The UK government’s new Job Support Scheme may save some UK jobs but it will do little for thousands of early career researchers (ECRs) already cast aside in the financial chaos caused by Covid-19. Even before the pandemic, ECRs finishing PhDs were confronted with a highly competitive labour market. It was considered ordinary to spend […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
ECRs are tired of being endlessly told what they can do better
University: digitize or go back
Traditionally regarded as a minor modality, online teaching had already achieved its nature and quality mark before the pandemic. Their figures, however, were (are) still small: of the 251 million university students only 2% receive training exclusively online (just over 5 million). In Spain the data are somewhat better, but equally low compared to face-to-face teaching with […] … learn more→
The pandemic is not an excuse to kill off the arts and humanities
In these unsettling times, the epigram attributed to Winston Churchill that we should “never let a good crisis go to waste” has become a touchstone for many political and business leaders. For the university sector, however, the maxim suggested by Game of Thrones’ arch manipulator Petyr Baelish is arguably more fitting. “Chaos is a ladder,” […] … learn more→
Gaining knowledge is what makes a degree valuable, not graduate salaries or transferable skills
The unexpected social and economic challenges brought by the coronavirus pandemic have given increased urgency to questions about the purposes of a university education and the kinds of graduates that society needs. Much of this debate has focused on the extent to which university degrees lead to graduate jobs and higher graduate salaries. For example, […] … learn more→
Interrupted fieldwork could mean terminated careers for PhD students
The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted travel on a scale not seen in recent history. There has already been much debate about what this means for universities that rely on fees from international students, but largely ignored are the more personal challenges faced by students whose research involves fieldwork. Travel bans and the imposition of lockdowns in […] … learn more→
Imposter Syndrome is not real, but I call mine ‘Berl’
I hate to fail. My failure avoidance leads to a tendency for overwork. I drive myself harder than any manager will, mostly out of fear of failure rather than love for the work. My feelings of insecurity make me a good employee and student, but they also put me at risk for burn out and […] … learn more→
Unis are run like corporations but their leaders are less accountable. Here’s an easy way to fix that
A common critique of Australian universities today is that they operate as if they are corporations. The pursuit of endless sales in the form of international student enrolments appears to be their principal purpose, rather than the pursuit of learning and knowledge. The government seems to view universities the same way it views big business. […] … learn more→
#startingthePhD? managing expectations
If you are starting out on a PhD you are probably expecting it to be hard work. That’s not wrong. A doctorate isn’t easy – it’s an extended piece of work over a long period of time. It takes energy and effort to stay focused and working on working on. Stamina. But you can’t expect to […] … learn more→
University presidents should be chosen by lottery
When Donald Trump won the US presidency in 2016 despite the myriad doubts about his character and personal affairs, his victory was attributed at least in part to his opponent’s unpopularity. Surely, many voters lamented, a country of 320 million people ought to be able to produce two better candidates than Trump and Hillary Clinton. […] … learn more→
We must come together to dismantle racism in higher education
There have been many seminal periods in the long and continual struggle for racial equality. Perhaps this will be one of them. The killing of George Floyd has illuminated the inequality that continues to pervade many societies and has prompted a global discourse around the power and privilege that accompanies whiteness. Higher education institutions may […] … learn more→
