Higher education in India is going through a critical phase. The country has witnessed tremendous growth in the sector since independence, and now has 750 universities, 35,000 colleges and 30 million of students. But none of its best institutions have managed to secure a place in the list of the world’s top 200 universities. This […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
Growing intolerance is threatening free inquiry and open debate in India’s universities
Hungary’s assault on academic freedom is a threat to European principles
Tens of thousands of people recently demonstrated in the Hungarian capital of Budapest against attempts by their government to close the Central European University (CEU). This was the second large-scale demonstration in Budapest in as many weeks – with protesters turning out en masse to challenge recent amendments to the national law on higher education […] … learn more→
Universities should be environments of robust debate, not ‘safe spaces’
Trigger warnings, “safe spaces” and “no platforming” have all made headlines recently as signs of the deterioration of free speech on campuses in the US. What rarely makes news, though, is another troubling aspect of censorship: so-called bias response teams. Like a throwback to China’s Red Guards, the student militia who turned on their teachers […] … learn more→
UK Universities admit ‘almost’ illiterates
It’s funny, yet sad, to watch the higher education system of the UK degenerate into the same abyss much of the US’ higher education has become. First, I point out that I’m extrapolating a bit: Around 85% of respondents in the Times Higher Education survey were from 130 UK institutions, though staff from regions including […] … learn more→
How a browser extension could shake up academic publishing
Open-access advocates have had several successes in the past few weeks. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation started its own open-access publishing platform, which the European Commission may replicate. And librarians attending the Association of College and Research Libraries conference in March were glad to hear that the Open Access Button, a tool that helps […] … learn more→
Thinking like an editor
There is a lot of good information about academic writing and publishing that is now out of print. It’s generally still accessible if you peruse the outlets that sell second hand books or remainders, so do check out the ‘other sellers’ link online. I’ve recently been accumulating older books about book publishing. One such […] … learn more→
CSU: Consensual sex is still rape, boyfriend expelled.
I feel like having an easy day, so once again I’ll discuss the demented kangaroo campus court system. Quirks in how universities are created give them surprising leeway regarding disputes on campus. Their policy documents were established decades ago, when academics ran campuses, and so the system was set up to have disputes, scholarly disputes, […] … learn more→
The unique case for rural charter schools
The recent appointment of Betsy DeVos as secretary of education has brought rural schools into the national conversation in ways never seen before. At her confirmation hearing, DeVos said that guns might have a place in schools in order to protect from “potential grizzlies” in places like Wapiti, Wyoming. While the comments about grizzly bears […] … learn more→
In College fundraising, bigger isn’t always better
One of the great myths about American higher education is that all colleges are wealthy. If most Americans have an mental image of a college, it’s often a bucolic bricks-and-mortar residential facility separated by rolling green lawns, entered through an impressive if forbidding-looking gate, and populated by attractive students who drive fancy cars. What they […] … learn more→
Why you are not the ‘star student’ (and how to become one)
I have a friend doing his PhD, let’s call him Ronald. Ronald is clever, bright and diligent. He’s spent many, many hours in the lab building prototypes and producing copious amounts of data. He’s clearly on the verge of a breakthrough that would change his field (but has yet to publish anything for fear of […] … learn more→
