Regulation of universities as charities: one step forward, two steps back

Legal Studies ◽

10.1017/lst.2020.39 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-20

Author(s):

Mary Synge

Keyword(s):

Playing Field ◽

Charity Commission ◽

One Step ◽

The University ◽

Regulatory Practice ◽

Law Regulation

Abstract Most universities (bar profit-making institutions) are charities as a matter of law but, historically, have been exempt from charity law regulation. This paper considers the statutory reforms of 2006, which sought to level the regulatory playing field by appointing ‘Principal Regulators’ of such ‘exempt charities’ to promote compliance with charity law. Focusing on the university sector – where some universities are now registered charities (and regulated by the Charity Commission) whilst others remain exempt – it will note how the reforms have resulted in the application of significantly different degrees of scrutiny and accountability, both between individual universities and between universities and other charities. In part, this is due to the statutory framework itself but, significantly, is also attributable to the radically different approach taken by the Office for Students, which replaced HEFCE as Principal Regulator in 2018. Possible improvements in regulatory practice and statutory reform are offered.

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How is structural inequality made fair in a meritocratic education system?

Journal of Language and Politics ◽

10.1075/jlp.20012.tal ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Nadira Talib

Keyword(s):

Education System ◽

Equal Opportunity ◽

Industrial Training ◽

Structural Inequality ◽

Academic Progression ◽

Playing Field ◽

Flexible System ◽

Analytical Potential ◽

Analytical Development ◽

The University

Abstract This paper examines how, within the context of meritocracy, a highly differentiated education system can coexist with assertions of equal opportunity. Drawing on the example of Singapore’s education policy texts from 1991 to 2012, the paper exemplifies and expands the analytical potential of a micro-meso-macro movements framework with which to critically engage the discursive role of neo-liberal metaphors in ameliorating the tension of providing ‘equal opportunities’ between students who will undertake the university pathway and those who will have to undergo vocational training. Based on the interconnected discourses of opportunity-choice and opportunity-skills through a more flexible system, the analytical development of these two simultaneous sub micro-meso-macro movements demonstrates how the playing field is levelled, and competition for society’s occupations and academic progression is fair even for Vocational and Industrial Training Board Act (VITB) trainees.

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The influence of mRNA secondary structures on ribosome conformational dynamics

10.32469/10355/62520 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Bassem Shebl

Keyword(s):

Protein Synthesis ◽

Conformational Dynamics ◽

Bacterial Cells ◽

University Of Missouri ◽

Novel Drugs ◽

Wide Range ◽

Complicated Process ◽

One Step ◽

The University ◽

Control Protein

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Synthesizing proteins in the cell is a critical aspect of life. Protein synthesis is a complicated process and involve highly functional machines at a molecular level. The ribosome is the molecular machine that translate coded sequences of nucleic acids into functional proteins. Understanding how ribosomes function is key to understanding protein synthesis / translation. We focus our work on ribosomes from bacterial cells. This allows us to study much simpler systems and extrapolate our knowledge to higher levels. One key challenge in the field is to be able to isolate a high quantity of good and active ribosomes out of the cell to study it in a controlled environment. Classically known methods involve extensive resources, high technical expertise, and a week of preparation. We developed a one-step protocol to purify ribosomes that are more active than the ones purified from classical methods. This developed technique saves time and money and results in much higher amounts of product. This approach also makes the technique approachable to a wider community of scientists and researchers. The same methodology could be applied towards purifying other molecular machines in the cells. Using these ribosomes, we wanted to investigate how the ribosomes function in cells when faced with specific signals. These signals are utilized by the cells to control protein synthesis. However, in dome diseased cells and for some viruses, normal protein synthesis is overridden by the invaders to produce faulty proteins that could result in a wide range of diseases such as Alzheimer and others. In this study, we investigated how the ribosome functions in the presence of such signals and how close do they need to be to the ribosome to affect protein synthesis. This allows us to design drugs to mimic or inhibit such changes thus fixing faulty protein production or sometimes induce it to inhibit protein synthesis in bacterial cells and as such designing and producing novel drugs.

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Representation in 21st Century Online Higher Education

Socioeconomics, Diversity, and the Politics of Online Education - Advances in Mobile and Distance Learning ◽

10.4018/978-1-7998-3583-7.ch010 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 165-183

Author(s):

Maggie Broderick

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Online Learning ◽

Minority Students ◽

21St Century ◽

Potential Benefit ◽

Representation Of Women ◽

Playing Field ◽

Online Higher Education ◽

Public Versus Private ◽

The University

This chapter examines representation of women and minorities in 21st century higher education with regard to how the online learning culture serves diverse students. Over the past two decades, faculty and student representation by women and minorities has increased, while online learning has also grown exponentially, becoming almost ubiquitous in its reach and scope. Even with differences across institutions (public versus private, size of the university, and populations served), the online learning environment has a seemingly agreed-upon set of rules, standards, and practices. Arguably, online learning has a distinct culture, which can thus be viewed through the lens of Vygotskyian sociocultural theory. While online learning may have some perceived downsides, a potential benefit is that the nature of the technology and the agreed-upon culture of 21st century online learning across institutions may serve to mask and inhibit implicit bias and thus level the playing field for women and minority students and faculty in higher education.

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Role of Universities on the Level of Regional Growth in Portugal

Examining the Role of Entrepreneurial Universities in Regional Development - Advances in Higher Education and Professional Development ◽

10.4018/978-1-7998-0174-0.ch010 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 183-202

Author(s):

Vitor Miguel Ribeiro ◽

Celeste Varum ◽

Ana Dias Daniel

Keyword(s):

Economic Growth ◽

Regional Development ◽

Structural Breaks ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Regional Growth ◽

Long Run ◽

Key Players ◽

One Step ◽

The University

Universities nowadays are considered key players in the development of entrepreneurial ecosystems and, thus, may impact regional development. This chapter analyzes the role of the university as a determinant of regional economic growth in Portuguese NUTS III regions, from 2004-2017. One-step and two-step system GMM estimation results show a statistically significant and positive impact of universities upon regional growth. Moreover, the magnitude of effects is transversely stronger in the long run, which requires the need to avoid structural breaks in public actions previously initiated in the past.

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The Historical and Political Backdrop to Islamic Studies in Kenya

American Journal of Islam and Society ◽

10.35632/ajis.v31i3.285 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 31 (3) ◽

pp. 70-92

Author(s):

Mohamed Bakari

Keyword(s):

Religious Orientation ◽

Academic Culture ◽

Academic Programs ◽

University Education ◽

Intellectual Culture ◽

Islamic Studies ◽

Western Education ◽

Playing Field ◽

University Level ◽

The University

This paper argues that the lack of serious attempts to incorporate Islamic studies in Kenya’s academic culture can best be understood by looking at the colonial and postcolonial policies toward university education there. The early missionary influence that shaped the nature of the indigenous educational system had a farreaching impact upon creating a culture of resistance among Muslims toward western education. In the postcolonial period, the new governments tried to create a level playing field for all of their citizens, regardless of religious orientation. But the colonial imapct had already left its mark on Muslims in terms of their visibility at the university level. The Kenyan government did not interfere in what academic programs should be prioritized at this level. But because Christians outnumbered Muslims in academia, their influence created a dearth of indigenous university-generated information and knowledge on Muslim institutions and society. This gap was left to foreign researchers to fill. As a result, Kenya has no indigenous Islamic intellectual culture. If this status quo does not change, Kenyan Muslims will remain vulnerable to foreign Islamist influences.

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EXTENSÃO UNIVERSITÁRIA NA EUROPA: A TERCEIRA MISSÃO

REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE EXTENSÃO UNIVERSITÁRIA ◽

10.36661/2358-0399.2015v6i1.3069 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 59-62 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Pedro Nunes Teixeira

Keyword(s):

Technology Transfer ◽

Social Engagement ◽

Third Mission ◽

Local Leadership ◽

Developed Economies ◽

Playing Field ◽

Social Actions ◽

The Social ◽

America Latina ◽

The University

In many countries, interest in greater openness and integration of universities to social and economic environment is growing. Driven by society and the knowledge economy and the social demands, the University Extension has gained increasing importance, both in Latin America where the main focus is on direct social actions, interventions promoting citizenship and fomenting local leadership, whether in developed economies where services and technology transfer receive greater attention. In continental Europe the term correlate to the most widely adopted extension is "Third Mission", and is subdivided into three sub-areas: Continuing Education, Technology Transfer and Innovation, and Social Engagement. This Academy playing field also gains strength in the "old continent". Em vários países, o interesse por maior abertura e integração das universidades ao meio social e econômico é crescente. Impulsionada pela sociedade e economia do conhecimento e pelas demandas sociais, a Extensão Universitária ganha cada vez mais importância, seja na América Latina onde o foco principal são ações sociais diretas, intervenções promotoras da cidadania e fomentadoras do protagonismo local, seja em economias mais desenvolvidas onde os serviços e a transferência de tecnologia recebem maior atenção. Na Europa continental o termo correlato à extensão mais adotado é “Terceira Missão” (Third Mission)1, e subdivide-se em três sub-áreas: Educação Continuada, Transferência de Tecnologia e Inovação, e Engajamento Social. Este campo de atuação da academia também ganha força no “velho continente”.

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Creativity in the cause of service

Gifted Education International ◽

10.1177/0261429413481122 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 30 (2) ◽

pp. 117-135

Author(s):

Kevin Lamoureux

Keyword(s):

Aboriginal Peoples ◽

Ivory Tower ◽

Playing Field ◽

Left Behind ◽

Innovative Environment ◽

Group Think ◽

The University ◽

Creative Life

This article chronicles the creative life of Ken McCluskey, the Dean of Education at the University of Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada. He looks beyond the ivory tower and, indeed, reshapes the tower. Fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration are evident throughout the life and work of Dean McCluskey. He creates an innovative environment and uses humor in all aspects of his life. McCluskey recognizes the importance of “idea time” and guards against “group think.” His creative life can be described as a spirit of service, engaged in leveling the playing field for unengaged students and marginalized children. His work with aboriginal peoples is highlighted. For McCluskey, success will be measured in the quality of the society left behind for our grandchildren. He models a life lived through creativity.

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