‘Threadbare’ degrees could have fees cut Union boss in feminism row
UNIVERSITIES that run “threadbare” courses could see their fees cut, as the Education Secretary says degrees must be “in the interests of the taxpayer”.
Damian Hinds has criticised the proliferation of low value, low quality courses that churn out graduates who go into poorly paid jobs, and so are unable to pay back their student loans.
His remarks will be seen as a warning that a reduction in fees for lowquality degrees is likely to be recommended by the Augar review.
Last February, Theresa May ordered a review of post-18 education, led by Philip Augar, a former equities broker.
The review – due to be published next week – is likely to recommend a cap in fees for “creative arts” subjects.
Ministers have previously criticised universities for running “threadbare” courses in a rush to get “bums on seats”.
An analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies earlier this year found that “creative arts” graduates cost the taxpayer £35,000 each.
♦ Scrap student loans and give every 18-year-old who stays in training a £20,000 lump sum, a former Government adviser has said. This would be better value for the taxpayer, according to a report by Tom Richmond, the director of EDSK, a think-tank specialising in education and skills. Camilla Turner
Ewan Somerville
FEMINIST academics have complained that their new union boss cannot uphold free speech because she has refused to listen to opposing views in the transgender debate.
Dr Jo Grady, elected yesterday as the new general secretary of the University and College Union, used a “Terf-blocker” tool on Twitter that allows users to block a list of accounts. Terf, or Trans-exclusionary Radical Feminists, is generally used as a derogatory term to describe those who believe that “identifying” as a woman is not the same as being born one.
Prof Selina Todd, an expert in modern history at Oxford University, said that refusing to debate with people whose views you disagreed with was not a suitable approach for a representative of academics.