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A ‘crucible of critique’: a review of The Future of Academic Freedom by Henry Reichman
Professor David Midgley takes a look at a timely new publication that puts the current debates on academic freedom into a historical context In September 2017 it was widely reported that the Attorney General of the USA, Jeff Sessions, had told an audience of...
read moreWhat’s worse than being a casual worker in academia? Being an outsourced casual worker in academia
University of Nottingham: not so idyllic for casual workers. Image: Simmy Thomas Robert Stenson is a PhD student and casual academic at the University of Nottingham. He explains how the university’s decision to outsource its casual staff to a third party has made...
read moreNews round-up: The threat to the future of Erasmus+ – and why academia is a damaging environment for mental health
The government’s Brexit withdrawal bill saw defeat for an amendment requiring the government to continue the UK’s participation in the Erasmus + exchange scheme Fears for future of private university after recruitment ‘pause’ Times Higher Education, 10/01/2020, John...
read moreNews round-up: Eventually everyone will have a first-class degree
If grade inflation continues at the current rate, by 2030 all students at some universities will graduate with first-class degrees. Plus: regulation is costing universities more than £500k a year First-class degrees for all students by 2030 The Times, 27/12/2019,...
read moreNews round-up: What now for universities? Brexit, changes to university funding and (maybe) an increase in R&D spend
The election result could have major implications for the higher education sector, including the possibility of recruitment challenges in the wake of Brexit UK universities face up to Brexit after Tory election win Times Higher Education, 13/12/2019, John Morgan The...
read moreNews round-up: Academics go on strike over pay and conditions
The strikes at half of the UK’s universities dominate this week’s news round-up – while new figures show that institutions are competing fiercely for a shrinking band of 18-year olds UCU says some universities are using ‘highly questionable tactics’ as strikes are...
read moreHigher education and the election: the main party manifestos compared
Professor GR Evans takes a look at what the three major political parties have planned for higher education For those of us interested in higher education, one of the most eagerly-awaited aspects of the manifestos was how they would deal with the recommendations of...
read moreNews round-up: One institution tackles grade inflation – and a headteacher says that ‘any fool’ can get into university
Nottingham Trent University is cutting the number of firsts, while one of their academics has faced a backlash for encouraging students to register to vote Universities ‘central’ to solutions on UK regional inequality Times Higher Education, 15/11/2019, John Morgan...
read moreAcademics in UK universities – pressure vessels in a sea of metrics
A huge rise in mental health referrals amongst academics is the result of increasingly stressful working conditions, argues researcher and independent scholar Liz Morrish It is often said that lecturers’ working conditions are students’ learning conditions. My...
read moreNews round-up: More strikes are on the way as UCU members vote for industrial action
University staff are to strike over pensions, pay and working conditions – and an imminent general election casts uncertainty over higher education policy December election puts UK policy progress on hold Times Higher Education, 01/11/2019, Simon Baker News that a...
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