He will argue this is vital to maintain Cambridge and the UK’s global reputation and prowess in the academic and scientific spheres.
Speaking in the Higher Education and Research Bill debate, he will say that in the period of instability and uncertainty caused by Brexit, Britain’s universities are facing unprecedented challenges. The last thing needed is additional self-inflicted damage.
The plans would dilute the UK’s trusted higher education brand. Completely new higher education institutions could be set up and allowed to award their own degrees. This would risk Britain’s international reputation for educational excellence.
Daniel Zeichner MP said: “Cambridge University and Anglia Ruskin University are respected for what they do. We can’t have johnny-come-latelys turning up and potentially wrecking hard won reputations.”
The plan would also be bad for students, without safeguards in place in case the new institution decided to exit the field as quickly as it entered.
The Government plans to introduce a new “Office for Students”, which will have “competition, choice and the student’s interest at its heart.”
Daniel Zeichner MP said: “This choice of phrasing encapsulates a key part of my opposition to this legislation – namely that competition is being put first, and the student’s interest is being put last.”
The proposed Teaching Excellence Framework in the Bill would also allow some universities to charge tuition fees rising in line with inflation. Daniel continued: “This removes the fees cap in an underhanded manner.”
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