Open Letter requesting the UK Government to reform the UK Higher Education system and implement the right to quality education opportunities for all
Suchith Anand
Professor of Science Policy at University of Exeter | Senior Adviser to Governments and International Organisations | Scientist | AI and Data Ethics | Governance | Policy | Global Citizen | SDG Volunteer and Advocate
Cabinet Office UK Research and Innovation UNICEF
#education #highereducation #university #universities #scholarships #universityofcambridge #universityofleeds #oxforduniversity #universityofedinburgh #universityofbristol #universityofyork #universityofglasgow #universityofsheffield #cardiffuniversity #universityofliverpool #universityofnottingham #universityofwarwick #newcastleuniversity
Dear colleagues
I am very grateful to all colleagues sharing ideas and information on how to provide more quality education opportunities for students from economically poor families and first-generation students (first in family to go to university). Thank you to all colleagues who shared their observations and insights on the current state of affairs of UK Higher Education. It is thanks to your ideas, inputs and support that I am able to write this Open Letter.
I request you to kindly share this open letter with your colleagues and your MP requesting them to raise this topic with the Government of the United Kingdom and request the UK Government to investigate the current state of affairs of the UK Higher Education sector with the aim to end corrupt practices and reform Higher Education in the United Kingdom.
- Requesting UK Government to investigate the rise of corrupt practices in some UK Higher Education Managements and reform the UK Higher Education system.
The UK Government should investigate current practices for senior management appointments in the UK universities as well as the senior University managers’ salaries and perks. I humbly request the UK Government to introduce a Maximum Salary Limit for Vice Chancellors and for all the senior managers of universities in the United Kingdom.
More details at
https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/wa-jisc.exe?A2=ind2303&L=CRIT-GEOG-FORUM&O=D&P=358755
https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/wa-jisc.exe?A2=ind2304&L=CRIT-GEOG-FORUM&O=D&P=2739
2. Implement the Right to Quality Education opportunities for All
There were 4.2 million children living in poverty in the UK in 2021-22. That's 29 per cent of children (This percentage might be higher now due to cost of living crisis in the UK ). Details at https://cpag.org.uk/child-poverty/child-poverty-facts-and-figures
Extreme child poverty in the UK is a humanitarian and ethical crisis. In educational terms, poverty is a significant disadvantage. The link between poverty and poor educational outcomes and wellbeing in the UK has remained stubbornly and depressingly high despite longstanding policy concern at national, local and jurisdictional levels of government.
Child poverty, education and the postcode lottery
https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2020/08/19/child-poverty-education-and-the-postcode-lottery/
House of Commons Library Research Briefing on “Equality of access and outcomes in higher education in England” published 31st January 2023. This briefing paper looks at equality in undergraduate education in England. It summarises the latest data from the Department for Education (DfE), the Office for Students (OfS), and UCAS on access and outcomes before looking at Government policy, the role of the OfS, and the actions and responsibilities of universities.
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9195/
Access to quality education opportunities is a human right. There needs to be focused policies at the UK Government level about equitable education with a binding on Universities and the Higher Education Institutes to comply.
Universities have a social responsibility. There is an urgent need to provide full scholarships for 30 percent of seats in each Russell Group university (the richest and prestigious universities in the UK) for students from economically poor families and first-generation students (first in family to go to university). I request the kind support of all MPs, all major UK Political parties and UK Government for the Right to Quality Education opportunities for All .
QUALITY EDUCATION IS A HUMAN RIGHT.
Let us all work together so that we can ensure the right to quality education opportunities for the 4.2 million children currently living in poverty in the UK. This is important for the better future of our country and our future generations.
Best wishes
Suchith
Dr Suchith Anand
Senior Adviser to Governments and International Organisations | Scientist | Board member | Governance | Policy | Consultant in Data Science and Data Ethics | Global Citizen | SDG Volunteer and Advocate
https://council.science/profile/suchith-anand/