Margot Finn
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eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn
@eicathomefinn.bsky.social

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

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%

Ah now that IS a question!

British Academy does it for the SHAPE disciplines, in part though SHAPE Observatory and deep dive discipline reports. www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/policy-and-r...
SHAPE Observatory
Interactive dashboards and reports that provide insight into emerging SHAPE trends for HE professionals, subject specialists, academics and policymakers.
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

We have more Skills Training in Archival Research (STAR) workshops coming up!

Join staff at The London Archives for a hands-on workshop designed to help postgrad students and researchers make the most of archival collections.

📍 The London Archives
📅 1 April + 3 June
🕛️ 1-4:30pm
Skills Training in Archival Research (STAR) Workshop
Join us for a hands-on workshop designed to help postgraduate students and researchers make the most of archival collections.
www.eventbrite.co.uk

It's an important question. But was the health of disciplines previously monitored by all of the Research Councils? Arguably some more than others, perhaps.

Tuesday, Mar 24 from 6 pm to 8 pm GMT.

Be there and be illuminated #Skystorians
Next QMCBS Book Launch with @qmulsse.bsky.social : Matthew Hilton's Charity After Empire on 24 March 6pm: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/book-launc.... Panel with Bill Schwarz,
@riakapoor.bsky.social Kavita Datta & David Williams
Book Launch: Charity After Empire
British Humanitarianism, Decolonisation and Development
www.eventbrite.co.uk

Implicitly more than overtly, yes.

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

Next QMCBS Book Launch with @qmulsse.bsky.social : Matthew Hilton's Charity After Empire on 24 March 6pm: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/book-launc.... Panel with Bill Schwarz,
@riakapoor.bsky.social Kavita Datta & David Williams
Book Launch: Charity After Empire
British Humanitarianism, Decolonisation and Development
www.eventbrite.co.uk

Reposted by Pauline Stafford

'while Westminster is encouraging the downsizing of England’s higher education system, this does not seem as feasible in Scotland.... events at the University of Dundee have left the impression that the government will not allow a university to go bust.' 2/2

'many argue that the situation is worse in Scotland, with higher education institutions receiving approximately 23 per cent less funding per student than their English counterparts, according to London Economics, and a collective £12.9 million deficit forecast for 2025-26.' 1/2
‘We’re looking at all parts of the system – except tuition fees’
In election year, Scotland’s higher education minister says fees policy non-negotiable, as newly formed review group looks for new models to heal nation’s ailing sector
www.timeshighereducation.com

'he was recruited to lead the development of robotic infrastructure at Aithyra, a life sciences research institution, founded in 2024, that seeks to incorporate artificial intelligence in all aspects of scientific development.'

Robotics: the new "woke". 2/2

'Wali Malik no longer has to worry that a rightwing bureaucrat – or influencer – will decide his research is “woke”.' 1/2
‘I saw the writing on the wall’: Austria offers safe haven for US academics as Trump wages war on universities
Other countries benefit from the Trump brain drain as administration wages war on academia and research
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

People are making covers of Springsteen's Streets of Minneapolis and I like this one. www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4o0...
Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis (Irish Folk Version)
YouTube video by Ethan Gontar
www.youtube.com

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

Mrinank Sharma, who led the safeguards research team at Anthropic, shared his resignation letter on X, which quickly garnered nearly 1 million views.
Anthropic AI Safety Researcher Warns Of World ‘In Peril’ In Resignation
Mrinank Sharma, who led the safeguards research team at Anthropic, shared his resignation letter on X, which quickly garnered nearly 1 million views.
www.forbes.com

From special relationship to extra special amnesia.

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

A very interesting day at Caversham today, and a reminder of the value of dedicated archivists - much of the most interesting material came from a file I hadn't thought to ask for, but which they knew would very probably be useful.

I'm looking forward to bringing this story to you in early April!

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

Art+Feminism in partnership with Wikimedia Botswana invites you to join us on 20 February. Learn how Wikidata can be used to document women artists, feminist movements, and cultural contributions that are often underrepresented online by editing on your mobile device. 👉 Register: bit.ly/4qvbXx0

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

Breaking: The government has pledged write off 90 per cent of councils’ historic SEND deficits – estimated to be worth £5 billion

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/government-to-write-off-90-of-councils-send-deficits/
Government to write of 90% of councils' SEND deficits
Local authorities will get a grant to cover all but 10% of deficits accrued by the end of 2025-26
schoolsweek.co.uk

'Language and area studies has fallen 38 per cent over the decade (against 29 per cent UK-wide), concentrated in a single small provider – Aberystwyth, which accounts for 920 of 4,760 enrolments.' 3/3

Very comprehensive and well worth reading. 3/3

'At subject level, the domicile data shows up something closer to an identity crisis. In economics, only 15 per cent of UCAS acceptances to Welsh providers are Welsh domiciles. In biosciences it’s 23 per cent, chemistry 24 per cent, geography 23 per cent, languages and area studies 23 per cent.' 2/3

'Overall enrolments grew 14 per cent over the past decade, which sounds healthy until you note that the UK figure was 25 per cent. Wales is growing more slowly than the system it sits within, and the gap is widening in several subject areas that matter.' 1/3
Wales needs a plan. Don’t we all
Jim Dickinson reviews a Welsh HE system too concentrated geographically, too thin in subject breadth, and too dependent on English demand to serve the students it's supposed to be for Jim Dickinson re...
wonkhe.com

'Meanwhile, new data published by BAE Systems, a defence company that is one of the country’s largest apprenticeship providers, found almost two-thirds of parents (63 per cent) would prefer their child to pursue an apprenticeship'.

Do they still think this when they compare completion rates? 2/2

'Universities “recognise that we must continue to evolve to meet the country’s needs and to play our full part…in building long term prosperity,” said Malcolm Press, president of UUK.'

Maybe start by explaining what we already do on this front, how, why and what the results have been to date? 1/2
Universities ramp up employer engagement as criticisms intensify
UUK announces new business engagement initiative as data suggests most young people see apprenticeships as viable alternative to higher education
www.timeshighereducation.com

Loving the fact that we've been told off for months for not collaborating enough in UK research, but are now threatened with being excluded from the collaborative Horizon pillar. Well, actually, not loving it at all.

'A large layer of planking is missing from the vessel's interior, which indicates the remains have been buried in sand since the 1630s, according to the National Trust.' 2/2

'Maritime archaeologists from Bournemouth University believe it forms a missing piece of the Swash Channel wreck that was first discovered in the 1990s in a key shipping approach to Poole Harbour.' 1/2 #Skystorins
Timbers from 17th Century shipwreck appear on Dorset beach
Experts believe timbers found at Studland Beach form a missing piece of the Swash Channel wreck from 1631.
www.bbc.co.uk

'Meanwhile, staff at the University of Essex will begin seven days of strike action on 12 February over plans the UCU says could put 400 jobs at risk.

Staff will also begin action short of a strike'. 3/3

'Elsewhere, staff at Southampton Solent University walked out on 9 February over proposed changes to pension benefits...At Northumbria University, 10 days of strike action spread over three weeks will begin on 12 February, also as part of a dispute over pension provision'. 2/3