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News round-up: Grim times for universities as overseas students stay away and staff on fixed-term contracts lose their jobs
The coronavirus epidemic has seen lecturers and researchers lose their jobs while students face uncertainty over exams 119 universities in deficit after lecturers go on strike The Times, 03/04/2020, Rosemary Bennett More than 100 universities, including some of...
The Covid-19 crisis has shown how valuable universities are – but they are hugely in debt
Despite the enormous contribution universities are making to addressing the coronavirus crisis, years of enforced competition have placed them under intense financial pressure. Now is the time for the sector to recover its core purpose, argues Professor James Ladyman...
It’s time to abolish the REF – here’s how to do it
The REF is partly responsible for universities’ present ills, but if we get rid of it, we need to find an alternative model for allocating research funding. Norman Gowar, former principal of Royal Holloway, University of London, suggests a way forward As always it was...
News round-up: Warnings of admissions chaos as coronavirus hits
Inevitably, this week’s round-up is dominated by one story – the coronavirus’s impact on teaching, exams and admissions Exam cancellations to spark ‘almighty scramble’ in UK admissions Times Higher Education, 20/03/2020, Anna McKie The cancellation of exams caused by...
News round-up: UCU offers an olive branch to end strike – but will universities have to close because of coronavirus?
An end to the academics’ strike may be in sight, but as the death toll from coronavirus rises, Western universities are being urged to close campuses UCU offers ‘significant concessions’ in pay and pensions disputes Times Higher Education, 05/03/2020, Anna McKie...
Shared governance – can universities move on from a top-down management system?
Professor David Midgley concludes his discussion of The Governance of British Higher Education by Michael Shattock and Aniko Horvath Like other analysts of the current situation, Shattock and Horvath bring out very clearly the deleterious effects of...
News round-up: Strikes, admissions reform – and anger as the ‘over-zealous’ Prevent programme seizes student essays
This week has seen another round of strikes by academics, while UK universities come under pressure to reform the admissions process UK ‘could only join Horizon Europe with transition extension Times Higher Education, 21/02/2020, John Morgan The UK will only be...
The spirit of subservience: how the change in governance has affected academics’ autonomy
Professor David Midgley continues his look at The Governance of British Higher Education by Michael Shattock and Aniko Horvath The impact of the developments described in section I has been far from uniform. In addition to the differences in governance...
The governance of British universities: how we got from there to here
In the first of three blogposts, Professor David Midgley offers some reflections on The Governance of British Higher Education by Michael Shattock and Aniko Horvath, and what it tells us about the recent history of the university The question of how the state...
News round-up: Universities must make clear that intimidation of academics is unacceptable, Gavin Williamson warns
Strong words from the education secretary on free speech, and new figures show that two in five 18-year-olds now apply to university Gavin Williamson gives universities final warning on free speech The Times, 07/02/2020, Rosemary Bennett The education secretary...
