As the Universities burn, Baroness Jacqui Smith -- Skills Minister and Wife of Porn Expenses Claimant -- is working on the problem

"Gov't should devise a scheme that would see part of pay of universities’ senior leaders only paid out once they finish the job" Near-bankruptcy of a University, zero consequences Vice Chancellors fail & walk away as if nothing happened We suffer www.timeshighereducation.com/news/deferri...

Disgrace even by standards of Cardiff University It's fundamental violation of trust: the Salisbury Collection is a national possession of rare books, not an institutional asset to be discarded at whim The new Welsh Govt must intervene at Cardiff nation.cymru/news/fears-f...

Job losses at Ulster University put students off from applying "It goes from one course, two courses, maybe changing to Magee or Belfast ... all the way to Coleraine campus closing" Reputation of Ulster University has been damaged by clumsy management www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

After the Simon Goldhill scandal, now another Fellow of King’s College, Cambridge, is exposed as a sexual harasser Geophysicist Herbert Huppert has been thrown out, following multiple complaints, including harassment & inappropriate touching www.thetimes.com/uk/education...

Job losses at Ulster University put students off from applying "It goes from one course, two courses, maybe changing to Magee or Belfast ... all the way to Coleraine campus closing" Reputation of Ulster University has been damaged by clumsy management www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

21 Group predicted that 2026 would be 'Year of Scandals' at Cambridge University Another senior academic has now been excluded from King’s College following misconduct Most troubling aspect of the story is the culture of secrecy regarding bullying & harassment at Cambridge 21percent.org?p=3662

WANTED -- those who brought Nottingham University to its present sad state Financial problems arose from decisions under previous VC Shearer West Those responsible have moved on, leaving current staff to deal with consequences of mismanagement 21percent.org?p=3647

Edinburgh University’s supreme academic body has warned of a “lack of transparency” over a £140m cuts drive Across UK higher education, decisions are taken by a small, unrepresentative circle, with scrutiny sidelined & rewards flowing upward 😉 www.heraldscotland.com/news/2611129...

After the Simon Goldhill scandal, now another Fellow of King’s College, Cambridge, is exposed as a sexual harasser Geophysicist Herbert Huppert has been thrown out, following multiple complaints, including harassment & inappropriate touching www.thetimes.com/uk/education...

Challenges facing UK universities stem largely from political decisions, with all major parties — Tory, Lib Dems, SNP & Labour — playing a role The greed & mismanagement of vice-chancellors have left universities isolated, just when they urgently need public trust & support

Edinburgh University’s supreme academic body has warned of a “lack of transparency” over a £140m cuts drive Across UK higher education, decisions are taken by a small, unrepresentative circle, with scrutiny sidelined & rewards flowing upward 😉 www.heraldscotland.com/news/2611129...

Challenges facing UK universities stem largely from political decisions, with all major parties — Tory, Lib Dems, SNP & Labour — playing a role The greed & mismanagement of vice-chancellors have left universities isolated, just when they urgently need public trust & support

Cranfield is a small, specialist postgraduate engineering university £8m in the red last year (pre-tax) Now facing a shotgun merger — with Kings College, London likely shifting its Engineering & Physics there to make the numbers work www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Kent University's core mission should be teaching & research Now it's boldly pivoting to its true calling: luxury housing development Because nothing advances knowledge quite like paving over the countryside, urbanising villages & destroying wildlife www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Student has 9am lecture at Cranfield, needs to be on the Strand campus at 11am Good job Cranfield has its own airport Student gets parachuted into WC2 Many new merch ideas -- KCL-branded 'chutes, harness, helmet & goggles -- can bolster University coffers www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

WANTED -- those who brought Nottingham University to its present sad state Financial problems arose from decisions under previous VC Shearer West Those responsible have moved on, leaving current staff to deal with consequences of mismanagement 21percent.org?p=3647

Student has 9am lecture at Cranfield, needs to be on the Strand campus at 11am Good job Cranfield has its own airport Student gets parachuted into WC2 Many new merch ideas -- KCL-branded 'chutes, harness, helmet & goggles -- can bolster University coffers www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

To celebrate Mikhail Bulgakov's birthday: "An insult is the usual reward for good work" (Master and Margarita) Very applicable to UK Universities today

Kent University's core mission should be teaching & research Now it's boldly pivoting to its true calling: luxury housing development Because nothing advances knowledge quite like paving over the countryside, urbanising villages & destroying wildlife www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Cranfield is a small, specialist postgraduate engineering university £8m in the red last year (pre-tax) Now facing a shotgun merger — with Kings College, London likely shifting its Engineering & Physics there to make the numbers work www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Cuts have already devastated arts, humanities & social sciences in universities The fire is spreading & “blue skies” science is next This isn’t a tired “humanities vs sciences” battle We must all stand together or the flames will consume us all www.timeshighereducation.com/news/physics...

Nottingham University has reached its ‘Paris ’68’ moment Students & staff should occupy offices of senior management, demand immediate reversal of job cuts & replacement of Council with a body elected by staff/students History shows a few symbolic effigy burnings of the main culprits never hurt

To celebrate Mikhail Bulgakov's birthday: "An insult is the usual reward for good work" (Master and Margarita) Very applicable to UK Universities today

Nottingham University has reached its ‘Paris ’68’ moment Students & staff should occupy offices of senior management, demand immediate reversal of job cuts & replacement of Council with a body elected by staff/students History shows a few symbolic effigy burnings of the main culprits never hurt

Cuts have already devastated arts, humanities & social sciences in universities The fire is spreading & “blue skies” science is next This isn’t a tired “humanities vs sciences” battle We must all stand together or the flames will consume us all www.timeshighereducation.com/news/physics...

Financial crisis at Nottingham University stems from poor decisions under Vice Chancellor Shearer West Shearer's moved on & upward, leaving staff facing consequences of her reckless management There are cuts in Arts & Humanities as well as Sciences nottinghamphysics.github.io/Open_Letter/...

Who runs Cambridge University? It is Regent House -- academics mainly -- who run Cambridge It is not the senior management team led by a distant Vice Chancellor University is on the brink of serious constitutional crisis Well spoken, Darragh O'Reilly theguardian.com/education/20...

Looks like governance failure, misuse of funds & breach of fiduciary duties at Nottingham University "University’s administration sent letters to 2700 staff, notifying them their role was at risk of redundancy" This is 30% of entire headcount 😲 www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Financial crisis at Nottingham University stems from poor decisions under Vice Chancellor Shearer West Shearer's moved on & upward, leaving staff facing consequences of her reckless management There are cuts in Arts & Humanities as well as Sciences nottinghamphysics.github.io/Open_Letter/...

Dr Paul Greatrix was Registrar of Nottingham University for 18 yrs In August 2025, before scandal broke, he joined Shakespeare Martineau -- “insurance lawyers” for universities It's one part of the ecosystem that will remain comfortably busy as chaos engulf HE 😉 www.shma.co.uk/people/paul-...

Life isn’t fair Politics isn't fair Whether it’s directly responsible or not, if a political party stands by while tens of thousands lose their jobs in UK Higher Education, it will get the blame

Looks like governance failure, misuse of funds & breach of fiduciary duties at Nottingham University "University’s administration sent letters to 2700 staff, notifying them their role was at risk of redundancy" This is 30% of entire headcount 😲 www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Life isn’t fair Politics isn't fair Whether it’s directly responsible or not, if a political party stands by while tens of thousands lose their jobs in UK Higher Education, it will get the blame

Dr Paul Greatrix was Registrar of Nottingham University for 18 yrs In August 2025, before scandal broke, he joined Shakespeare Martineau -- “insurance lawyers” for universities It's one part of the ecosystem that will remain comfortably busy as chaos engulf HE 😉 www.shma.co.uk/people/paul-...

Creative use of the black highlighter pen! Here's a minimalist extraction. The artist has boldly stripped away everything Courtesy of a Russell Group university ahead of a forthcoming employment tribunal

Liquidity red flags at Aberystwyth, Bangor & UWTSD — all < 37 days That’s how long Universities can keep going if income drops Maybe it’s finally dawning on Bridget Phillipson. If it unravels on your watch, you get the blame Welsh Labour missed it

This disaster has happened to Nottingham University because of truly incompetent management Meanwhile, the Fred Goodwin & Adam Applegarth of the Great University Crisis -- Shearer West & Karen Cox -- are sheltered from any ill effects of their actions www.timeshighereducation.com/news/notting...

It's a rerun of the 2008 financial crisis Bankers argued their duty was to maximise gains for their own organisations, without regard for consequences No one took responsibility for survival & stability of whole system Same with universities in 2026 www.timeshighereducation.com/news/no-plan...

"24 Universities - including seven with over 3000 students - are at risk of insolvency in next 12 months" says Education Select Committee It's result of policy choices of successive Govts Prediction: Nothing will happen till some have gone over the edge www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Creative use of the black highlighter pen! Here's a minimalist extraction. The artist has boldly stripped away everything Courtesy of a Russell Group university ahead of a forthcoming employment tribunal

Liquidity red flags at Aberystwyth, Bangor & UWTSD — all < 37 days That’s how long Universities can keep going if income drops Maybe it’s finally dawning on Bridget Phillipson. If it unravels on your watch, you get the blame Welsh Labour missed it

This disaster has happened to Nottingham University because of truly incompetent management Meanwhile, the Fred Goodwin & Adam Applegarth of the Great University Crisis -- Shearer West & Karen Cox -- are sheltered from any ill effects of their actions www.timeshighereducation.com/news/notting...

It's a rerun of the 2008 financial crisis Bankers argued their duty was to maximise gains for their own organisations, without regard for consequences No one took responsibility for survival & stability of whole system Same with universities in 2026 www.timeshighereducation.com/news/no-plan...

"24 Universities - including seven with over 3000 students - are at risk of insolvency in next 12 months" says Education Select Committee It's result of policy choices of successive Govts Prediction: Nothing will happen till some have gone over the edge www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

“This is horrifying. The University of Cambridge’s values are to protect freedom of thought & expression and freedom from discrimination. Instead of fighting for our principles, we’re selling them out to most murderous regime in the world" www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Who runs Cambridge University? It is Regent House -- academics mainly -- who run Cambridge It is not the senior management team led by a distant Vice Chancellor University is on the brink of serious constitutional crisis Well spoken, Darragh O'Reilly theguardian.com/education/20...

Exam marking boycott at London Metropolitan University As funding model for UK universities is completely broken, similar disruptions will become increasingly common across the sector Universities are being overwhelmed by cascading crises & dysfunction islingtontribune.co.uk/article/jobs...

“This is horrifying. The University of Cambridge’s values are to protect freedom of thought & expression and freedom from discrimination. Instead of fighting for our principles, we’re selling them out to most murderous regime in the world" www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Moral & financial hazards that drove the Post Office scandal recur in Universities Both shifted from public service to market-driven bodies Failures are denied, problems are suppressed when reputation is threatened & blame pushed onto the powerless 21percent.org?p=3633