ABSTRACT

Free education has now become an old custom from a bygone era; for a time it did survive the march of the free market, but not anymore. The neoliberal victory over the higher education (HE) system in the UK, arguably because of the research excellence framework, the emphasis on grant capture and the new increase in HE tuition fees, is almost complete. These are all examples of how the UK university sector is becoming increasingly commodified and marketised. It was the increase in UK tuition fees and cuts to the HE budget that provoked the student revolt 2010-2011. During this period, the UK saw a number of high-profile student protests on 10, 24 and 30 November; 9 December; 29 January and 26 March and occupations at 40 universities. These protests and occupations were in direct response to the Independent Review of Higher Education and Student Finance undertaken by Lord Browne (also known as the Browne review).