29th September
The London Socialist Historians Group, that organises the socialist history seminar at the Institute of Historical Research, University of London, has said that it is backing the current wave of UCU strikes over job cuts and course closures.
Strikes are underway at Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow Caledonian, with Nottingham due to start action this week. The long running strike at Goldsmiths also continues.
The historians say that after almost 60 years its clear that the Business University model has failed. With the loss of academic and related skills, education for future generations will be downgraded. The claim is that there is a financial crisis in much of the sector.
Looking historically to the Robbins Report which saw the rise of new Universities from the early 1960s, the foundation of Polytechnics which became Universities, the focus was not on how much profit they did or did not make. Rather it was about extending the educational opportunities for young people, investing in skills and education as a general good for a liberal society.
LSHG Convenor Dr Keith Flett said, the Business University model has failed. Academics and related skills are being thrown on the scrapheap, impoverishing the education system and denying the chance of future students to learn essential skills and knowledge. We back the UCU’s action. They are beacon of light in the academic gloom
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