UCU: Increased business involvement in higher education

Motion

Motion text: Conference notes the existence of the government's 'Higher Level Skills Strategy' document which promises 'extra resources' for HE courses partially designed or funded by employers. The government's plans promise an escalation of corporate influence that is part of a wider trend concerning the marketisation of Higher Education.
Conference agrees to launch a campaign that:
1. Undertakes research, both in the UK and internationally, to establish the extent of corporate involvement in HE courses and the issues therein;
2. Highlights the dangers of excessive business influence on degrees while offering guidance on best practice for any HE course with industry relations;
3. Lobbies government against introducing incentives to increase business involvement in HE programmes;
4. Re-asserts the principle of academic autonomy and rejects the notion that HE education should be driven principally by the requirements of the market.
Conference encourages local associations to campaign on these issues with support from HQ.