and regional economy’.
The historians say that this suggests a focus on courses and qualifications that lead in a utilitarian way directly to the bottom line of business.
In reality while higher education is about learning skills- an ability to research and assess complex documents in the case of many historians-these add a wider benefit to society and to a liberal democracy.
Williamson’s proposals raise the spectre of the kind of business university that the late historian E P Thompson pointed to in his edited collection Warwick University Ltd (1970). This highlighted the links between Warwick University and industry in the Coventry area in the late 1960s underlining a questionable approach to academic freedom..
London Socialist Historians Convenor Dr Keith Flett, as the black lives matters movement has made very clear black history, to give one example, is important. That means studying it and researching it even when inconvenient realities and facts emerge as a result. Gavin Williamson’s plans for University funding makes him appear like a Mr Gradgrind like figure. If the benefit cant be precisely measured it appears that in his view it doesn’t exist.
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