[CODATA-international] Open Letter requesting the UK Government to reform the UK Higher Education system and implement the right to quality education opportunities for all

Mon May 1 06:21:19 EDT 2023

I agree with John.
Important issues, but not the focus of CODATA.

Glen Newton
Past Canada National Committee CODATA

On Mon, 1 May 2023 at 04:20, John Rumble <jumbleusa at earthlink.net> wrote:

> I find this discussion to be on the fringes of interest for the CODATA
> list and suggest that the CODATA list concentrate on data-related issues.
>
>
>
> John Rumble
>
> CODATA Past President
>
>
>
> *From:* CODATA-international <
> codata-international-bounces at lists.codata.org> *On Behalf Of *Suchith
> Anand
> *Sent:* Saturday, April 29, 2023 4:54 AM
> *To:* CODATA International <codata-international at lists.codata.org>
> *Subject:* Re: [CODATA-international] Open Letter requesting the UK
> Government to reform the UK Higher Education system and implement the right
> to quality education opportunities for all
>
>
>
>
>
> Dear colleagues
>
>
>
> I received an email from the Department for Education in response to my
> open letter. I thank the Department for Education for responding. They have
> provided some useful information on senior management pay . They have not
> provided any information on current practices for senior management
> appointments or my request for scholarships for students from economically
> poor families and first-generation students (first in family to go to
> university). So I will send reply to get more information on these topics.
>
>
>
>
> I would like to get your ideas and inputs on this so that I can respond to
> this. Please share your inputs by May 10th, so I can reply.
>
>
>
>
>
> Key information that is useful from the correspondence that I received is
> below for your information.
>
>
>
> ====================================================
>
>
>
> “*Universities are autonomous and responsible for the pay of their staff.
> As such, the Office for Students (OfS), the independent regulator of higher
> education in England, does not have legal powers to regulate the pay of
> senior staff in the higher education sector directly. However, they do have
> a duty to take into account the value for money higher education providers
> offer for the public money they receive. The OfS publish analysis about
> senior staff pay at higher education providers. Providers are required to
> disclose information about senior staff pay data, decision making
> arrangements and justifications.*
>
>
>
> *Providers must:*
>
>    - *share specific information with the OfS.*
>    - *publish specific information in their audited financial statements.*
>    - *take into account the code for senior staff remuneration published
>    by the Committee of University Chairs which can be found at: *
>    *https://www.universitychairs.ac.uk/higher-education-remuneration-code-2/*
>    <https://www.universitychairs.ac.uk/higher-education-remuneration-code-2/>
>    *.*
>
>
>
> *The latest OfS report on senior staff renumeration in English higher
> education providers can be found here: *
> *https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/357ec4eb-b97b-4841-8e05-9aad1c281aa9/the-2021-senior-pay-report-final-for-web.pdf*
> <https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/357ec4eb-b97b-4841-8e05-9aad1c281aa9/the-2021-senior-pay-report-final-for-web.pdf>*.
> To note, the analysis covers pay to the heads of higher education
> providers. It does not include further education or sixth form colleges.”*
>
>
>
> ======================================================
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From the email, I understand that it is fully unto the Universities to
> decide the pay for the senior management staff so there is no Maximum
> Salary Limit possible. The Office for Students (OfS) does not have legal
> powers to regulate the pay of senior staff in the higher education sector
> directly.
>
>
>
> Reading the article from The Guardian
> https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/feb/11/tory-cronyism-higher-education-james-wharton-office-for-students
>  , how independent is The Office for Students (OfS) ?
>
>
>
>
>
> I request you all to kindly share the “*Right to Quality Education
> opportunities for All” * open letter with your colleagues and your MP
> requesting them to kindly raise this topic with the Government of the
> United Kingdom and support the *Right to Quality Education opportunities
> for All. *
>
>
>
>
> https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/open-letter-requesting-uk-government-reform-higher-education-anand
>
>
>
> The more support that we can get from all MPs and all UK political parties
> for this,  there is more chance to implement the right to quality
> education opportunities for all.
>
>
>
> Best wishes
>
>
>
> Suchith
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> *From:* Suchith Anand
> *Sent:* 18 April 2023 08:43
> *Subject:* Re: Open Letter requesting the UK Government to reform the UK
> Higher Education system and implement the right to quality education
> opportunities for all
>
>
>
> Dear colleagues,
>
>
>
> Thank you to all who shared this open letter on  “the right to quality
> education opportunities for all”  with your colleagues and your MP
> requesting them to support the right to quality education opportunities for
> all.
>
>
>
> btw came across this article in The Guardian on the rise of cronyism and
>  'chumocracy' in UK Higher Education senior appointments!
>
>
>
>
>
> https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/feb/11/tory-cronyism-higher-education-james-wharton-office-for-students
>
>
>
> Best wishes
>
>
>
> Suchith
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> *From:* Suchith Anand
> *Sent:* 16 April 2023 19:14
> *Subject:* Open Letter requesting the UK Government to reform the UK
> Higher Education system and implement the right to quality education
> opportunities for all
>
>
>
>
>
> Dear colleagues
>
>
>
> I am very grateful to all colleagues for your support and for 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 the UK Higher Education. It is thanks to your ideas,
> inputs and support that I am able to write this Open Letter for *the
> Right to Quality Education opportunities for All*.
>
>
>
>
>
> I request you to kindly share this open letter with your colleagues and
> your MP requesting them to kindly 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.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>    1. *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.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/357ec4eb-b97b-4841-8e05-9aad1c281aa9/the-2021-senior-pay-report-final-for-web.pdf
>
>
>
>
> *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=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
> <https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/wa-jisc.exe?A2=ind2304&L=CRIT-GEOG-FORUM&O=D&P=2739>*
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>    1. *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*
> <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/
> <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.More details at
> *https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9195/*
> <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.*
>
>
>
> *The Open Letter link at *
> https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/open-letter-requesting-uk-government-reform-higher-education-anand/
>
>
>
>
>
> *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/
> <https://council.science/profile/suchith-anand/>*
>
> https://www.rd-alliance.org/users/suchith-anand
>
> https://ethicaldatainitiative.org
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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