The Problem of “Dirty Hands” in UK Universities

Following the News International phone-hacking scandal, questions have been raised about the propriety of accepting funding for Chairs such as the Rupert Murdoch Professorship in Language and Communication at Oxford University. But funding like this is ubiquitous in the universities, and it extends well beyond endowed professorships. Furthermore, private finance is going to play an increasingly prominent role in the wake of the Government White Paper on HE.

The Centre for Applied Philosophy, Politics & Ethics (CAPPE) at the University of Brighton, in collaboration with the Times Higher Education, is holding a two-day interdisciplinary conference that seeks to address some of the background issues of principle that arise from the ways in which universities are financed. In particular: what are academics’ responsibilities in relation to the financing of “our” universities?

Cost: £50 for academics; £25 for students and others. This does not include accommodation, about which participants will make their own arrangements. It does, however, include lunch, tea and coffee on both days.

Places are limited, so early registration is advised.