Despite the threats that higher education faces from Brexit, and opposition from across the sector, the government appears to be committed to pushing ahead with its disastrous Higher Education and Research Bill (¡°HE Bill passes second reading as Greening makes case for reforms¡±, News, 28 July).

This can only be explained by the government¡¯s desire to expand the role of alternative providers into the sector, which is clearly the bill¡¯s main purpose. To this end, quality assurance bodies and regulations will be abolished and the hurdle for attaining university status drastically lowered, allowing private firms ¨C whether existing ones or new ones funded by venture capital ¨C to receive government-backed fees and loans. Meanwhile, provisions are being made for the ¡°market exit¡± of universities, either because they will be undercut as private firms cherry-pick cheap-to-provide courses and provide second-rate student experiences, or because private ventures will themselves collapse.

This is a recipe for a disastrous market failure, as in the US and Australia. In the US, in May 2015, after a $30m (?22.8m) court fine for fraud, Corinthian Colleges filed for bankruptcy, closing 91 colleges and leaving 110,000 students deeply indebted without courses or degrees. That June, the federal government announced it would forgive the loans of Corinthian¡¯s defrauded students, at a cost of up to $3.5bn. In Australia, meanwhile, further education has been exposed to private-sector cherry-picking by institutions that offered inducements for students to sign up for government loans for courses that they never intended to pursue. Competition has seen the bad drive out the good, with disastrous consequences for students and public finances.

Britain has already experienced similar scandals caused by the weakening of regulation. Examples include the 2002 Individual Learning Accounts fiasco, and the crisis in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills¡¯ finances caused by the first, rapid, poorly regulated expansion of private providers in higher education.

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The government¡¯s bill is now in front of the Public Bill Committee. We urge colleagues to submit evidence to it before 18 September. We also invite all colleagues to the Third Convention on Higher Education in London on 15 October to organise the next phase in our defence of our world-class university system.

Sean Wallis, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ College London, UCU NEC
Lee Jones, Queen Mary 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London, Campaign for the Public 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, CPU
Dorothy Bishop, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Oxford, Council for the Defence of British Universities, CDBU
John Holmwood, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Nottingham, CPU
Rachel Cohen, City 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London, UCU NEC
Tom Hickey, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Brighton, UCU and CDBU
Anne Sheppard, Royal Holloway, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London, CDBU
Douglas Chalmers, Glasgow Caledonian 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, President, UCU Scotland
Carlo Morelli, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Dundee, UCU NEC
Marion Hersh, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Glasgow, UCU NEC
Xanthe Whittaker, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Leicester, UCU NEC
Patricia McManus, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Brighton, UCU NEC
David Hardman, London Metropolitan 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, London Region UCU
Mark Campbell, London Metropolitan 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, London Region UCU
Martin McQuillan, Kingston 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, London, CDBU
Bill Bowring, Birkbeck College, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London
Cathy Bergin, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Brighton UCU
Jamie Melrose, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Bristol, Bristol UCU
Ian Hunt, Goldsmiths
Thomas Docherty, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Warwick
Des Freedman, Goldsmiths, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London
Andrea Brady, Queen Mary 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London
Jennifer Patterson, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Greenwich
Lucy Mayblin, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Sheffield
Mark Holmstr?m, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of East Anglia, retired
G S Ramkissoon, Kingston 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, London
Elena Marchevska, London South Bank 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Luke Martell, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Sussex
Simon Dyson, De Montfort 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Colin Tyler, Hull 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Nicholas Collins, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Warwick
David Nowell Smith, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of East Anglia
Andreas Bieler, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Nottingham
Ioana Cerasella Chis, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Birmingham, student
Paul Blackledge, Leeds Beckett 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Liz Morrish, Nottingham Trent 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Dermot Lynott, Lancaster 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
David Adger, Queen Mary 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London
Timo J?tten, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Essex
Stephen J. Cowley, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Cambridge
Brian Holton, Edinburgh, Durham, Newcastle, retd.
Alison Jasper, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Stirling
Wendy Russell, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Gloucestershire
Justin Cruickshank, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Birmingham
Simon Sheikh, Goldsmiths, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London
Stacy Gillis, Newcastle 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Zo? Tew-Thompson, Leeds Beckett 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Nick Ellison, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of York
John Willott, Leeds Beckett 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Kevin Deighton, Leeds Beckett 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, UCU
Jennifer Cooke, Loughborough 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Adam Hansen, Northumbria 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Stephen Bates, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Birmingham
Andreas Vogt, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Liverpool
Hugh Goodacre, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Westminster and 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ College London
Helen Rodgers, Leeds Beckett 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Eric Fraga, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ College London
Peter Fifield, Birkbeck College
Michael Bailey, Essex 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Suhail Malik, Goldsmiths, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London
Kay Peggs, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Winchester, UCU, CDBU, CPU
Simon Cross, Nottingham Trent 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Rachel Garfield, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Reading
Sam Marsh, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Sheffield
Tim May, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Durham
Lara Montesinos Coleman, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Sussex
Malcolm Povey, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Leeds
Karen Evans, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Liverpool
Lucy Parker, Kingston 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, London
Simon Choat, Kingston 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, London
Sophie Gamwell, De Montfort 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, Leicester
Aidan Byrne, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Wolverhampton
Martin Paul Eve, Birkbeck College
Ian Revie, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Edinburgh, retd.
William Outhwaite, Newcastle 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, retd.
Maggie Humm, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of East London
David I. Clarke, Newcastle 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Ray Kiely, Queen Mary 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London
Kevin McSorley, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Portsmouth
James Eastwood, Soas, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London
Saira Weiner, Liverpool John Moores 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
David Wearing, Soas, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London
Julia Welland, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Warwick
Kyran Joughin, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of the Arts London
Elizabeth Veal, Newcastle 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Keith Wilson, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Glasgow
Ian R Lamond, Leeds Beckett 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Meera Sabaratnam, Soas, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London
Marko Attila Hoare, Kingston 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Liam Campling, Queen Mary 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London
Gurminder K Bhambra, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Warwick, CPU
Andreas Schonle, Queen Mary 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London
Sarah Leahy, Newcastle 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
James Mallinson, Soas, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London
Ian Parker, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Leicester
Jon Nixon, The Hong Kong 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Education
Helen Stringer, Newcastle 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Katja Laug, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Warwick
Alex Latham, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Sussex
Marina Vishmidt, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Brighton
Bob Brecher, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Brighton
Lucie Clapp, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ College London
Jo Hassall, Leeds Beckett 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Sarah Hayden, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Southampton
Kaveh Boveiri, Universit¨¦ de Montr¨¦al
James Cussens, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of York
Owen Miller, Soas, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London
Phil Taylor, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Strathclyde
Dermot O¡¯Reilly, Lancaster 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Geoff Abbott, Newcastle 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
William McEvoy, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Sussex
Adam Gearey, Birkbeck College
Christopher Fox, Brunel 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Alpesh Maisuria, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of East London
Lori Allen, Soas, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London
Alen Toplisek, Queen Mary 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London
Richard Hall, De Montfort 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, Leicester
Patricia Findlay, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Strathclyde
John Holford, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Nottingham
Astrid Kohler, Queen Mary 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London
Aaron Cassidy, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Huddersfield
Julie Hearn, Lancaster 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, UCU NEC
John Allen, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ College London, retd.
John Croft, Brunel 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
David Sergeant, Plymouth 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Peter Eckersley, Newcastle 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
JH Reynolds, Kingston 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, London
Paul Webb, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Sussex
Momin Rahman, Trent 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, Canada
David McCallam, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Sheffield
Marian Mayer, Bournemouth 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Vincent Quinn, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Sussex
John Snijders, Durham 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Susan Barnet, Central St Martins, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of the Arts, London
Rebecca Searle, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Brighton
David Colquhoun FRS, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ College London
Fruela Fernandez, Newcastle 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Andrew Louth, Durham 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, retd.
Leon Sealey-Huggins, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Warwick
John Bryan, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Huddersfield
Ray Bush, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Leeds
James Benedict Brown, De Montfort 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Sarah Amsler, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Lincoln
Barry Smart, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Portsmouth
Lisa Tilley, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Warwick
Alistair Jump, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Stirling
Adrian Budd, Head of Social Sciences Division, London South Bank 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Amber Jacobs, Birkbeck College
Andrea Bernardi, Manchester Metropolitan 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Rowan Tomlinson, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Bristol
Tim Gorringe, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Exeter, retd,
Trevor Hussey, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Oxford, retd.
Shereen Benjamin, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Edinburgh
Jennet Thomas, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of the Arts London
Charlie Louth, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Oxford
Paula Smithard, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of the Arts London
Patrick Ainley, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Greenwich
Thom Scott-Phillips, Durham 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Jonathan Preminger, Cardiff 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Galia Kollectiv, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Reading
Pil Kollectiv, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Reading
Martin Fry, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ College London
Viv Kendon, Durham 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Penny C S Andrews, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Sheffield
Michael Costen, former Dean, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Bristol
Patricia Alessandrini, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London
Chris Redfern, Newcastle 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
David Stewart, Newcastle 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Newton Armstrong, City 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ London
Rob Gawthrop, Falmouth 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Malcolm Raeburn, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Salford
Nalini Vittal, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ College London
Steve Vincent, Newcastle 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
James Ladyman, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Bristol
John Child, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Sussex
Lisa Smyth, Queen¡¯s Univesity Belfast
Jo Frankham, Liverpool John Mooores 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Howard Hotson, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Oxford
Peter Wilson, London School of Economics
Richard Dixon-Payne, London Metropolitan 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Alun Coker, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ College London
Jack Newsinger, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Leicester
Rachel Rosen, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ College London
Jeff Hearn, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Huddersfield
Lynne Pettinger, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Warwick
Richard Young, Newcastle 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Andrew Goffey, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Nottingham
Sharon Kivland, Sheffield Hallam 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Daniel Nehring, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Worcester
Craig Martin, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Edinburgh
Barry Smart, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Portsmouth
Gilda Williams, Goldsmiths College, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London
Alun Hughes, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ College London
Ben Davies, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Portsmouth
Franziska Meyer, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Nottingham
Conrad Leyser, Worcester College, Oxford
Carl Faia, Brunel 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ London
Helen Johnson, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Brighton
Nicholas Lawrence, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Warwick
P McCarthy, Sheffield Hallam 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Pat Devine, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Manchester
Karenza Moore, Lancaster 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Jo Frankham, Liverpool John Moores 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Paul Reynolds, Edge Hill 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Hartmut Logemann, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Bath
Sam Hayden, Trinity Laban Conservatoire, London
Rinella Cere, Sheffield Hallam 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Reinhard Bachmann, Soas
Mark Gallagher, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Nottingham
Andrew Leak, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ College London
Sara Maioli, Newcastle 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Andrew Sayer, Lancaster 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Paul Attinello, Newcastle 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Giulia Zampini, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Greenwich
Professor, Alison Sealey, Lancaster 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Nicola Pratt, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Warwick
Goldie Osuri, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Warwick
Rose Butler, Sheffield Hallam 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Jonathan Long, Leeds Beckett 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Laura Schwartz, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Warwick
Ruth Dar, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ College London
Adam Brandt, Newcastle 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Christopher J Hall, York St John 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Katherine Angel, Kingston 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
Mary Rose, Lancaster 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, retd.
Peter Flett, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Strathclyde
Michael Loughlin, Manchester Metropolitan 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ
David Farmer, Leeds Beckett 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ

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