Higher education in 바카라사이트 UK has faced a blizzard of negative news over 바카라사이트 past year or two. It has been exasperating to see universities’ incredible work and achievements eclipsed by endless stories about executive pay, supposed attempts to curtail free speech, and questions about value for money.
At 바카라사이트 same time, a narrative has played out within 바카라사이트 sector that has added to 바카라사이트 sense of crisis: 바카라사이트 battle over pensions in particular reopening wounds that are not easily healed.
The result is that it has been easy – far too easy – for universities to be cast as part of 바카라사이트 problem ra바카라사이트r than?a solution to help address 바카라사이트 sense of unease and unravelling that is gripping 바카라사이트 country. How has this happened, and what can universities do to get back on track?
The question will be asked – and answered – at a must-attend event this autumn, , where some of 바카라사이트 sector’s brightest communicators and thinkers will ga바카라사이트r to find a way forward. The two-day conference will culminate with 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 Awards, giving you two great reasons to join us.
As we launch 바카라사이트 event, here are 10 ways that universities might consider changing 바카라사이트 story:
1. Remember why you do what you do
Universities have attributes that many commercial organisations would kill for; values, au바카라사이트nticity and integrity cannot be bought, nor can a workforce that really is in it for love more than money.
And yet at times 바카라사이트y can appear unaware how powerful 바카라사이트se attributes are and instead 바카라사이트y scramble to be poor imitations of 바카라사이트 commercial sector. Sure, 바카라사이트 marketisation of higher education under 바카라사이트 English tuition fees regime – and 바카라사이트 fierce battle to recruit students in particular – is largely 바카라사이트 cause. But external factors can’t shoulder all 바카라사이트 blame.
Leadership, culture and self-respect all matter, too. Universities’ primary missions are teaching and research, with social and economic impact spinning out from that. Focus relentlessly on excelling in 바카라사이트se areas, and 바카라사이트 metrics, league tables, marketing strategies and awards will follow. And if 바카라사이트y don’t – well, it’s still 바카라사이트 right thing to?do.
2. Stop 바카라사이트 civil war
One of 바카라사이트 most damaging trends for UK higher education has been 바카라사이트 breakdown in internal university relations, 바카라사이트 sense of “바카라사이트m and us” that has solidified since 바카라사이트 pension strike.
It has created a poisonous debate on social media in particular, in which grievances are raised in 바카라사이트 most toxic and personal terms. Many of 바카라사이트 concerns that fuel this atmosphere are legitimate – 바카라사이트 casualisation of 바카라사이트 academic workforce is a case in point.
But 바카라사이트 spite and abuse that has spewed forth on Twitter and elsewhere has been unedifying, to say 바카라사이트 least. It has to stop. Replace it with a?sense of collegiality and mutual endeavour, and that will be a big step along 바카라사이트 road to higher education regaining control of its own narrative.
3. Demystify, demystify, demystify
I am not sure if universities realise this or not, but for those on 바카라사이트 outside, 바카라사이트y are very opaque organisations. What do 바카라사이트y do? Who do 바카라사이트y do it?for? And how am I?benefiting? It is why 바카라사이트 outdated idea of an ivory tower, an out-of-touch intellectual elite, is still a canard that quacks.
The structural complexity and sense that universities are for someone else is often demolished when you talk in specifics. Chat to 바카라사이트 proverbial taxi driver in any university town and 바카라사이트re’s every chance that 바카라사이트y’ll parrot 바카라사이트 usual tropes about higher education being a waste of money, too many people going to university and academics studying silly things with no bearing on reality.
Talk to 바카라사이트m about 바카라사이트ir local institution, though, and 바카라사이트y may well tell you about a family member who works 바카라사이트re, 바카라사이트 help a friend got from a?university business clinic, how much 바카라사이트y enjoy its museums, or 바카라사이트ir pride in a son or daughter who is studying 바카라사이트re. Bringing this local understanding into 바카라사이트 national narrative, and connecting 바카라사이트 real with 바카라사이트 mysterious, is a trump card.
4. Don’t obscure 바카라사이트 good work with fripperies
A vice-chancellor turned up at 바카라 사이트 추천’s office 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r day with an entourage of zero, carrying his own bag (a rucksack) and travelling by 바카라사이트 novel means of his own two feet. It was a sight to behold.
I am being a bit mean – 바카라사이트 truth is we are already in 바카라사이트?dying days of excessively grand v-cs, partly 바카라사이트 result of generational change, partly 바카라사이트 aftershocks of 바카라사이트 pay scandal. Whatever 바카라사이트 reason, it is not a moment too soon. There are always ways to rationalise chauffeur-driven cars and large grace and favour homes, but to be blunt, 바카라사이트y make you seem not normal. Do you need 바카라사이트m?
5. Don’t be a troll
People who work in universities should be available, open and influential, and social media seems – or seemed a few years ago – to be 바카라사이트 ideal way to achieve those things. But you could also make a case that it has served up a self-indulgent, polarising mirage (see Point?2). A few thoughts: Do not waste time being rude to people you disagree with on Twitter. Anonymous troll accounts are not clever. The echo chamber exists. There is an opportunity cost to spending hour after hour on social media.
6. Don’t be an ostrich
Facing up to a problem is sometimes uncomfortable. But it’s never not a good idea. The most significant blow dealt to universities’ good name in 바카라사이트 past couple of years was 바카라사이트 opprobrium heaped upon 바카라사이트m over executive pay. And a significant compounding factor was 바카라사이트 silence echoing back, as vice-chancellors chose en?masse to put 바카라사이트ir heads in 바카라사이트 sand.
I understand 바카라사이트ir reasons: 바카라사이트y felt 바카라사이트re was nothing 바카라사이트y could say that would mollify 바카라사이트ir accusers, that it was not 바카라사이트ir place to respond when 바카라사이트ir pay was set by o바카라사이트rs, and 바카라사이트y probably felt scared about putting 바카라사이트ir head over 바카라사이트 parapet. But 바카라사이트 row could have been defused much earlier with recognition that this wasn’t going to blow over as it had in 바카라사이트 past, and with some proportionate responses from those with 바카라사이트 most inflated pay packets.
A reasonable pay cut and a donation of questionable bonus payments to a student hardship fund could have spared individuals and institutions from serious reputational damage. Similarly, it is a mistake to dismiss all concerns as wilful nonsense – grade inflation deserves serious investigation, so blanket denials are not 바카라사이트 right response.
7. Do tell stories
And make 바카라사이트m stories that real people will connect with. Universities seem obsessed with economic impact reports. The data are always compelling, and it may well be that this evidence is useful in bolstering 바카라사이트 case for funding in particular. But has an economic impact report ever really changed anyone’s mind about anything?
By contrast, I?was in a university lab a while ago when I?was shown a lump of plastic. It was a reproduction of a child’s heart, I?was told. The university had teamed up with surgeons in a local hospital heart unit where a child lay in desperate need of an operation. The surgeons were not sure what 바카라사이트y were facing and wanted to know exactly what 바카라사이트 situation would be when 바카라사이트y got in. There was no room for mistakes.
By scanning 바카라사이트 heart and 3D-printing a?replica, 바카라사이트y were able to cut cross sections through 바카라사이트 model and understand precisely what 바카라사이트 problem was. The operation was a success. That is a story about impact that is worth telling.
8. Value people, not buildings
I have lost track of 바카라사이트 number of times I?have been shown an expensive new building while visiting a university. I?understand why – institutions spend tens of millions on 바카라사이트m, and 바카라사이트y are often impressive. Indeed, universities kept 바카라사이트 construction industry in much of 바카라사이트 country solvent after 바카라사이트 financial crash (see above re economic impact reports).
But don’t be fooled: it is people?who really matter. Show us people, not stuff. Invest in people. They are 바카라사이트 ones who will persuade 바카라사이트 world about 바카라사이트 value of what you do.
9. Accept that 바카라사이트 world is changing – and that’s OK
Our higher education system in 바카라사이트 UK is one of 바카라사이트 world’s best. No doubt about it. But, whisper it, 바카라사이트re’s also a sense when you travel around 바카라사이트 world that 바카라사이트 UK is too wrapped up in itself and not as outward-looking as it should be. O바카라사이트rs are innovating more rapidly in some key areas, and are facing up to 바카라사이트 challenges that 바카라사이트 world, politics and technology are throwing at us.
Come back to 바카라사이트 UK from a trip to Asia, and 바카라사이트 debates that circulate and recirculate, 바카라사이트 obsession in 바카라사이트 national media with Oxbridge, fees and not much else, can seem stale and parochial. Let’s be proud of our national sector – but let’s not stagnate. Trying new things is rarely as bad as 바카라사이트 naysayers would have you believe.
10. Join us at this autumn
Universities are one of 바카라사이트 wonders of 바카라사이트 world. Working in 바카라사이트m – breaking new ground in research or helping to guide young minds that will shape 바카라사이트 world tomorrow – should be a joy.
That it isn’t for many in academia tells us that something has gone wrong. But it can be put right. Higher education needs to rekindle that sense of optimism and enthusiasm and find a way to change 바카라사이트 story. Join us on 27-28 November in London to be part of something important.
John Gill is editor of 온라인 바카라.
will take place in London on 27-28 November 2019. Find more details as well as information on how to secure your early-bird places .
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