radiofree.asia

Category: Higher education policy

  • Ministers to revise university freedom of speech legislation

    Contentious liability clause that could have exposed institutions to being sued by Holocaust deniers is scrapped

    The government is to overhaul legislation imposing free speech duties on higher education in England, scrapping a controversial civil liability that potentially exposed universities to being sued by Holocaust deniers.

    Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, told parliament that while the government intended to retain key parts of the law passed by the previous Conservative administration, she planned to revoke the “statutory tort” that allowed legal action by anyone claiming their freedom of speech had been restricted, and to largely exempt student unions from the legislation.

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    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • UK university students accuse Covid patrol police of harassment

    NUS and rights groups report allegations of heavy-handed enforcement of lockdown rules

    Students at several UK campuses have accused their universities of granting police officers access to halls of residence to check for breaches of coronavirus rules, with some complaints of officers entering accommodation in the middle of the night.

    Students at Sheffield and Manchester who spoke to the Guardian described regular police patrols and widespread use of fines of up to £800 as universities clamp down on the mixing of households to avoid repeating the major coronavirus outbreaks that occurred in autumn now that students are returning for the spring term.

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    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.