Margot Finn
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eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn
@eicathomefinn.bsky.social
16K followers 4.2K following 8.6K posts

Historian of Britain and colonialism, material culture, the EIC. Also works on equalities, museums, open access & research policy. Download the EIC @ Home open access volume here: https://www.uclpress.co.uk/products/88277 (or individual chapters via JSTOR) .. more

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Margot C. Finn is a British historian and academic who specialises in Britain and the British colonial world during the long nineteenth century. She has been Professor of Modern British History at the University College, London (UCL) since 2012. Finn was previously the President of the Royal Historical Society and a trustee of the Victoria & Albert Museum. .. more

Political science 31%
Economics 26%
Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

lucydelap.bsky.social
Lucy Delap @lucydelap.bsky.social · 2h
Great chance to get immersed in these fantastic collections, and have some quiet writing time in a beautiful Cambridge setting.
chuarchives.bsky.social Churchill Archives Centre @chuarchives.bsky.social · Sep 18
📚 Whether you're an undergraduate, postgraduate, academic, or independent researcher, our research grants and By-Fellowships are designed to support work using our collections here at Churchill Archives Centre.

🔗 Click the link to find out more & apply: buff.ly/JGsTtHK
A poster advertising the By-Fellowships and Research Grants offered by Churchill Archives Centre. The text included on this image can be found at the link in the main post.

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

magstheobscure.bsky.social
Margaret Brown @magstheobscure.bsky.social · 3h
BTW some of you may know this but others won't. If you're in a place that's free WiFi is _TheCloud then it will give you unlimited credits to the BNA.

Key places are Wetherspoons (which is cheap and quiet during the day) and Cafe Nero (who don't do booze and whose coffee is good)

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 3h
Primary legislation has been promised that "locks in" inflationary fee increases for English HEIs but ' this will also cement the promised link to quality (though Smith added that the current TEF is not fit for this purpose – implying that for the two years ahead all providers will get this uplift.'
Government would protect interests of "students, taxpayers, and research" in provider insolvency
And the committee seems to think there is one on the way before 2026.
wonkhe.com

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 3h
'But skills minister Jacqui Smith (pictured right), whose brief includes higher education, and the Office for Students chief executive Susan Lapworth disputed that a provider was on the brink.

“I do not think that before the end of the year there is an imminent collapse,” Smith said.' 3/3

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 3h
'The committee had heard about one institution that had been approached by another regarding a potential merger. The institution approached had been “doing their due diligence” by gathering information, but after examining the financial situation concluded that the other provider “can’t go on”.' 2/3

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 3h
'“During that roundtable, we heard that a provider could collapse before the end of the year,” she [Helen Hayes] said. As the hearing was in late November, this was “essentially a warning of an imminent collapse of a higher education institution”, she added.' 1/3

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 3h
'In response to questions...Chapman said that what he hoped to see [was]...a “robust, equitable way of assessing [research] to make sure that we drive real excellence into our outputs and impacts”, and “alignment going forward” so that the REF “helps [UKRI] to deliver on all of our objectives”.' 3/3

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 3h
'Speaking to journalists at a summit hosted by UKRI on 24 November, Chapman said it had been worthwhile to halt the REF so that it could be “fully aligned with government policy”.' Given where we are in the REF2029 cycle, rather limited levers there other than a very skewed funding algorithm? 2/3

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 3h
'Ian Chapman (pictured) said he had been “very involved” in instigating a pause in the 2029 research assessment exercise and also in subsequent discussions about changes to the REF.' 1/3

Reposted by Dave O’Brien, Alison Phipps, Margot C. Finn

resprofnews.bsky.social
Research Professional News @resprofnews.bsky.social · 4h
MPs told collapse of UK higher education provider could happen by Christmas

Education Committee chair says situation is “not hypothetical”, but skills minister and regulator rebut claim

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
MPs told collapse of UK provider could happen by Christmas - Research Professional News
Education Committee chair says situation is “not hypothetical”, but skills minister and regulator rebut claim
www.researchprofessionalnews.com

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

resprofnews.bsky.social
Research Professional News @resprofnews.bsky.social · 7h
REF changes ‘to help deliver new UKRI objectives’, says Ian Chapman

National funding agency handed new targets tied to government priorities as part of R&D revamp

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
REF changes ‘to help deliver new UKRI objectives’, says Chapman - Research Professional News
National funding agency handed new targets tied to government priorities as part of R&D revamp
www.researchprofessionalnews.com

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 7h
Interesting development: all graduates of both Man Met and U Manchester will, from next year, be eligible for a 10% fee discount on postgraduate programmes at either institution, in an effort to bolster enrolment. There's a (selective) extant 20% reduction PG scheme at U Leicester and De Montfort.
Manchester universities unite to offer joint alumni discount
Joint offer builds on existing regional partnerships as higher education institutions lean on collaboration to solve funding crisis
www.timeshighereducation.com

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 8h
Paffey continues: unconditional offers are back, are they a problem? JS: Does not believe in student caps and does think someone should engage with the sector on unconditional offers. 17/n
Image of a headless horseman, on a horse, in black and white. Cover of Captain Mayne Reid's Headless Horseman, in 20 parts (Wikipedia).

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 8h
Asked about what government will do about subject cold spots given it has ruled out student number controls, JS states that HEIs have 'been provided the wherewithal' to address this. [Where is the wherewithal?]. Paffey (Lab) Is govt monitoring cold spots? JS: will consider it. 16/n

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 8h
JS: TEF is not good enough now to do this; will be in 2 years' time. Swallow (Lab) asks about casualisation of staff, esp. ECRs. JS: lack of certainty in HEI funding has underpinned this; the new 'certainty' will help solve it. [International levy, anyone?]. Staff are 'at the heart' of HEIs. 15/n

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 8h
REF pause mentioned, not elaborated. Swallow (Lab) what about research in A&H fields that don't align so well with government missions/IS? There is also scope for research in Humanities and Arts for (unspecified) 'important reasons'. Vince (Lab) Is TEF good enough to be tied to tuition fees? 14/n

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 8h
Sewards (Lab) raises research: researchers cannot now recuperate sufficient cost to conduct research with integrity. JS lobs that to DSIT/UKRI (not present). Asked what the WP's 'more strategic' distribution of research funding means, lobbed back to DSIT. Collaborate on research more HEIs. 13/n

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 9h
Hayes observes that this is quite a significant proportion of HEIs. She urges more clarity on competition law. LD asks if tuition increase has been wiped out by NI contributions. JS: it does not wipe out the significance of the promise that the increase will be inflation-linked each year. 12/n

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 9h
But JS concedes there might be a role for an HE commissioner charged with looking for gaps. [That's something of a departure]. Lapworth: OfS's 2nd and 3rd highest risk category: they have about 50 HEIs in these. They are more worried about the small ones than the large ones. 11/n

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 9h
Peter Swallow (Lab) asks about protecting smaller subjects. JS: universities should be thinking first about how to protect student choice. Mentions extra payment for costly subjects. [No joy for modern languages here alas]. Refrain is that HEIs pride themselves on autonomy so are responsible. 10/n

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 9h
Asked about universities' civic role, which government would like to increase, JS thinks there might be some evidence somewhere of this. [No mention of KEF or REF ICSs....] Greenwich Kent merger has come up now. Does government have a role? JS: universities are responsible for themselves. 9/n

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 9h
The closer an HEI gets to insolvency, the less the OfS's regulatory 'bite' has teeth, Lapworth notes. So in that case, they would turn to government. [See above for government view]. 8/n

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 9h
So, students, including international students, could be 'taught out' in these circumstances. [Staff have disappeared again]. OfS asked if student protection plans are adequate if a large provider goes bust? OfS does not have powers or £ to intervene in larger organisations. 7/n

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 9h
Amazing: LD question mentions what happens to staff (not only students)! JS: responds in terms of students: their safeguarding is important. They might also look at safeguarding research. [Which, obviously, can be conducted by....]. Insolvency law allows 'continued trading' during liquidation. 6/n

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 9h
Susan Lapworth (CEO of OfS) confirms she does not know of a university due to go bust by the end of 2025. There has been 'a slow deterioration' of finances this year. Helen Hayes: how confident is OfS that universities are being frank about their finances? They would expect to be on top of it. 5/n

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 9h
Helen Hayes asks how the government balances desire for economic growth with potential collapse of universities. JS: tuition fee increase provides 'certainty of income' to address this. [Any admissions officers or HoDs out there experiencing student fees as 'certainty of income'?]. 4/n

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 9h
What would the government do if an HEI became insolvent? JS: We would not intervene solely in the interests of the provider, but would potentially intervene on behalf of students and research. [It's a good thing then that HEIs don't have any staff]. 3/n

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 9h
But, to 'deliver our ambition' the government does need to create more financial sustainability for universities. Hence the inflationary fee increases and DSIT's announcements yesterday on quantum of research funding. But WP calls for 'specialisation' and 'efficiency' to make this happen. 2/n

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 9h
The chair notes that at a Chatham House rules private roundtable with universities last week, it was stated that 1 HE 'provider' may go bust this calendar year. Asks Jacqui Smith if she agrees: not likely before the end of the year (2025). She would have expected to have heard about it. 1/n

Reposted by Kelly Smith

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 10h
House of Commons Education Committee on Universities and the threat of insolvency starts its last session at 10:00.
BBC Parliament - Select Committees
Coverage of select committee proceedings at the Palace of Westminster.
www.bbc.co.uk