The collapse of UK universities isn’t inevitable, it’s a political choice
Other countries manage; here, government is actively burning higher education to the ground
We’re reaching the end of accessible, nationwide research & teaching — and those in power barely care
Strikes at Cambridge University over pay
Vice Chancellor is the most highly paid in UK, the 'Golden Fifty' have seen seen huge increases in pay
Everyone else had real term pay cuts
No excuse as Cambridge Uni has more resources than many countries 😉
www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambrid...
Prof Nwonka had allegations of unprofessional & inappropriate behaviour upheld against him at University College, London
After complaint by a female academic, he was then appointed as Prof elsewhere
Do people affected by misconduct ever count?
Only PR matters
www.thetimes.com/article/acad...
Comments on the 21 Group blog raise concerns about what is happening at Keele University's Business School
21percent.org?p=3474
Allegations of indirect racial discrimination, unfair workloads & intransigent management
There is a fundraiser at CrowdJustice, please support if you can
Cambridge University suppresses dissent on its Viva Engage -- an internal social network for staff & the university community
Articles linked to press reports of problems with bullying are removed
Strengthening of free speech legislation is needed
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Wealth of plantation owners in Antigua created Harvard Law School
Harvard's 'Legacy of Slavery Initiative' has become window dressing
It's more about PR - limiting bad publicity & legal liability
This fits familiar pattern in university governance, worldwide
www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
It's a great addition to English language
"He's more than a grifter, he's an absolute Vice Chancellor"
"We put him in charge & he's VC-ed us into decay"
"Started simple. Now it’s VC’d up & no one knows what’s going on"
"He calls it stakeholder engagement, classic VC speak"
Sheffield has long nursery waiting lists
Yet Sheffield Hallam University’s nursery - open beyond just staff - has falling attendance
It's not well publicised 😉
Because SHU wants to shut it & sell the building to balance the books. Convenient timing 😲
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
"Love, sex & tragedy"
Long ago, a Fellow of King’s College said any wave of accountability, such as the #MeToo movement in 2017, would inevitably result in Simon Goldhill's downfall
It didn't happen until 2026. Why?
New blog posting
21percent.org?p=3528
VC is term ready for semantic drift
"All's gone & we’re over budget. It's an absolute Vice Chancellor”
"Not just failure, he's a VC - slow, expensive, pointless"
"Only thing delivered is disappointment. Proper VC"
"There’s a big crater, we've been VC-ed"
"It won't work, everything is VC-ed up"
Wealth of plantation owners in Antigua created Harvard Law School
Harvard's 'Legacy of Slavery Initiative' has become window dressing
It's more about PR - limiting bad publicity & legal liability
This fits familiar pattern in university governance, worldwide
www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
It's a great addition to English language
"He's more than a grifter, he's an absolute Vice Chancellor"
"We put him in charge & he's VC-ed us into decay"
"Started simple. Now it’s VC’d up & no one knows what’s going on"
"He calls it stakeholder engagement, classic VC speak"
"Love, sex & tragedy"
Long ago, a Fellow of King’s College said any wave of accountability, such as the #MeToo movement in 2017, would inevitably result in Simon Goldhill's downfall
It didn't happen until 2026. Why?
New blog posting
21percent.org?p=3528
Sheffield has long nursery waiting lists
Yet Sheffield Hallam University’s nursery - open beyond just staff - has falling attendance
It's not well publicised 😉
Because SHU wants to shut it & sell the building to balance the books. Convenient timing 😲
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
VC is term ready for semantic drift
"All's gone & we’re over budget. It's an absolute Vice Chancellor”
"Not just failure, he's a VC - slow, expensive, pointless"
"Only thing delivered is disappointment. Proper VC"
"There’s a big crater, we've been VC-ed"
"It won't work, everything is VC-ed up"
Scientific fraud goes hand in hand with bullying
Junior collaborators are often co-authors on problematic works
Strong hierarchy together with publication pressure means early-career researchers cannot safely challenge a high-profile or aggressive PI
If there's fraud, there's bullying in the lab
Extent of scientific fraud is significant
Duplicated images in the work of senior Dana-Farber scientists extended to 57 papers
Harvard's Dana-Farber paid £11.2 million settlement to settle
Problem is peer review is unable to detect fraud on this scale
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/british...
Scientific fraud goes hand in hand with bullying
Junior collaborators are often co-authors on problematic works
Strong hierarchy together with publication pressure means early-career researchers cannot safely challenge a high-profile or aggressive PI
If there's fraud, there's bullying in the lab
Extent of scientific fraud is significant
Duplicated images in the work of senior Dana-Farber scientists extended to 57 papers
Harvard's Dana-Farber paid £11.2 million settlement to settle
Problem is peer review is unable to detect fraud on this scale
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/british...
Ombudsman fails #whistleblower at Australian National University
It shuts process down & neutralises the complaint
8 years later, police delivered scathing report on the lack of accountability & tolerance for “bias, nepotism and abuse at ANU"
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/whistle...
Ombudsman fails #whistleblower at Australian National University
It shuts process down & neutralises the complaint
8 years later, police delivered scathing report on the lack of accountability & tolerance for “bias, nepotism and abuse at ANU"
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/whistle...
Astonishing story of mismanagement at Ulster University
Management were too busy handing honorary PhDs to Arnold Schwarzenegger & pouring money into flagship Belfast campus to remember someone has to pay the bill
Turns out the staff will have to pay
www.ulster.ac.uk/news/2026/ma...
No warning whatsoever for staff at Ulster University as redundancies announced
Teams comments are deliberately switched off to shut down any chance of questions / dissent
Typical of hubris of senior management
Terrible optics - after Schwarzenegger visit & parties at University of the Year awards
Paul Bartholomew, Vice Chancellor of Ulster University, has free house, car & driver. He earns ~£300k with big pension
Highest paid staff get plush treatment
Lower grades are told 'to do more with less' or sacked
Austerity only ever travels downward
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Devastation of universities in N. Ireland, Wales, Scotland & North of England is a huge mistake
Especially when Govt is doubling funding for Oxford–Cambridge corridor, this looks so bad 😲
Even in narrow political terms, this is a massive error
www.derrynow.com/news/local-n...
No warning whatsoever for staff at Ulster University as redundancies announced
Teams comments are deliberately switched off to shut down any chance of questions / dissent
Typical of hubris of senior management
Terrible optics - after Schwarzenegger visit & parties at University of the Year awards
Astonishing story of mismanagement at Ulster University
Management were too busy handing honorary PhDs to Arnold Schwarzenegger & pouring money into flagship Belfast campus to remember someone has to pay the bill
Turns out the staff will have to pay
www.ulster.ac.uk/news/2026/ma...
Paul Bartholomew, Vice Chancellor of Ulster University, has free house, car & driver. He earns ~£300k with big pension
Highest paid staff get plush treatment
Lower grades are told 'to do more with less' or sacked
Austerity only ever travels downward
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Devastation of universities in N. Ireland, Wales, Scotland & North of England is a huge mistake
Especially when Govt is doubling funding for Oxford–Cambridge corridor, this looks so bad 😲
Even in narrow political terms, this is a massive error
www.derrynow.com/news/local-n...
Superb exposé of rampant bullying & sexual harassment in German academia
Powerful Professors are shown as routinely mistreating students & colleagues as well as displaying rampant misogyny, racism & homophobia
Widely known, yet often pampered & protected by institutions