Students must learn how to disagree in order to beat 'cancel culture', says vice-chancellor Undergraduates must learn the art of polite discourse as part of their degree, according to president and provost of UCL 25 April 2021 • 5:00pm Dr Michael Spence, of UCL, said the main problem on campus was students' inability to engage in courteous debate with their peers and fellow academics Credit: Philip Toscano/PA Students need to be taught how to disagree with one another to tackle "cancel culture", a leading vice-chancellor said as he warned that society has forgotten how to debate. Undergraduates must learn the art of polite discourse as part of their degree, according to Dr Michael Spence, the president and provost of University College London (UCL).