universities
News and articles about work, policy and workers' and students' struggles in education around the world.
Wave of dissent in Italy
Italians continue to react to neoliberal reforms as students and workers unite in a joint effort to combat attacks on education.
500 students in Rome, members of the movement which has dubbed itself " The Wave", broke in the lecture theatre during the inauguration of the academic year at the La Sapienza public university.
Italian students: We will not pay for their crisis
Italian students keep on demonstrating against the recent reforms supported by the Ministry of Education.
“We will not pay for this crisis” is the slogan of the Wave, the nickname used by students in Italy for their movement against the recent education reforms put forward by the Minister of Education, Gelmini.
Germany: high school students strike
High School students struck and marched across Germany yesterday in protest against classroom overcrowding, lack of teachers, and the pressure of examinations.
Some 100,000 participated in demonstrations across the country, walking out of classes and marching in over 40 cities. They protested for more permanent staff, smaller classes, and against a sped-up version of the school leaving exam, called the “turbo-abitur”.
Warm autumn? Heat rises in Italian education
In response to new educational reforms from the Berlusconi government, staff and students at Italy's schools and universities have risen in revolt. What follows is an overview of what's been going on.
2.5 million people gathered last Saturday, October 25th, in Circo Massimo in Rome. The demonstration had been called by the Italian party PD (the Democratic Party, centre-left) whose leader Walter Veltroni was defeated by Berlusconi in the last election (Spring 2008).
Rebellion against Italian education reform grows
Protest against government cuts in school and university research funding has escalated with mass street demonstrations and occupations spreading across the country.
Massive protests are taking place in many Italian cities and towns against Berlusconi's government school reforms, which consist of cuts on public university and research funds, the introduction of student behavior evaluation and the separation of foreign students from the Italian ones in different classes.
Sussex university technical staff strike, 10th October 2008
Technical staff at the University of Sussex went on strike last Friday (10th October), in a protest against management plans to close its pension scheme to new employees.
Education - further reading guide
Libcom's guide to further reading on education.
*Jonathan Kozol:
- Savage Inequalities
- Illiterate America
- On Being A Teacher
- The Night Is Dark And I Am Far From Home
- Death At An Early Age
- Rachael and Her Children
- Free Schools
- Children of the Revolution
- Prisoners of Silence
*Michael Apple:
- Ideology and Curriculum
- Ideology and Practice in Schooling - w/Weiss
UCU members vote for industrial action at Nottingham Trent University
University and College Union (UCU) members at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) have voted in favour of strike action on Tuesday 21 October following attacks on campus unions.
Recently, NTU managers formally de-recognised the UCU branch after ongoing attempts by the university to amend the union's recognition agreement with the university - which would result in cutting union-rep facility time by 80% and marginalising campus unions "in favour of a 'consultation and informatio
Education Worker 2008 issue 2
Education Worker is the free bulletin of the Education Workers Network, part of the Solidarity Federation.
Queens University placing excessive targets on probationary staff
The University and College Union at Queens University Belfast is highlighting the excessive demands being placed on workers currently in probationary periods.
The ongoing concern over increasing demands on probationary staff has been highlighted in a current dispute with management in the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences. UCU suspect that excessive workloads being placed on staff not yet in confirmed-positions may be widespread throughout the university.
