Tag Archives: UK
The future of the UK’s universities – a radical scenario
Earlier in the year at the ACU’s Executive Heads meeting in Hong Kong, I caused real offence to at least one participant when I argued that it made no sense at all for 50% of the UK’s young people to … Continue reading
Filed under Higher Education, UK, Universities
Watching the watchers watching…
In recent months I seem to have posted several photos of ongoing surveillance, generally by people acting on behalf of the state. Perhaps I should start a collection of these! So, here is another one (Camden CCTV again) patrolling the … Continue reading
Filed under Ethics, Photographs, UK
UK government set to re-examine Google’s infringements of privacy
Great to see the announcement reported by the BBC that Britain’s privacy watchdog is to re-examine the personal information that Google has gathered from private wi-fi networks. As the BBC article commented, “The Information Commissioner’s Office had investigated a sample … Continue reading
Towards a free university
I have generally been highly critical of plans by successive UK governments to commodify higher education and create a free market in university degrees that will require students to pay fees of well over £6000 for their degrees. The review … Continue reading
Filed under Education, Higher Education, UK, Universities
The brave new world of a free market university system in the UK
The Browne review places the final nail in the coffin for the belief that universities are about anything other than economic interest. From henceforth, university education in the UK has become a commodity to be bought and sold in a … Continue reading
Filed under Higher Education, UK, Universities
Religious faith in the UK
A recent report in The Times highlights that almost 80% of people in Britain describe themselves as having a religious faith: “More than seven out of ten people in Britain describe themselves as Christian, according to government research. Nearly eight … Continue reading
Filed under UK
Jobs or degrees for young people in the UK
It’s that time of year again: school exam results, and pictures of happy young people getting the results for which they hoped, alongside grim stories of those who have failed to make the grade! “Desperate for a degree?” in the … Continue reading
Filed under Higher Education, UK
UK Government switches off child database
I have previously raised concerns about the creation of the national ContactPoint database of all children that was put in place in 2009. I’m therefore delighted to note that this is to be shut down. The BBC reports that the … Continue reading
Illiterate UK graduates find it hard to get a job!
I was interested to read a report by Jack Grimston in the Sunday Times on 1st August under the headline “Top firms forced to reject ‘barely literate’ graduates”. What amused me is that anyone should find this surprising! For years, … Continue reading
Filed under Higher Education
Changes to A-levels: improving the quality of learning?
A report in today’s Sunday Times, highlights concerns expressed by the Education Secretary Michael Gove, about the structure of assessment in British secondary education. As the paper reported, “Michael Gove wants to see A-levels become more academically rigorous and to … Continue reading
Filed under Higher Education
