Episode 5: Education for All - It's the University for Everyone!

In this edition of the podcast we hear from Jenny Shaw, Higher Education External Engagement Director at Unite Students, who has developed an imaginary university which is genuinely intended for everyone and can be found everywhere.

The University for Everyone is a distributed national operation which takes elements of the Open University, the Workers' Educational Association and Community Organisers to come up with a very broad range of offerings suitable for everyone who is curious and wants to learn something. Nothing is standard and lots of material can be drawn from other providers as learners define their own course, supported by a learning mentor, but always with a purpose.

Funding comes from a variety of sources - some of them very entrepreneurial - and the University is very open to collaboration with similar institutions as it seeks to reach all educationally underserved parts of the UK both rural and urban. Jenny is a pretty relaxed Vice-Chancellor who lives the University's values and believes strongly in the importance of the Students' Union but she is keen to ensure that there is a strong internal regulatory framework too. Most importantly the University and its members are going to spend a good deal of time working through all the challenges of the moment in relation to free speech and respectful dialogue.

It's a genuinely novel and wide-ranging offer and the University's anthem is one which will surprise everyone I am sure.