The extraordinary rise of Xi Jinping was, understandably, the main talking point of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in October. Thanks to the president’s relentless consolidation of his personal power base within the party and the official encouragement of something approaching a cult of personality, comparisons with Mao were […] … learn more→

When I was at a fake community college, there was one thing I loathed the most: a forced meeting with a boss (by “boss” I could be referring to any number of people with the right to fire me at their displeasure, from dean/assistant dean, to provost/assistant provost, to chancellor/assistant chancellor, to vice president/assistant vice […] … learn more→

As I write, it is just after New Year’s Day 2018. The remnants of 2017 have already beaten a hasty retreat and, as with any new year, thoughts quickly turn to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. For universities, the challenges are not insubstantial, and have already been trailed. Inevitably, many will focus on […] … learn more→

I know I’ve said many things in this blog that the gentle reader could find unbelievable, and, this being the internet, I completely respect and even encourage skepticism. I’m telling the simple truth, however, and am always eager to provide evidence of the things I say. I’ve mentioned before the painful, excruciating “multiculturalism” meetings faculty […] … learn more→

Tel Aviv University (TAU) is a world-renowned, top-ranked university offering international study programs for both undergraduate and graduate courses. It is ranked 195th in the QS World University Rankings. It currently offers 17 full-time international programs. Given TAU’s reputation and linkages with overseas higher education institutions (Texas A & M University & University of Quebec, […] … learn more→

It’s been a bad year. Not just for higher education. And not just at it winds down. The coming 2018 does not bode well for American colleges and universities. For one thing, the Janus case against agency fees (when unions can assess non-members for fees as a result of gains and benefits the unions have won for […] … learn more→

George Ciccariello-Maher, associate professor of politics and global studies at Drexel University, has resigned his tenured position.  In an announcement on Twitter posted today, Ciccariello-Maher wrote, “after nearly a year of harassment by right-wing, white supremacist media outlets and internet mobs, after death threats and threats of violence directed against me and my family, my situation has […] … learn more→

Many (not most) campuses are hotbeds of racial hatred, hatred of white people and white culture in particular. It used to be weird demonstrations of hatred of white people (eg, “Whites Are An Abomination”) were a “once a year” thing…then every six months. Today, hardly a week goes by without some idiocy slouching out from […] … learn more→

In the worldwide campaign to shift academic publishing to open access, the Germans are fighting a major battle. To many, they look like heroes. “Projekt DEAL” is the name of a German national consortium that includes university libraries and scientific organisations. The consortium has been working towards an agreement with Elsevier that, if the Germans […] … learn more→

In Australian schools, assessment drives learning. If there’s one thing that preoccupies students during the examination period, it’s the fear of failure and having to resit the dreaded supplementary examination. What is a supplementary exam? A supplementary exam is a form of further assessment offered to students who have not satisfied the passing criteria set […] … learn more→