I've bowed to the inevitable and got some new glasses, which I'm actually going to wear. I was hoping for a mild productivity boost through reduced squinting at tiny fonts, but in fact I just spend ages trying to find where I've left them. So now I'm feeling doubly old.

Said this before, but given how hard it is to start a business and how many fail, surely straight out of university is not necessarily a great time to start one. Maybe get some professional experience and connections and £££ first. Especially for those without angel investors for family members.

Just sent a load of calendar invitations for six meetings of the course of the academic year to two different research networks, each with 100+ members. I don't know what/how I've messed up, but statistically I'm very unlikely to have made zero errors. Waiting for the emails with bated breath...

Have we reached the point where it would be easier to list the universities where staff haven't been forced into industrial action to try to minimise job losses?

This is an interesting read from a funder perspective about funder strategies and how researchers should respond to them in grant applications and in the choices they make about their future research direction.

Was going to post about going backwards and forwards between 'tiny minority relentlessly & recklessly hyped by right wing media salivating for violence' and 'growing, emboldened threat'. Both can be true. But more productive to share link on bystander intervention righttobe.org/guides/bysta...

Important spotter's guide...

I wrote my own Charlie Kirk obituary, and about valuing truth over manners: www.thenation.com/article/poli...

Just a regular reminder that the far right (and their apologists and outriders) are only in favour of free speech when it's their free speech, and only against political violence when they're the targets.

Interesting times. Looks like there's a history of cooperation, and at least some apparent synergies. I think two things are already clear - that this is very likely to mean further job losses; and that it's going to end up being referred to as "Kentwich". Or "Grent".

Great read. Successful applicants like Ned tend to: (a) investigate options; (b) devote loads of time to the application; (c) draft, redraft, & redraft again; (d) understand the funder/scheme priorities; (e) had a plan to move to independence; (f) get feedback from anyone who'll give it. However...

I've sounded like a broken record during our 'Future Nottingham' programme of cuts. I even bore myself. Join the Union. Join the Union. Join the Union. I've said it to individuals, I've said it in whole Departmental 'town halls'. I'll still say the same thing and I'll still mean it. But...

Frustration at Aria money ‘left on the table’ amid tight R&D budget. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

I know yet another real terms pay cut is an absolute disgrace. But I think I'm going to need a lot of persuading that there is any point in taking industrial action on pay right now. What realistic chance of success is there, and what's the path to that? I just can't see it.

As a previous recipient of a BA small grant, I'd encourage eligible people to apply. It's possible to get a lot of research value in <£10K. (In my case experimentation with different digital skills pedagogy through hosting a number of open workshops, which influenced a bunch of publications.)

If you think technology will solve your problems, you don't understand technology and you probably don't understand your problems either.

The whole story in three posts.

We can't go down the 'increased research specialisation' route without a lot more sector-level coordination. And that's before we think about the implications for teaching and national and regional subject capacity. And we can't do any of this under a system where we compete more than we co-operate.

To be fair, the actual quotes in the article are less crass and stupid by several orders of magnitude than the headline summary makes them sound. Nevertheless, I'd prefer universities to prioritise not letting the sector funding crisis derail their efforts to function as universities.

Practical tips and wisdoms around grant writing by @cash4questions.bsky.social @uniofnottingham.bsky.social #U21ECRWorkshop #U21ECR2025 Inc... "You are not writing for the ghost of your PhD supervisor."

Just had an email offering to "restore my peace of mind" via the medium of signing up for an extortionate 'protection policy' for my tumble dryer. What a blessed day it will be when this very niche worry is the only thing standing between me and peace of mind.

In former life I was a group leader (and later senior GL) at PGL, which ran residential multi-activity holidays for 8-16 yr olds. School & youth groups in term time, individuals during holidays. Saw the transformational effects on children every single week. Great for confidence and independence.

First day back today and working from home, so about 25% of my time is being spent on Microsoft Authenticator.

Very few people seem to understand university finances and, distressingly, this includes many academics and most policymakers. This is an attempt to condense the key points you need to know. open.substack.com/pub/profseri...

It's so rare and refreshing to read an article on the universities permacrisis that even acknowledges the massive pay erosion that's gone on. Even that isn't propping the system up any more.

London is increasingly under Shania law. And that don't impress me much.

This is brilliant stuff. I was lucky enough to go through adolescence pre-internet and with just the common-or-garden toxic masculinity you'd find in a boys only secondary school in the late 80s-early 90s and I'd have benefited from reading this. Even more timely now.

My latest, exploring with numbers how the millennial household budget is basically incomprehensible to retired boomers.

The university sent out a news bulletin today and it made some... uh... interesting claims. 🧵

My latest for @resprofnews.bsky.social - Research Culture: looking within Features William Bligh, the Bounty and the phrase "hierarchy of bastards". Which I am disproportionately proud of. I invite you to read that phrase in the voice of a Sharpe-era Sean Bean. Or the whole thing, if you like.

My latest for @resprofnews.bsky.social - Research Culture: looking within Features William Bligh, the Bounty and the phrase "hierarchy of bastards". Which I am disproportionately proud of. I invite you to read that phrase in the voice of a Sharpe-era Sean Bean. Or the whole thing, if you like.

Dammit Thanet...

My understanding was that it was entirely the employers' decision to withdraw from joint work about non-pay elements of the claim. They didn't have to do that. They chose to. I'd be interested to hear how much longer we should "concede on pay affordability"? It's been about a decade and a half.

Year after year, pay cut after pay cut. If the top of my pay grade had kept pace with inflation since I started with my current employer in 2009, I'd be about 10k a year better off. This cannot continue.

Just had this editorial pointed out to us. Nature in 1960 "How many more new journals?" Oh you sweet summer child!

Great thread. My understanding is that LT also consider potential contribution of the ECG to their host's research environment. Arguably greater potential to contribute outside the Russell Group.

Me (not pictured), waffling on about grant writing again (£)

I'm planning on starting a rumour that the new focus on defence means that the AHRC will only be launching new themed funding calls on the subject of WW1 poetry.

Some very welcome good news today...

Hugely impressive piece of work, especially given the much more limited time and resources available to UCU compared to management. Ultimately, I agree that the university needs to generate a surplus for investment. But the percentage they want is excessive, unrealistic, and would be self-defeating

*INDIANA JONES AND THE CLOSURE OF THE ARCHAEOLOGY DEPARTMENT*

Indiana Jones will be played by a rotating cast of three adjuncts who answer to two different associate deans

Well, they've aced the "high-reward" bit of the mission...

Backlash against UKRI leaders’ remarks on doing less research. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

🎉What a week at Edinburgh for #ARMA2025! Strap in for a tour through some highlights, all free to read!🧵 First up, Research England’s research director suggested universities could consider performing less research to balance available funding. 1/9 www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Lots of thoughtful responses to the "concentrate on high quality" research view, in response to Robin's excellent reporting. Worth reading the quote tweets for others' thoughts.. I am puzzled (not itself unusual), but esp. by this. I wasn't at conference, so don't have the full context... (1)