Education

The Department for Education (DfE) bears "significant responsibility" for ALRA's sudden closure, unions say.

In a joint statement, the University and College Union (UCU) and performing arts workers' union Equity say ALRA’s financial difficulties were the "predictable consequence of the poor regulation of private providers and an ideological reliance on fees".

"The Government’s vindictive attacks on funding for creative and performing arts and its refusal to support these subjects in higher education form the background to ALRA’s collapse."

Claiming ALRA’s senior management handled the situation "disgracefully", the unions said they are offering advice to their members and encouraging other institutions to make offers of alternative employment.

They warn ALRA will not be the last higher education institution to suffer unless the Government abandons its fee-based funding model in favour of secure public funding. 

"This cultural vandalism must be brought to an end," their statement concludes.

The UK's arts universities have held on to top spots in the QS World University Rankings.

The Royal College of Music was named the best insititution for performing arts study.

For the sixth year since 2016, The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland has been rated in the top 10 for performing arts, placing fifth.  

Conservatoire Chair Nick Kuenssberg said: “Despite the pandemic, yet again the conservatoire has been able to maintain its value set and continues to develop its pedagogy and unique combination of disciplines at the highest level.”

In art and design, the Royal College of Art is first, followed by University of the Arts London.

University of the Arts London (UAL) will offer 30 online and "low residency" degree courses in the 2022/23 academic year.

The plan, part of the university's new 10-year strategy, could double student numbers, providing another 5,000 full-time equivalent places per year, or up to 15,000 part-time students.

It will invest in its online infrastructure to achieve this.

"By growing student numbers here in London and expanding online, we can provide more students, whoever, or wherever they may be, with a high-quality creative education," the strategy reads.

"Our strategy will deliver quality at scale, so that we are defined not by how many students we exclude, but by how many we include."

A postdoctoral fellowship in Chinese and Sinophone contemporary art will provide a "unique opportunity", its funders say.

Asymmetry Art Foundation and The Courtauld have partnered on the two-year grant for early career academics, their first collaboration.

Two fellows will be mentored by The Courtauld's Senior Lecturer in Modern and Contemporary Art, Dr Wenny Teo and be involved in a lecture series and international symposium.

Courtauld Director Marit Rausing said the initiative is part of "our continuing efforts to decentre and decolonise the curriculum".

A call for applicants will open soon with the first fellow selected by the summer.

The University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett University will lead a strand of the LEEDS 2023 programme with the support of other local educators.

Leeds Trinity University, Leeds Arts University, Northern School of Contemporary Dance and Luminate Education Group have also signed on to be "gold partners", offering events and opportunities to participate in the placemaking festival.

LEEDS 2023 Creative Director Kully Thirai said the partnerships aim to show that Leeds is "an exceptional city for anyone that wants a creative education".

"We will work with our education partners to create opportunities for those already studying in the city to be part of something that’s one-in-generation, and to attract more young talent to study, work and continue to create here."

Leeds University's involvement was first announced last year. It is working to establish a National Poetry Centre that will host several LEEDS 2023 activities and events.

Vice-Chancellor Simone Buitendijk said its Cultural Institute, which is leading on the project, will foster collaborations between the city's creative sectors and its students.

A collection of designs in plastic has been designated as nationally important by Arts Council England.

Held by the Museum of Design in Plastics at the Arts University Bournemouth, it includes objects like an early billiard ball, prosthetic limbs and the iconic Mr Potato Head toy.

Chief Curator Professor Susan Lambert said there is no other collection worldwide that engages so thoroughly with the history of plastics.

"In recent years, discourse around plastics in the designed world has been divisive, being somewhat polarised by issues around overuse and sustainability. 
 
“We often see plastics depicted as objects that leave an indelible and damaging impact on the natural world, and while that’s certainly something we need to address as a global community, the current pandemic will see more than 8 billion plastic vaccination syringes used across the world."

Dr Nick Merriman, Chair of Arts Council England’s Designation panel, said he hoped the accolade safeguards the collection for future generations to enjoy.

A former student of Bristol Old Vic Theatre School says she was "overworked" when she sewed through both her hands.

Stephanie Drogemuller's accident occurred in 2014, and the school says it will investigate if she makes contact.

Drogemuller said she was working hard for the Christmas season and "was so exhausted the needle went through both of my hands on the sewing machine".

She was asked by a school staff member whether it had happened because of her dyslexia.

"I felt like she was phishing for me to say yes, as a sort of easy answer," Drogemuller told the BBC.

School CEO Fiona Francombe said: "We are concerned to hear these reports".

"We take our duty of care towards students extremely seriously and have a robust series of policies and services in place, that we regularly review and update, to support student wellbeing.

"Our courses need to prepare students for professions that can be both physically and mentally demanding, but our priority is to achieve this whilst ensuring their safety and wellbeing."