[Geo4All] Anti-Corruption in UK universities

[Suchith Anand]

Dear colleagues,

According to the Guardian article dated  8 July 2026 , three people have been arrested as part of an investigation into financial crimes involving the University of Greater Manchester, including allegations of fraud, bribery and money laundering.  

Details at https://www.theguardian.com/education/2026/jul/08/three-arrested-investigation-university-of-greater-manchester

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0ly5550jkxo

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/dec/04/regulators-inquiry-university-greater-manchester-fraud-claims

These news on alleged financial irregularities at the University of Greater Manchester raises questions on the governance and financial structures in UK Higher Education.

This also raises some serious questions of the Office for Students and why they didn't catch any of this? 

The police only got involved thanks to some good local investigative journalism. Let's protect actual journalism, and let's change the governance & funding system of UK Higher Education.

What does Andy Burnham’s promise to transfer power from Westminster to local communities mean for academic communities?

This article “UK devolution must extend to its authoritarian universities” published in Times Higher Education  might be of interest. Institutions whose managers are unaccountable to their staff can never be truly civic universities, says Krzysztof Nawratek. Details at
 https://www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/uk-devolution-must-extend-its-authoritarian-universities

This article on “A Co-operative Future for Britain’s Universities?” by Dr Michael Paraskos might be of interest. Details at 
https://party.coop/2026/07/03/a-co-operative-future-for-britains-universities/

This book  launched in July 2026 titled “Corrupted Kingdom: Britain’s Disappearing Integrity – and How We Can Get It Back”  by Professor Robert Barrington (Professor of Anti-Corruption Practice at the University of Sussex) might be of interest. Details at https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/centres/centre-for-study-of-corruption/index

The UK's universities are facing an unprecedented crisis. Across the sector, thousands of jobs are being lost, departments are shrinking, and research capacity is being eroded. I request the UK government to investigate the role of consultancy firms involved in advising the university senior managements on ‘restructuring’ and senior university management of many UK universities taking significant pay rises and bonuses throughout a worsening national economic situation.

Best wishes

Suchith

Professor Suchith Anand
Professor of Practice in Science Policy | Senior Adviser to Governments and International Organisations | Scientist | Global Citizen | Science Diplomacy |  SDG Volunteer and Advocate
https://spspa.exeter.ac.uk/people/profile/index.php?username=sa1131
https://ethicaldatainitiative.org <https://ethicaldatainitiative.org/>

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