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
Crisis in Higher Education in N Ireland, substantial job losses in Ulster University
Problems in universities most severe in N Ireland, Wales, Scotland & N England
Gov't focussed on London & Oxford and Cambridge "Silicon Corridor"
Huge strategic & political error
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
It’s almost as if Carlson has very limited political judgement and is a terrible judge of character.
Why would anyone seek to import that disastrous funding model to the north of Ireland, post-conflict, and a region that is politically, socially and economically distinct from other parts of the UK?
Why would universities in the north of Ireland want to align with a funding model that is clearly failing to protect jobs in British universities.
Imagine running a cafe, it is losing business. What do you do? Reduce your menu to tea and toast, get rid of your most experienced staff, lower the ingredients quality to toilet water and dust, and pay for lots of managers business consultants to "run" the business.
#UKHE in a nutshell.
Over 100 jobs are due to be cut by Ulster University (UU) at their Magee campus in Londonderry, according to an SDLP MLA.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Aoife Moore asks, in what other job can you publicly fail for years and still get a pay rise?
University senior management team?
www.irishnews.com/opinion/aoif...
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...
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...
⚠️Urgent! - Please sign and circulate!⚠️
𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘆 (450) jobs are on the line at the University of Ulster, nearly 𝗳𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 of staff.
Job cuts will be devastating to the university, the community and to Northern Ireland. Tell the VC to think again!
www.change.org/p/stop-redun...
Please support our colleagues in Ulster University, facing 450 redundancies
We are calling on Ulster University to reverse the 450 proposed redundancies.
Sign this petition to stand with staff, protect higher education, and send a clear message that we will not accept cuts and watch our University being destroyed.
www.change.org/p/stop-redun...
The 450 redundancies announced for the Ulster University will devastate education, opportunity and the ability to effect positive and meaningful change in this place.
Please sign and share this petition to reverse the decision.
450 redundancies announced at the Ulster University. The impact of this will be devastating to staff, students & the functioning of the North as a whole. From social sciences speaking truth to power, to art giving this place joy - the decision must be reversed.
Can you sign & share this petition?
It is surreal to see a university that is axing hundreds of its staff, advertise courses in terms of graduates' future employment prospects.
Ulster University plans to make 450 staff redundant. You can sign the petition objecting to the wrecking of a regional university. Use the QR code. That'll take you to the petition. Or click on the link.
www.change.org/p/stop-redun...
As a PhD researcher, as someone who actually cares a lot about my research and academic freedom, I find this all so deeply, deeply tedious.
The actual threats to academic freedom are coming from defunding our universities – as anyone actually in the sector can tell you.
Footballer player Cole Palmer with a monk style haircut
When you’ve got United in the 21st century at 8pm and vigils in the 14th century at 5am
Trademark Belfast podcast
Stiofán Ó Nualláin is joined by regular guest and comrade Joe Guinan to discuss the latest on the Iran War. Includes geopolitics, strategy, and correct pronunciation of Hormuz in Farsi!
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
UK University Managements.
Ulster University is making about 450 redundancies (which seems to be around 15% of the workforce) because of the need to save £25 million. Using the data they report to HESA (stopping in 2023-2024 so a bit out of date), this suggest that 2024-2025
#UKHE #HigherEducation #University
1/3
Every time you hear of a new building going up in Belfast, there is a 95% chance it is new student accommodation.
If I still have a job next semester, these two front pages, reporting on the same story, will be the first slide in the Journalism and Society module.
Interesting. Another recent THE University of the Year in 2022 is in dispute with the union over changes to employee pensions (and 'needs' to make £25M in savings this year).
🤷
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/awards-...
91-year-old Lelia Doolan has completed her 220km protest walk from Shannon Airport to Leinster House to protest against the use of Shannon Airport as a stopover for US military flights.
This is an extract from my own chapter in Notions: The Lives of Irish Working Class Academics
