The Dearing Briefing
This was CUSU's response to the Dearing Report - published 1st August 1997.
Sir Ron listens to student opinion
at an NUS consultation session
- Sir Ron has provided UK Universities with the broadest review of their administrative and academic functions in thirty-five years.
Read an introduction to this briefing - The Government has failed to provide a coherent funding vision in accord with its principles of equity, access, quality and accountability.
A dissection of Blunkett's Funding Muddle - Dearing also has radical suggestions for the future of the profession of Higher Education teaching which can only be criticised for not going far enough.
An examination of Education post-Dearing - The Government's new proposals announce radical changes to the way that Higher Education in the UK is funded. They shift a heavy burden onto the students themselves and, we believe, will drastically affect participation in HE from students currently under-represented in the sector.
How the funding proposals will affect students - Why mass education must remain a reality
The catchphrase is 'Lifelong learning' - Dearing presents his vision of the 'learning society' in which all can participate and we examine some of the issues surrounding this:- Cambridge's status and achievements can only be enchanced by widening participation and a pro-active approach to quality
of opportunity.
Redefining participation in a Cambridge context - Want to know what Dearing has to say about Participation in only two minutes?
Read our summary of his main recommendations - Although graduates and undergradutes share many concerns, there are some issues raised by the Dearing Report which will
specifically affect graduates students.
We discuss the Graduate Concerns - Participation isn't just about traditional students' ability to attend University. If the Learning Society is to become a reality, all must be able to attend University
We discuss some case studies - CUSU has been campaigning on educational issues for many years. Our policy is underlined by many of the
recommendations of the Dearing Report.
A summary of CUSU Participation Agenda
- Cambridge's status and achievements can only be enchanced by widening participation and a pro-active approach to quality
of opportunity.
- Ensuring quality into the next century
The Dearing Report wasn't just about HE Funding. He has a lot to say about the nature of the education given at Universities which will form an agenda for change that will last many years as institutions respond to the challenges he has set them.- Dearing also has radical suggestions for the future of the profession of Higher Education teaching which can only be criticised for not going far enough
Education post-Dearing - Want to know what Dearing has to say about Education in only two minutes?
Read our summary of his main recommendations - Quality Assessment of Higher Education institutions is a throny problem. Dearing makes far-reaching recommendations about the way that institutions are assessed and the way that that information is used.
We discuss the Quality Assurance Agency - Dearing's proposals for course specifications echo the education campaigns that CUSU has been running in the University for a number of years.
We discuss Recommendation 21 - CUSU has been campaigning on educational issues for many years. Our policy is underlined by many of the recommendations of the Dearing Report
A summary of CUSU Education Policy
- Dearing also has radical suggestions for the future of the profession of Higher Education teaching which can only be criticised for not going far enough
This briefing was written by:
- Sarah Bonnett, CUSU President 1997/98
- Ben Jackson, CUSU President 1996/97
- Colin Horswell, CUSU Academic Affairs Officer 1997/98