State deepens drive to war on uni and college campuses

The University of Exeter, a member of the Defence Universities Alliance (Photo: University of Exeter)

The Labour government is slashing funding for higher education.

But it is happy to support universities that participate in its war drive.

The Department for Education recently announced a reduction in grant funding of £50 million for the next academic year.

It plans to cut support for courses in subjects including nursing, history, geography and the performing arts.

But through the Defence Universities Alliance (DUA), the state will further draw higher education institutions into the military-industrial complex.

By signing up to be part of the DUA, these universities commit to developing military research and actively promoting careers in “defence” to their students.

Being part of the DUA doesn’t come with any specific funding attached. But it is clearly a tempting prospect for cash-strapped university bosses, who expect it to help open doors to funding.

Nearly 100 universities applied to join and 35 have now been accepted by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) as founder members.

It will feel like a stab in the back for workers at universities like Exeter.

The UCU union has warned that deep cuts there will do irreparable damage to teaching and research in social sciences, politics and the humanities, including world-renowned research on the Middle East.

But it seems Exeter bosses are less interested in understanding societies in the Middle East than in furthering imperialist bombing there.

Campaign group Demilitarise Education said, “We are seeing mass layoffs, programme cuts, and campus closures.

“Trust in university governance is at an all-time low. Instead of addressing this crisis on campus, universities are increasing securitisation, silencing dissent, and diverting scarce resources.”

The government’s drive to war doesn’t just affect universities.

Three further education colleges in Plymouth, Lincoln and Yeovil have also been awarded a share of £80 million from the MoD to develop “defence” related courses.

Education workers and students should demand that Burnham drops the plans and should resist them on every campus if he doesn’t.