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

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 4h
'The policy will only apply to English universities, although there are fears across the sector that the devolved government may also adopt the levy in future.

The government intends to reintroduce maintenance loans for domestic students, which were scrapped in 2017.' 3/3

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 4h
'Going with a flat fee rather than a percentage is thought to favour elite institutions, including those in the Russell Group, who typically charge higher fees.' 2/3

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 4h
'The government will charge universities £925 per international student for each year of study from August 2028, in a blow to cash-strapped higher education institutions.' 1/3
International student levy set at £925 per student from 2028
Chancellor confirms details of controversial tax on income from overseas students, while universities also expect to be hit by changes to pension tax rules
www.timeshighereducation.com

Reposted by Bernardo Lanza Queiroz, Aaron Sojourner, Margot C. Finn , and 2 more

kris-inwood.bsky.social
Kris Inwood @kris-inwood.bsky.social · 4h
The Cambridge Group for the History of Population and Social Structure invites applications for a two-week Summer School on ‘Micro-Census Insights into Historical Households, Mortality and Fertility’, held at University of Cambridge from July 6-17th, 2026. Application deadline February 2 2026.
The Cambridge Group for the History of Population and Social Structure, Cambridge » Events
www.campop.geog.cam.ac.uk

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

johnmorgan3.bsky.social
John Morgan @johnmorgan3.bsky.social · 4h
Here's the DfE consultation document on international student fee levy, just gone live.

"Providers will pay a simple flat fee of £925 per student per year, which will not be introduced until 2028/29."

consult.education.gov.uk/internationa...
consult.education.gov.uk

Reposted by Jonathan Portes, Ben H. Ansell, Steve Peers , and 3 more

johnmorgan3.bsky.social
John Morgan @johnmorgan3.bsky.social · 4h
International student fee levy details confirmed in Budget document: flat fee charged on institutions "of £925 per student per year of study, starting in August 2028 academic year 2028-29".

No charge for first 220 students per year.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6926eb...
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 4h
'13:40—Harriet Swain writes in from the IHE conference that Edward Peck, chair of the Office for Students...said that “market-shaping” is starting to appear through government policies for higher education, such as the plan to focus maintenance grants on students taking particular courses.'
Topiary animal squatting on the left is trimmed on the right by a man on a ladder in blue coverall with sheers.

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 4h
'13:20—Reeves says former minister (and current Lancaster University chancellor) Alan Milburn is to review the “causes of youth inactivity”, and says that funding for under-25 apprenticeships will be “completely free” for small and medium size enterprises.'
resprofnews.bsky.social Research Professional News @resprofnews.bsky.social · 5h
Autumn budget 2025: Live blog.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves says Labour will act by “boosting trade, not blocking it; by increasing investment, not cutting it; by championing innovation, not stifling it”.

Follow live: www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Autumn budget 2025: Live blog - Research Professional News
All the higher education and research news from the budget as it is announced
www.researchprofessionalnews.com

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 5h
Website/Hub has resources that Humanities and other learned societies will also find of use, such as advice on setting up and running a grant programme, improving member data etc. Well worth a look if your society is trying to keep 'science' (in the European sense) & EDI alive in hostile times. 2/2
Image of the Farnese Atlas, white figure in marble struggling to hold up the globe, which rests on his neck and shoulders.

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 5h
Since today will be awash with dire UK university news, here's something positive. Have finally gotten around to reading the @acadsocsciences.bsky.social /ESRC Progressing Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) in the Social Sciences report and associated resources. Really excellent. 1/2
AcSS & ESRC Project: Equality, Diversity & Inclusion – Academy of Social Sciences
acss.org.uk

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

resprofnews.bsky.social
Research Professional News @resprofnews.bsky.social · 5h
Autumn budget 2025: Live blog.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves says Labour will act by “boosting trade, not blocking it; by increasing investment, not cutting it; by championing innovation, not stifling it”.

Follow live: www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Autumn budget 2025: Live blog - Research Professional News
All the higher education and research news from the budget as it is announced
www.researchprofessionalnews.com

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

tom-richmond.com
Tom Richmond @tom-richmond.com · 6h
Big news on SEND in today's Budget!

Government pumping in more money to keep the system float.

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

zackpolanski.bsky.social
Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 6h
The very first thing the Prime Minister does is use the household budget metaphor.

A metaphor - this report into BBC coverage - said could be "easily misleading."

Why is the government trying to mislead the country?
Note on household analogies

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

tsasson.bsky.social
Tehila Sasson @tsasson.bsky.social · 6h
🚨 Applications are now open for the 2026–27 Koch History Centre Fellowships at Oxford!

We are seeking 12 historians (9 junior, 3 senior) for a one-year fellowship at Wadham College & the Faculty of History.

This year’s theme: “Scarcity and Abundance”

Deadline: 17 Dec 2025

Please share widely!

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 7h
A bit like the Turing Institute (reportedly) supporting and being committed to EDI but not having any women in research leadership positions...

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

ihr.bsky.social
Institute of Historical Research @ihr.bsky.social · 7h
New blog from IHR Director @[email protected] reflecting on how historians can advocate for history through our practice, and defend the important historical work that goes on within universities as well as beyond them. blog.history.ac.uk/2025/11/advo...
Advocating for History by Doing History - On History
This blog was written by Claire Langhamer, Director of the IHR Historians are very good at crafting arguments and in recent times very many people have advanced very many arguments about why history…
blog.history.ac.uk

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 7h
It was really striking yesterday that (under the 'university autonomy' fig-leaf) this was the underpinning logic. It also helps to explain (not justify, or fully explain!) why they are so indifferent to staff redundancy issues. And research sits legally in a different bit of their 'market'....

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 7h
'Any students currently on courses will be supported to complete their studies, a spokesperson for the university said, and its council is set to make a decision on the future of the courses in the near future as part of plans to address a fall in revenue.'
Protest over future of University of Nottingham language courses
The University of Nottingham has suspended entry for new students on modern language courses.
www.bbc.co.uk

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 7h
I understand (and share) the outrage here, but bigger points are being missed. At law, students in England are now consumers. The market rhetoric, however repugnant, has legal foundations for universities' teaching functions. It was clear in yesterday's testimony that DfE is doubling down on that.

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 7h
'Business schools...are particularly exposed'. With 2/3 of their students being international students, they account for roughly 1/3 of international students and 'the largest share of income from all tuition fees'.

First they came for the Humanities students... 2/2

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 7h
'UK higher education, long one of the country's leading service exports, is experiencing its sharpest sllowdown in years as visa curbs and proposed levies squeeze overseas demand and university finances.' 1/2
Visa squeeze dents UK business schools’ appeal
The country is high among international students’ most wanted destinations — but applications are slipping
www.ft.com

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 8h
There are good data in the Main Panel D REF2021 report.

Reposted by Diane Coyle, Lesley A. Hall, Gillian Douglas , and 3 more

hetanshah.bsky.social
Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 9h
Want to hold a major academic conference in the humanities and social sciences? We offer up to £20k (and sometimes £25k) for a conference on any topic to be held between April 27/March 28. Apply by 29 Jan 2026.
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/sche...
British Academy Conferences funding for UK-based researchers
An exceptional opportunity for UK-based scholars to run a landmark event featuring leading-edge research as part of the British Academy’s events programme.
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 9h
Also the incremental way within any project that 'excellent' research emerges, with waystations that may not be 'excellent' enabling publications that are.

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 9h
'One of the programmes...closed entirely was on public policy, and the two women leading it left. Staff claim “there are no longer any women in research leadership positions”, which the institute did not respond to directly, though it stressed its commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.'

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 9h
Or left the market to do other things, perhaps gardening or yoga.

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 9h
'Another challenge relates to the unintended consequences of growing competition between providers. The competition in student recruitment is fundamental to the financial challenges now facing our universities and it will only intensify from 2030.'
Five challenges faced by the Welsh tertiary sector
Ahead of an evidence paper and call for submissions, Minister for Further and Higher Education Vikki Howells sets out her understanding of the key challenges faced by higher education in Wales
wonkhe.com

Reposted by Dave O’Brien, Colin Murray, Martin Paul Eve , and 6 more

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 9h
Chief exec of OfS 'said the OfS believes there are 24 institutions at risk of exiting the market in the next 12 months, seven of which are large providers with more than 3,000 students. There are another 25 or so institutions of various sizes at risk over a two- to three-year period, she added.'
Seven ‘large providers’ at risk of going under in the next year
Skills minister says no higher education institutions are at imminent risk of collapse this year but OfS confirms more than 20 providers are being closely monitored
www.timeshighereducation.com

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

resprofnews.bsky.social
Research Professional News @resprofnews.bsky.social · 9h
Alan Turing Institute staff decry ‘unjustified’ cuts to research

Internal documents detail extent of changes to projects and personnel at national AI institute

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
Alan Turing Institute staff decry ‘unjustified’ cuts to research - Research Professional News
Internal documents detail extent of changes to projects and personnel at national AI institute
www.researchprofessionalnews.com

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 9h
'“Some universities are being encouraged to go towards teaching only and select areas where they’re strong in research and…not be as research active in other areas,” he continued.' Apparently, all students should sometimes be taught by 'research-active' staff 'at the cutting edge'. 3/3