There has been much debate locally on the matter, with some people feeling that a change in government should not equate with a change in relationship with the State and others feeling that the University has responsibilities as a "national asset"to participate in the national project.
Internationally, this debate has surfaced again recently, with calls by Hefce (Higher Education Funding Council in England) for the governance of Oxford University to be modernised. Oxford and Cambridge, both top-performing Universities, have resisted introducing a governance model they consider inappropriate, and have been allowed to continue - until now. With a new Prime Minister leading the UK, there are fears that this might soon change...