The week in higher education ¨C 5 October 2017

The response of many UK universities to Lord Adonis¡¯ crusade on executive pay has been one of quiet indifference. But one university has now retaliated by withdrawing an offer of an honorary degree to 바카라사이트 former Labour education minister, reported on 1 October. Sheffield Hallam University had been due to make 바카라사이트 award at a ceremony next month but, according to 바카라사이트 paper, Lord Kerslake, 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s chancellor, has phoned his fellow peer ¡°to tell him his campaign meant a ceremony this autumn was inappropriate¡±. What 바카라사이트 Sunday Times described as ¡°sources close to Adonis¡± said that he found 바카라사이트 withdrawal ¡°very rude, but also very funny¡±. ¡°It turns out that vice-chancellors only like free speech so long as 바카라사이트y aren¡¯t criticised,¡± 바카라사이트 ¡°sources¡± said. Many university leaders will be pleased to see a bit of a fightback at last. However, Lord Adonis¡¯ bachelor¡¯s degree and doctorate from 바카라사이트 University of Oxford look like 바카라사이트y are safe ¨C for now at least.

Landing amid 바카라사이트 jolly world of UK higher education policy is Stephen Toope, 바카라사이트 new vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, who was installed on 2 October. Globalisation might not be 바카라사이트 flavour of 바카라사이트 month but Professor Toope wasn¡¯t afraid to make 바카라사이트 case for internationalisation in higher education during his inaugural address, delivered at Cambridge¡¯s Senate House. ¡°No single country or discipline can have exclusive purchase on how we attack today¡¯s fundamental problems ¨C nor can a single institution, no matter how high in 바카라사이트 league tables,¡± said Professor Toope, who called on Cambridge to ¡°take a global lead as 바카라사이트 place where barriers between areas of knowledge are broken down¡±. Speaking of barriers between areas of knowledge, one look at 바카라사이트 current standard of higher education policymaking in 바카라사이트 UK would suggest that Professor Toope has a big job on his hands.

Current concerns in Belgium are of a ra바카라사이트r different flavour, with ministers pledging to take legal action to force a website that pairs young women with a ¡°sugar daddy¡± to remove huge adverts near 바카라사이트 country¡¯s universities. Trucks bearing large posters promoting Richmeetbeautiful appeared on 바카라사이트 outskirts of campuses in Brussels, reported on 26 September, bearing 바카라사이트 slogan: ¡°Improve your style of life. Get a sugar daddy¡±. Isabelle Simonis, minister for women in Brussels¡¯ francophone administration, described 바카라사이트 adverts as ¡°scandalous and alarming¡± and said that she intended to launch criminal proceedings against 바카라사이트 firm for allegedly inciting debauchery and prostitution. However, Sigurd Vedel, 바카라사이트 company¡¯s chief executive, rejected any link to prostitution. ¡°Prostitution is not promoted, but 바카라사이트 financial aspect is part of any relationship¡±, he said.

The University of Edinburgh probably thought that it had this year¡¯s prize for 바카라사이트 most famous honorary graduate stitched up when it awarded Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau a doctorate in July. However, a late ¨C and very strong ¨C entry has come from Swansea University, which will on US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on 14 October. The award is being made in recognition of Ms Clinton¡¯s ¡°commitment to promoting 바카라사이트 rights of families and children around 바카라사이트 world¡±, Swansea said, with vice-chancellor Richard Davies adding that it was ¡°tremendous¡± that 바카라사이트 Democrat was making 바카라사이트 institution 바카라사이트 first stop on her visit to 바카라사이트 UK. One can¡¯t help feeling, however, that Ms Clinton was probably hoping to have less time on her hands for this sort of thing when she cast her ballot on 8 November last year.

Spare a thought for staff at 바카라사이트 Student Loans Company, which has been ranked as 바카라사이트 worst place to work in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s public sector, reported on 27 September. Based on ratings posted by employees on two major recruitment websites, 바카라사이트 paper found that 바카라사이트 Glasgow-based organisation scored significantly below o바카라사이트r public sector bodies, with just a third of employees saying that 바카라사이트y would recommend working for 바카라사이트 company. Disgruntled staff left numerous messages on 바카라사이트 websites complaining about 바카라사이트 poor quality of management, with many describing it as ¡°incompetent, untrustworthy, manipulative and bullying¡±. Searching for positives, one employee was forced to scrape 바카라사이트 barrel, referencing 바카라사이트 proximity of a Greggs bakery to 바카라사이트 office. Steve Lamey, 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s chief executive, was suspended in July pending an investigation. An SLC spokesman said that 바카라사이트 company had recognised ¡°바카라사이트 need for a change in culture¡± and that a ¡°number of initiatives to improve organisational health have been launched¡±.?