Fractie SAM on LinkedIn: Elevating Insights: Fractie SAM Weekly Updates Closing speech University… (2024)

Capilouto’s plan to dissolve UK University Senate is naked power grab and should be stopped |- OpinionEdited for length - please read the full editorial at the source: Source: https://lnkd.in/gJ3rjrJb BY Linda Blackford (thank you!) UPDATED APRIL 18, 2024 10:04 AMThere’s been a lot of obfuscation and fancy jargon over University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto’s plan to dissolve the UK University Senate, so let’s call this situation what it is: A massive, paradigm-shifting power grab that could complete UK’s transition from an academic institution to a corporate degree mill.…Capilouto wants UK to be more nimble, as though a school of 34,000 undergraduates could ever move quickly. He believes the University Senate, made up mostly of faculty, but also some staff and students, moves too slowly because of byzantine rules around admissions, graduation and course creation. Only the Board of Trustees can be responsible for educational policy, he says, despite the sad fact that most of the trustees are high-dollar political donors turned appointees whose experience of higher ed is that they went to college.Capilouto’s idea is to dissolve the senate and create three separate senates, made up of faculty, staff and students, who will “advise” him and his top leadership. None of the three will have any power over policy, therefore we can only assume that such advising will end up where most advisory groups end up: Exactly nowhere.…..Only one member of the Board of Trustees, faculty trustee Hollie Swanson, has spoken up against this plan…First of all, there is the gaslit show trial process that Capilouto used to get here; a multinational consulting company, Deloitte, was already on campus doing God knows what (I say that because UK has consistently turned down our paper’s open records requests for what Deloitte was doing for UK.) So they pivoted, as consultants like to say, and started interviewing people here and there on campus about the University Senate. (Deloitte interviewed 55 people in all, but UK officials have refused to say who these people were or what they do.)Strangely, however, Deloitte neglected to interview the actual chair of the Senate Council or use any data from them for their recommendations.….Then there are the deeper arguments.The point of “shared governance” between administration and faculty in academia is that faculty — generally better educated than the administrators who lead them — spend the most time with students and have unique perspectives on courses and programming they need. They are well aware of the needs of their students and the needs of Kentucky. ……In this case, Capilouto has the sole power to fix this situation ... before it’s too late.#deloitte

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22-25 April: This week is university election season at Universiteit Leiden again! Students and staff: Vote for better education/kies voor beter onderwijs: https://lnkd.in/eGurEEkn The first universities (of applied sciences) are kicking off the start of the election season for their democratically elected representative bodies. Co-participation, co-governance or medezeggenschap. Whatever you choose to call it, the councils at central and faculty level that you can vote for are essential for the proper functioning of a university. Turnout has reached an all-time low, and that does not speak to how incredibly invested students and staff are in the future of their education and research. From the pressure on internationalization, to the political winds creating a financially unsure future, we are at a turning point in higher education. How we choose to cope with it. is however our own perogative. An involved university community is essential in times like these. One that makes its voice heard, stands for election themselves or votes for what they believe in. So enthusiastic people can represent your values and advise the executive and faculty board(s) on everything from your education to your research. And yes, progress is hard and it takes time. But from student wellbeing, housing and social safety, to work pressure under staff: you need to start somewhere. After 2 years in Leiden's University Council for Democratic Students Party - The Hague (DSP), I'm passing the baton. We've made a lot of progress on putting on the agenda our campus in The Hague , international students, student mental health and more. So liked what you saw? Give your vote to the next generation. 22-25 April: VOTE(use the link at the top of this post and your university credentials)*afbeelding credits: 2023 campagne 'kies voor beter onderwijs' van VMH, LOVUM, LOF, Hbo Medezeggenschap, ISO, LSVb, Universiteiten van Nederland, Vereniging Hogescholen en het Ministerie van Onderwijs.

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🌟 Just attended the insightful "Universities Under Fire" panel discussion.📢 I highly recommend colleagues and industry peers rewatch the session if possible. Together, we can change the narrative and highlight the invaluable role universities play in our society.🔍 Key Takeaways:📍Broader Societal Impact: Universities contribute significantly to society beyond individual education. We must improve public understanding of this value.📍Changing the Narrative: It's crucial to communicate the societal benefits of universities more effectively and demonstrate operational efficiency and innovation.📍International Student Policies: Recent rhetoric against international students has been damaging. We need stable policies to maintain the UK’s attractiveness as a destination for international education.📍Merger Speculation: While there has been speculation about mergers as a solution, the panel was sceptical and some favoured partnerships to address financial challenges.📍Research Impact: We must better communicate the impactful research universities conduct and its benefits to society.The panel maintained a hopeful outlook, emphasizing the need for collective action and collaboration with the government to stabilize the sector. 🙌Let's continue to push the university sector up the political agenda and find real solutions to the crisis.

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Visionary and exampleraly leadership is the best combination.According to the Co-authors of "The leadership challenge" Jim and Barry, when leaders experience their personal best, they display five core practices: They model the way, inspire a shared vision, challenge the process, enable others to act and ENCOURAGE THE HEART. GO #AUNigeria

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What does 2024 hold for higher ed (and the world)? Every year I ask a range of university folk with interesting perspectives to gaze into their crystal balls.Their answers will be shared in my Times Higher Education editorial next week, but on New Year’s Eve, here are the predictions of Anthony Finkelstein, president of City, University of London, computer scientist and former chief scientific advisor for national security to the UK government. Three roles that give him an interesting viewpoint on the turbulent year ahead!An election approaches. Both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer will be required to form platforms and narratives, we will see substantial intra-party political contest as these, to some extent, cohere. For the Conservatives, with the strong possibility of a substantial loss, at least a portion of this contest will be devoted to establishing a position for a period in opposition and a leadership challenge. The US elections will be uncomfortable and polarising, with a Republican party committed to a ‘conspiracist worldview’. A weak Joe Biden performance will nevertheless carry the day creating space for a realignment. The war in Ukraine will grind on, and the only prospect of change will come from the play of power in Moscow with a weakening but still dangerous Putin. China will continue to push the boundaries of the international order in Taiwan and the South China Sea but will steer clear of direct action. There will be a long hot summer. Climate change will seem more real, with water stress, migration challenges and conflict in the ungoverned spaces. Israel-Gaza will have a standoff with continuing violent interludes as Islamist terror is suppressed. Bouts of shuttle diplomacy will weaken the civilian toll but seem unlikely to yield a lasting peace. There will be a technology up-swing with a vast range of creative applications of machine learning improving lives.As for higher education, the message that it is not the over-supply of graduates, but the under-supply of suitably skilled employment opportunities produced by the UK economy, will begin to land politically. Higher education will continue to struggle with financial sustainability. There is an understanding that innovation, and quite fundamental changes to the university workforce are required, but it will be difficult to achieve. There will be limited changes in the sector but some established institutions will look very vulnerable, closure of activities and redundancies seem inevitable. Support for research will increasingly be problematic, with no cross-subsidy from teaching, the systematic under-funding is exposed. This is a risk to UK prosperity. Foreign students will continue to come but we cannot rely on continuing rapid growth. Digital disruption and transformation will stop being a slogan and will become a reality but it is doubtful universities will have the investment capacity to deliver its potential. The OfS will not learn from past mistakes.

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📣 HOT OFF THE PRESS! ThinkHigher is one of the 29 Uni Connect partnerships providing collaborative outreach for Coventry, Warwickshire and Hinckley. Uni Connect is a collaborative outreach programme centrally funded by the Department for Education, via the Office for Students. Its aim is to widen participation by improving equality of opportunity for underrepresented students to access higher education. Introduced in 2017, Uni Connect follows on from other similar national collaborative outreach programmes and is targeted at low participation areas with the aims to both increase participation in higher education and reduce the variation in participation between the most and least represented groups.The Office for Students (OfS) commissioned Public First to undertake a review of collaborative outreach that aims to improve equality of opportunity in access to higher education with a focus on Uni Connect in particular. It considered the extent to which the Uni Connect programme leads to increased student participation, better attainment matching between students and HEIs, and positive economic outcomes through human capital development and increased labour productivity. The review has now been published alongside an economic analysis of Uni Connect. In response the to findings of this review, John Blake Director for Fair Access and Participation at the Office for Students, says, ‘I am grateful to all the Uni Connect staff who contributed evidence to the review, in the form of survey responses and interviews with Public First. They provided important feedback to the OfS about how we can effectively manage these relationships going forward. Uni Connect can – and does – play an important role in ensuring that everyone with the talent to benefit from higher education is able to benefit from it. In making improvements to the programme we can ensure it is set up to have a positive impact into the future.’I am not at all surprised by the findings of this review and economic analysis, and am thrilled to see the hard work of Jo Gaffney Ellie Frankel Jamie Ormes Emma Culey Josh Pointon Pam Ghatora Amy Gordon Emily Doras Heather Twomey Cherish D. at ThinkHigher and the other 28 Uni Connect partnerships being reflected in a formal publication.

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DAN DAVID FOUNDATION2 August 2023Statement on recent developments in IsraelThe Dan David Foundation continues to follow with dismay the political developments in Israel, where the government has succeeded in pushing through the first element of a judicial overhaul that has been widely criticized as endangering the balance of powers and undermining the democratic foundations of the state.The Foundation joins the many concerned and friendly voices across the world calling on the Israeli government to put an end to its uncompromising and illiberal legislative push, which has created an unprecedented rift within the country.We are particularly shocked by the Education Minister’s ongoing attempt to seize control of the Council for Higher Education, a move that endangers the independence and viability of Israeli universities, which are one of the country’s greatest success stories and are internationally recognized for academic excellence.In light of the latest developments and our own statement dated March 6 on this matter, the Foundation’s Board has made the following decisions:Until further notice, the Foundation will not support or participate in any new project run by the Israeli government or government-controlled entities.For clarity, Israeli universities, which operate independently under the Council for Higher Education, will not be included in the above provision, as long as their independence is preserved.The Foundation has decided to allocate $1 million to support education programs and other activities run by civil society and non governmental organizations that seek to promote democratic, liberal and secular values in Israel. Applications, submitted by invitation only, are now being considered by the Board. Further details on the grants will be made public on the Dan David Foundation website under the “other projects” section in due course.

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The Group of Eight believes the passing of the Australian Research Council Amendment (Review Response) Bill 2023 will strengthen Australia’s research capability and help ensure the sustainability of our world class research.The Go8, as the recipient of 70 per cent of ARC funding, has driven the substantial governance reform of the ARC, in particular the establishment of an independent ARC Board to approve research grants within the National Competitive Grants Program. “The importance of an independent Board cannot be overstated. Depoliticising ARC funding through an independent board strengthens the integrity of decision-making processes and minimises political interference, which has impacted the capacity of our universities to attract and retain world leading researchers,” said Go8 CE Vicki Thomson.The Go8 looks forward to working with the ARC on implementing the reforms as well as the important upcoming review of the ARC’s National Competitive Grants Program.Read the Go8's media release on the passing of the Bill here: https://lnkd.in/gEEXWfYUhttps://lnkd.in/grMU-nid Ed Husic MPDepartment of Industry, Science and ResourcesJason Clare MPSarah HendersonPaul Fletcher MPCathy FoleyThe Australian Tim DoddUniversity of AdelaideThe Australian National UniversityUniversity of MelbourneMonash UniversityUNSWThe University of QueenslandUniversity of SydneyThe University of Western Australia#research#funding

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Informative insights and valuable case studies by Alastair Sim as part of the Halpin ‘Ask the Experts’ series – this one on ‘The gathering storm – navigating the interface between politics and HE’.Key takeaways from me:👉A new government will have very limited headspace, how can the HE sector get ‘cut-through’?👉 Universities urged to co-create solutions and co-develop policies with a new government (help us to help you) – demonstrate that universities are willing to do the ‘heavy-lifting’.👉 Make the incoming government complicit in solving the problem and outlining what it wants from universities – similar to the approach undertaken in Australia with the Universities Accord. Case studies – what has worked well, what can we learn:👉 In the past university leaders have been reluctant to talk about the impact of cuts – given that other sectors are presenting credible cases of being starved of resources and the severity of such cuts on society, university leaders need to be frank about the impact of underfunding on the quality and opportunity for students. 👉 While politicians may not care about institutional financial sustainability, they do care about opportunities, jobs and the economy within their constituencies – can universities as anchor institutions provide more data and case studies specific about their impact on local economies?👉 Politicians hear messages best from 3rd party stakeholders – parents / industry / employers – how can universities involve them more? (I note the successful 100 faces campaign (https://lnkd.in/g-zTb4Bi) from Universities UK in celebrating the stories and achievements of students and graduates who were the first in their family to go to university).👉 Government ministers have limited capacity. Civil servants are stretched. Make life easier for busy and pressed civil servants: provide credible data as well as case studies outlining the social and economic impact and the contribution that universities make to the region. 👉 Universities need to demonstrate VFM, seek to co-define and co-create solutions with government, step up to the challenge and help shape policies for the post 16 education landscape.👉 The power of the anecdote. To be influential, universities need to combine evidence (provide data) and emotion (share stories).Engage with local politicians, be practical and show them the ‘shiny things’ to enthuse about but also show them the leaky roofs. 👉 The power of hope. Many people and parents value what universities do and politicians do understand that universities are a fundamental part of social and economic fabric. https://lnkd.in/gVPDYsC2

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COUNCIL STATEMENT ON RECENT SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS The Council of Nelson Mandela University met on Friday, 19 July 2024 to discuss the recent posts on Facebook referring to the Vice-Chairperson of Council. Council deliberated extensively and in the presence of the Student Representative Council (SRC) President and Secretary-General, Council agreed to release a statement denouncing the deeply offensive and threatening language used by the EFF Student Command to justify their disagreement on a matter in which they were not ostensibly involved. The Council will investigate how this breach of confidentially happened.The statements made in these social media posts are inconsistent with the University’s values, including respect for diversity. This unethical attack is doubly offensive as it is directed at a female member of Council when, as a nation, we continuously battle against the scourge of Gender-Based-Violence (GBV), Harm and Femicide. The Council has on several occasions expressed itself on this social evil and, together with management, have implemented programmes to combat it on our campuses, to change beliefs and negative attitudes related to women and their bodies. The Council of the University is the highest decision-making structure and is empowered by the Higher Education Act, 101 of 1997 (HEA) to exercise governance oversight over the University. It consists of 30 members that include internal and external members, including two members of the SRC. The University’s governance system and structures have been consistently evaluated and proven to be effective and robust.In the execution of its role, the Council considers recommendations by its various Council committees, Senate (as per the stipulations of the HEA), Institutional Forum (IF) and makes final decisions as a collective body. The decision-making process allows for its members to freely express their views openly, robustly, passionately and within the overall ethos of democratic principles and the advancement of the purpose and vision of the University. It is therefore completely incorrect to imply or suggest that one member can make a decision on behalf of Council. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dvkeEx8J

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