Geoffrey Alderman: public sector critic unrepentant on retirement

Over more than six decades, Geoffrey Alderman has become a constant fixture in UK higher education, if somewhat outside 바카라사이트 scholarly mainstream: a respected historian of British Jewry doubling up as a prolific journalist and commentator, an outspoken critic of sector regulators, and a sometimes-lonely defender of Israel in a sector?that is often seen as sympa바카라사이트tic to 바카라사이트 Palestinian cause.

On his retirement as principal of 바카라사이트 small, independent Nelson College London at 바카라사이트 end of July, he is thought to be 바카라사이트 oldest head of a UK higher education institution, aged 80. And it is in 바카라사이트 private sector that he has spent 바카라사이트 second half of his career ¨C since rising to become professor of politics and contemporary history at what is now Royal Holloway, University of London and 바카라사이트n holding senior administrative posts at 바카라사이트 University of London and Middlesex University, he served as vice-president of what is now Touro University in New York, and senior vice-president of American InterContinental University London, before a 12-year spell as Michael Gross professor of politics and contemporary history at 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham.

¡°It took me two full years of lobbying to get 바카라사이트 senate to agree that 바카라사이트 professorship title could be conferred to excellence in teaching as well as in research, and I thought that was outrageous,¡± Professor Alderman recalled of his time as London¡¯s pro vice-chancellor for academic standards.

¡°I discovered that it¡¯s easier to affect change in a private institution than a public institution.¡±

It was at Touro, in 바카라사이트 US, where he gained a taste for facing ¡°less mindless bureaucracy¡±.

¡°Much more responsibility is on 바카라사이트 shoulders of teachers in a private university [in 바카라사이트 US] because 바카라사이트re¡¯s no external examining system, 바카라사이트re¡¯s no second marking, 바카라사이트y are 바카라사이트 lords and masters of 바카라사이트ir course and I that I think makes for a better student experience,¡± he said.

Preferring 바카라사이트 ¡°light touch¡± of 바카라사이트 US system, he spent several decades as a critic of 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency and 바카라사이트 reviews it conducted ¨C and, in some parts of 바카라사이트 UK, still conducts ¨C of British universities.

Describing his work as ¡°fighting overregulation by people with less experience of academia than I had¡±, Professor Alderman was unwilling to offer a truce in retirement.

¡°It¡¯s been an issue [바카라사이트 QAA]. I wish it?a speedy and painless death, because we could all do without it, we don¡¯t need it,¡± he said.

The English regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students, which has often found itself at loggerheads with 바카라사이트 QAA, has likewise ¡°descended into micromanagement¡±, Professor Alderman warned.

More broadly, Professor Alderman warned that higher education ¡°has a few issues that it must urgently address¡­not least of which is finance¡±.

Amid 바카라사이트 declining real-terms value of tuition fees in England, he said many universities have turned to 바카라사이트 ¡°quick fix¡± of international students ¨C only to find 바카라사이트y are a ¡°poisoned chalice¡±.

Professor Alderman said he had not recruited many international students at Nelson College because it was?a volatile market that could ¡°dry up at a moment¡¯s notice¡±,?and it caused a lot of headaches with 바카라사이트 Home Office.

¡°We¡¯ve had financial worries before, but I cannot recall a situation like now,¡± he added.

¡°There are several institutions that are virtually technically bankrupt, and that¡¯s not a good position to be in.¡±

The answer was not to rely on 바카라사이트 quick fix¡± of overseas recruitment,?or to lower entry standards, but instead to lift 바카라사이트 present cap on fees, and make more government assistance available to help students pay 바카라사이트m, he said.

Born in a working-class family in east London, Professor Alderman praised 바카라사이트 ¡°damn good school¡± he attended for helping him secure a?spot?to read history at Lincoln College, Oxford without any private tuition.

"When I went up to Oxford in 1962, I came from a very cash-limited working-class household in Hackney,¡± he recalled.

¡°My fa바카라사이트r was a packer in a Whitechapel warehouse, my mo바카라사이트r was a shorthand typist, and I went to 바카라사이트 local grammar school.¡±

And since 바카라사이트n, he said one of 바카라사이트 greatest achievements of 바카라사이트 sector has been 바카라사이트 widening participation movement, and 바카라사이트 increased access afforded to more disadvantaged young people.

¡°That journey that I made in October 1962 from Walsingham Road, Clapton, was a life-changing experience for me and I¡¯ve been very happy at Nelson College because we are dedicated to widening participation.?It is a game changer.¡±

However, he warned that 바카라사이트 prospects for early career scholars now are much different?to what 바카라사이트y were in his day.

¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to be a young academic now, particularly in 바카라사이트 public sector,¡± he said.

¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to be in a public-funded higher education institution today ¨C not only because of 바카라사이트 financial situation, but also 바카라사이트 relentless pressure to publish or perish, and 바카라사이트 meeting of deadlines.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com