We are a group of young academics who believe that higher education should be free and available to everyone. Following on from the student protests against tuition fees in 2011, the Occupy University, Free University Brighton and many other inspiring projects, we believe that the processes of marketisation and neo-liberal consumerism that drive the HE sector in the UK at the moment are not only changing the nature of education, they are actively harming young people by increasing their debt, their anxiety and leaving them in position where they have little opportunity to use their degree to build a future.

We believe that knowledge cannot happen in formal education any more. The relationship of trust and mutual support between tutors and students has been fundamentally destroyed and substituted by a relationship of consumer-product. We do not see this as productive of knowledge, critical thinking, or enhancing one’s understanding of the world. Instead, it is rife with careerism, stress and various toxic behavrious (homophobia, transphobia, racism, to name a few), resulting in an unprecedent rise of mental health issues.

We believe that higher education should bring joy and increase one’s capacities to respond to the world. We think this can happen when people do not have to pay for it. We want to foster and facilitate spaces where tutors can rediscover the joys of teaching and students can have agency to grow. You can learn more about our past classes here or sign up here.

If you want to hear more, this is an article written by one of our founders.