'For instance, as the British Library is investing £1.1 billion in a new building while its staff strike for fair pay, universities are investing in new overseas campuses or multi-million pound hotel developments while making academic researchers and professional services staff redundant.' 2/3

Important to distinguish between 4 types of usage here: 1) by HEIs for REF2029 submissions; 2) by researchers in producing outputs; and 3) by REF2029 Sub- and Main panels in assessments; 4) by Research England, UKRI & DSIT in devising assessments and rewarding (or not) performance in them. 2/2

The next closing dates for application for the RHS Fellowship are 15 December & 9 March 2026: bit.ly/4426Z2p

Our Fellows work across universities, and not just in History departments, as well as in many professions beyond academia. Fellows practice history in the UK and 71 countries worldwide 2/2

‘linking much-needed support for students to international recruitment – an unstable and overworked income stream - is risky and unsustainable. This measure could further weaken universities’
Read our Budget response here www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/news/british...

'“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

'Speaking to Times Higher Education shortly after Kendall’s speech at the Science Museum this week, Vallance said this interpretation [research concentrated in large universities; other HEIs focusing on teaching] was a “very bizarre reading of the White Paper”.' 2/3

This is a pattern that pervades the post REF2021 era. See also for example Kent, or at UoA level History, where the top 4 performing UoAs have all faced significant redundancies after their high results.

What does the White Paper (and DSIT/UKRI) mean by advocating 'specialism' in this context? 2/2

The university went along with the Brexit rhetoric and cacelled the UK European University brand, as a number of us recall…