Oxford Street Protest: First Hand Account

As I left the office last night to start my usual walk to Oxford Circus for the tube home, I wasn't surprised to see a helicopter overhead given the protests under a mile away. It isn't unusual to see emergency lights on Oxford Street - but it's normally due to someone fainting in a department store.

As I rounded the corner to find riot police in the road, my first thought was that there had been an attack on Top Shop and other brands, as there had been the previous weekend over firms lack of UK tax payments. And the evidence backed this up with 60-80 protesters outside a rather damaged shop window.

However, as the number of Police increased and started containing the crowd, the feeling and nature of the group changed. It became hard to judge who were protesting and who were shopping. Whatever, as fires were lit, there were some 300 taking action, as many police and several thousand onlookers.

As the numbers increased, so did the fire and there was strange mix of chants. It started with the expected (for a tuition fees protest) 'No ifs, no buts, no education cuts' with posters condemning the Lib Dems. Increasingly, 'Our Street' and 'Tory Scum' became the chant from the people banging and standing on bins. It was unclear what THIS protest was against but clear its participants weren't just students.

The crowd grew to some 500 with larger missiles thrown at the Police. I now learn that during one of the surges forward, these items were also aimed at Prince Charles. A strong smell of burning, alcohol, cannabis and a more threatening atmosphere filled the air. With protesters circling on bikes and many using social media applications on their mobiles, it became clear something was about to happen.

There was a sudden rush of at least 600 protesters down Oxford Street off to their next location at Marble Arch. On the way down they pulled the emergency stop on a number of buses, paralysing the entire road.  But as they move away so did the cleaners appear and the evidence of what had just gone was quickly erased. 

Having reported on student protests as a University Radio Reporter in France and the UK, witnessed teacher protests as a work placement journalist in France and covered a number of crowd events as a trainee reporter at Sheffield, I have seen more than the average number of protests.  This was different.  The selection of Oxford Street and Prince Charles' car rather than just Parliament and Government Buildings make me wonder the motivation of the protesters.  Given the slogans these weren't all students.  Given the alcohol, drugs and weapons available this was not always intended to be peaceful. 

The policing was fair and subtle; I witnessed no provocation and, conversely, during the run down Oxford Street I saw no Police control or warning of the general public.  The flash mob technique was successful if intimidating. 

As I walked down Oxford Street back to work this morning, there is little evidence as to what happened last night bar the repairs to shop windows.  Yet it is all that the media (and office) are talking about.  I wonder how long the repairs to reputations in Westminster and to the Students' cause will take. 

Tweets: Oxford Circus "Student" Protest as it Happened

Below is a summary of my tweets from Oxrford Circus via Twitter @cjgrinbergs on Thursday 09/12/10. 

1937:  At oxford circus. Riot police out after attacks on top shop. #demo2010

1939:  Mass rush down oxford street. 8 police vehicles & at least 60 police. hard to work out who are shoppers & rioters. #demo2010

1940:  At least 40 riot police in groups, helicopter over, at least 5 riot vehicles. more sirens approaching. #demo2010

1942:  @BBCTravelAlert Buses delayed on oxford street as wild cat protest & police go through #demo2010

1945:  Chants of tory scum andpolice battons raised in centre of oxford circus #demo2010

1953:  Tube back open and buses moving down regent street. #demos2010

1956:  60-80 Protestors outside top shop. at least as many police. 10 times aa many onlookers/shoppets. 3 more police vans. #demo2010

1958: Chants up 'our street', protest group larger, contained by riot police #demo2010

2001:  Chant of 'no ifs not buts no edu cuts' & 'tory cuts' now. Is this an anti tax protest or anti #tuitionfees? #demo2010

2005:  Riot police in groups at either end oxford street, Lines holding tourists, demonstrators & police apart #Demo2010

2007:  Protestors hard to distinguish from tourists. hundreds descending. flash protest getting larger. 300 May be. #demo2010

2009:  fire in middle oxford street. 4/500 now. #Demo2010

2012:  Chants change from 'tory scum' to 'our streets' to against education cuts. unclear what focus of protest is. #demo2010

2015:  Lots of alcohol being drunk by protestors, bins used as drums, fire stoked & smell of cannabis in air. #demo2010

2019:  Scuffle with police. bottles thrown. fire quite large. still people arriving about 500 now. #demo2010

2020:  Banner appeared criticising lib dems but chants of 'our streets' #demo2010

2028:  Fireworks and larger missiles thrown. Cheers go up everytime riot police forced back. more threatening now. #Demo2010

2032:  Group splits. at least 600 rush up oxford street. police don't stop or control #demo2010

2034:  Tube closed, buses stopped, thinner crowd and street cleaners already in place. #demo2010

2037:  Protestors on bikes circle everywhere and head off down oxford circus to next flash protest #demo2010

2040:  Lots of mobiles with social media apps open. may be reports of next protest. #demo2010

2044:  bus driver tells me protestors pulled emergency engine cut on all buses they passed down oxford street. at least 10 still stopped #demo2010

2046Heavy security in shops. many cleaning mess or guarding

2049:  Shoppers reactions: 'at least h&m's still open' 'we all av to suffer cuts' but mainly bemused/intrigued. #Demo2010

2052:  crowds clearing, still 6 police vans plus loads of officers at oxford circus. #demo2010

2117:  On way home, life on oxford street returns to normal but I remember why I wanted & trained to be a journalist #demo2010

2154:  Protestors failed to disrupt royal variety but prince charles car got it. didn't realise i was that close into things. #demo10

2208:  RT @gedrobinson Spot on 'headline' on ITN. "Rioters hijack student protests."

2208:  RT @voyagerd79 Sorry students, you have lost all credibility after what you have done today.

2212:  Policing I saw was surprisingly careful given closeness of prince charles but protestors tested firmly. #demo10

2214:  @TimothyJMoore It was nasty & the protestors were throwing large items & using flash mob techniques. Reports about right.

2218:  Reporting on news seems fair to me: protestors used flash mob techmiques, threw large items & were not provoked by police.

2222:  News has missed fact that protestors' slogans showed many non-fees participants & heavy presence of alcohol/drugs. They weren't all students

2225: Given selection of top shop & prince charles as targets, not just parliament/gov depts makes me wonder some protestors' motivations

Tuition Fees & Future University Funding: Rolling Blog

This is a rolling blog during the 36 hours ahead of the Government vote on tuition fees on the evening of Thursday 9 December 2010. This will try to cover & discuss the national day of action by the NUS (Wednesday 8 December), any news from London, the Universities of Westminster (my work institution) or Roehampton (my PhD institution) and any news on the political negotiations. All opinions my own, keep an eye on my twitter feed @cjgrinbergs and remember all new entries will appear at the top so read from the bottom for the start of the story.

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1905 My Blog: What the #tuitionfees protests mean for social media & citizen journalism http://tinyurl.com/38d98v3

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1859 My Blog: Why I don't want this vote to spell the start of the end of coalition politics: http://tinyurl.com/38d98v3
09/12/10 1830 So the vote has taken place and there was a majority of 21 (323 for, 302 against) which is a reduced governmental majority from 84.  Apparently 21 Lib Dems voted against.  The policy has got through and so the university system can now start to move on and adjust to its new funding regime. 

I think there are some issues that have been raised about the wider political and media fall outs from this. 

Firstly, this has been one of the first protests organised and covered using social media (including blogs and tweets like this).  Though the shots of police charges and demonstrators are reminiscent of the protests over Poll Tax and the numbers involved remind us of the Iraq protest, this protest is different.  It is on a scale not seen for a while, a violence not seen for 20 years and organised using media that we didn't know exist.  The issues of impartiality of the broadcasters (the BBC will come in for criticism again) will never go away but their role as a reporter of facts looks secure.  However, as at the election, the use of social media & 'citizen journalism' to provide alternative comment & to 'rally the troops' is becoming more important, as seen today in the interactivity and organisation of the opposition to the tuition fees vote. 

For the political, this is one of the first tests of coalition government.  Neither side have found this easy and this falls into a wider shift in the Lib Dem's politics to the right.  It's not an easy shift and one which may end up damaging the party at its core but one which has been on the cards for some time.  Whether the Lib Dems will hold together is going to dictate how long this coalition lasts.  From my perspective, their 'liberal' input to Tory politics is the sort of impact I want them to have and if today signals the start of the end of that alliance, then it is a shame.  Coalition politics could be far more interesting and representative if we allow it to develop. 

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1836  @thisisdavid Always a problem. As is fact most camera shots are from behind police so students look like they 'attack' & not police charging

Twitter @thisisdavid 09/12/10 1832 @cjgrinbergs agreed that both sides have had time. But during the peak of the reporting it wasn't balanced.

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1830 @thisisdavid But leaders of NUS & UCU given airtime + full interview with Simon Hughes last night. Balance is seen over days not minutes.

Twitter @thisisdavid 09/12/10 1829 @cjgrinbergs on the ground they were grabbing whoever. There was no parity.

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1828 RT @jason_manc Ed Miliband wants it both ways. Condeming the HE changes but refuses to guarantee he'd reverse it. Pathetic, opportunist student politician.

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1827 Interesting vote: 21 majority says worrying things about strength of coalition. what will happen on issues like voting reform? #tuitionfees

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1824 @thisisdavid But plenty against fees on the ground interviewed by BBC news this pm including very good interview with NUS vice pres.

Twitter @thisisdavid 09/12/10 1823 BBC news please spend as much time finding student voices as you have for the other side. No one against fees in studio yet.

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1612 Just as the protests get hotter outside, so are things within the Lib Dems. Impact of the #tuitionfees vote getting worse.

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1611 Lib Dem Resignation from Government: Mike Crockart to go. #tuitionfees

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1553 RT @journotutor Live blog of student #demo2010 from @JUS_news http://bit.ly/gCqn8i

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1545 RT @joshuwahwah Why would they charge the crowd with horses? This is only going to inflame the situation.

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1543  Police horses charging students reminds me of Poll Tax riots. Not good publicity for protestors or government. #tuitionfees

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1541  RT @BBCLauraK Best current guess: 16 lib ministers vote yes, a few other b'benchers too, 15 or so vote against, leaving about 20 abstensions: a guess!

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 09/12/10 1530  Reply Retweeted (Undo) Still on My Blog: Rolling information & analysis as we prepare for the #tuitionfees vote http://tinyurl.com/38d98v3

09/12/10 1230 So the day has arrived and the debate has got under way.  I have a day full of meetings and business to cover but in the odd moment am catching up with what is happening out there. 

Victoria station was once again filled with students - mainly of school age who are realising that they are the ones to be particularly hit by this.  I am sure they are off to a protest and will join those already in universities and some academics. 

From an internal point of view, all University of Westminster staff have received an email from the Vice Chancellor saying that the institution is personally campaigning as well as via Universities UK against the reforms and will continue to do so.  He concludes:

We would go further and criticise the current Government for the imposition of the disproportionate Comprehensive Spending Review outcome for higher education. We will continue to argue for a rebalancing of the public-private contributions to HE that would have benefit for all students and all universities.

Though the vote takes place this afternoon, I am sensing this may not be the end of the battle and there may be more battles to be won.  08/12/10 2230 Just back from lectures at Roehampton University and I have to admit that both there and at the University of Westminster, there is little evidence of protests.  The tube had a few extra students on it and every meeting or session one attends, both academic and non-academic staff have it in their minds.  Indeed, some academics have told me they intend to campaign tomorrow in Parliament Square - one of the benefits of a central London setting.  That said, when in discussion with my own line manager, he reminded me that we really do not have to consider this as the end of the discussion on university funding: the issue of research and other funding has still to be resolved.  Though this is the most important part of the news, we cannot forget that the funding for research is also decreasing by 36%. 

There seems to have been a good 'discussion' (possibly a tad too generous a term) at both PMQs and a variety of venus outside Parliament.  There seems to be some forgetful Labour politicians who said they would take on board the Browne Review.  They are not in power so can make the grass look greener on their side.  That said, I have just heard that the government is confident to win the vote (ITV news) as they are not calling the Environment Minister back from Switzerland to vote. 

So, for all the political heat, a quieter day than some expected.  I suspect that tomorrow will be a little busier. 


08/12/10 1431 Just led session on research impact & funding: appropriate when we're talking about future of unis. #tuitionfees

08/12/10 1147 From 5live callers, Clegg not getting message over. Failure of communication rather than policy for government? #tuitionfees

08/12/10 1142 Just had a note round at work that Cable has confirmed that Part time students will get 25% funding, new students will need to repay when earning above £21,000 and existing students will pay from £15,000 but this will increase with inflation 2012-16.  On one level seems a better situation for those affected but not sure that if this will relieve the fact that more will have to be paid back. 

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 08/12/10 1141 Update at work - Cable: Part time students to get 25%, new students threshold £21k, existing £15k to increase with inflation

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 08/12/10 1136 More students & police than usual at Victoria Station on commute. Off to #tuitionfees protest or preparing to flood tube?

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 08/12/10 1134 My Blog: Rolling information & analysis as we prepare for the #tuitionfees vote http://tinyurl.com/38d98v3

08/12/10 1113 The UCU report on Universities at Dangeris interesting and a good read but I personally think that it misses out on certain aspects. The report examines the number of students from the Browne's 'favoured' and 'at threat' subject areas, the amount of income from the teaching grant and the number of non-EU international students. However, comprehensive though this number is, I think the report does not consider the financial situation of each of the institutions. Take Roehampton which was founded by three church organisations and therefore its finances are different to the mainstream. It's foundation basis mean that its financial calculations are different despite emphasis on the liberal arts. Also, the report does not examine the impact on the number of fee paying students and part-time students (which may go up with increased support).


Finally, it is unclear what level of debt the universities already have and what steps have already been undertaken by institutions to protect themselves in the cuts which is not surprising given this is a quantitative and not qualitative report. Certain universities have larger debts and less time, therefore, to address the current situation. Let's not get this wrong, we are looking at smaller universities (due to the research cuts as well as due to the changes in student funding) and a change in the emphasis of certain subjects get but this report does not show the entire story.

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 08/12/10 1109 Clegg says #tuitionfees situation not a crisis.

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 08/12/10 1105 Roehampton has backing of 3 churches which will affect how it goes forward & thus is not like others in UCU's risk list.

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 08/12/10 1103 Read UCU's Report http://alturl.com/2v2wz: interesting but not convinced by some of the analysis #tuitionfees

Twitter @cjgrinbergs 07/12/10 0953 Did Norman Baker et al really expect NOT to compromise on gov payroll? He should stop blackmail & resign. #libdems #tuitionfees

08/12/10 0937 Rolling Blog Live: Reading the UCU report and what it means.

Re-thinking Neo-Liberalism

Quick thought on train home: neo-liberalism's accused of giving everything an economic cost; if we talk of value doesn't that broaden things but remain within broad discourse? What impact does differentiating price and value have on neo-liberalism?

20 Years After Thatcher: The Real Legacy to Society

So it is 20 years today since Thatcher announced her resignation - and on Sunday it is the anniversary of her leaving Downing Street. It is one of the earliest political memories I remember: I was a child of Thatcher (born in 1983) and so the idea of having a female, conservative Prime Minister was all I knew so the day of her fall made quite a mark.


In many senses, the influence of her politics still hangs over the UK. Her style of politics along with the paradigm shift that occurred in economic and social life at the same time can still be seen. Many would argue that the current Conservative/Lib Dem administration and the New Labour movement showed many similarities with the Thatcher administration and ideology: driving for economic efficiency, an efficiency/target-based approach to services, a state that is responsive to needs but increasingly socially aware.

I've just finished (for the second time) Suzy Harris' "The Governance of Education: How neo-liberalism is transforming policy and practice" which examines the rise of neo-liberalism. The book is heavily critical of neo-liberalism as it was born out of the new-right agenda (which Thatcher and Reagan created); Harris argues that academics, politicians and, indeed, society as a whole should seek freedom from the neo-liberal project which reduces everything to economic arguments with "no space for intellectual and moral questions."

And this is one of the fundamental problems with the critiques of the conservative/neo-liberal model; many presume it is only the left that are morally aware and intellectually engaging with the troubles of the day. Many from the right would refute this. Thatcher may have argued that "society is dead" but in fact she was reflecting a change in our relationship with society. Her full interview discusses individuals supporting each-other (rather than the state) and this has, in some ways, developed into the 'big society' theme.

The Conservative Party have allowed those from the left (primarily labour) to take the social and moral high ground by not explaining their values. Tories often come across as slightly embarrassed; those in academia can feel crowded out but surely must exist in reasonable numbers. Those from the right lack the confidence to explain their position. So the (over?) confidence & policy cohesion of Thatcher has lead to a loss of identity & confidence in what the Tories now stand for.

The current conservative party (with the help of their Lib Dem colleagues) seem to be locating themselves in a form of conservatism which in addition to its economic values is also socially and morally responsible. This leads to a society:
- Where the individual is more capable of improving their lot than the state (though the state must nurture and support them).
- Where the state should equalise (though not redistribute) wealth.
- Where the individual knows how to better spend their money than the state (so when it is safe, lower taxation is good).
- Where the freedom of the individual is not over-ridden by the state protecting the individual.
- Where a market-approach to services (including higher education) is not a bad thing as competition forces everyone to improve their game and provide better services for all.
- Where Britain's world position is stronger by engaging with the other countries but not being dominated by them, including a fuller role within Europe.
- Where economic conservatism and social liberalism come together.
Fundamentally, this means a society which is equal for all, whatever their gender, age, race, income or sexuality and it is the role of every one (in partnership with government) to insist on this.

I have been criticised for some time (by both some left-leaning friends and my PhD tutor) for being trapped by the neo-liberal agenda; increasingly I realise that this 'agenda' is not one I am trapped within but one which I chose to believe in. Now, I know that I will not agree with every Tory policy or politician (just as I don't agree with every doctrine or clergy member of the church). But I am happy to associate myself with many of the under-pinning ideologies of the right. This needs to be reflected in my research in a reflective, value-centred way – in the same way that the entire conservative party message needs to be under-pinned by reflection & values.

So 20 years after Thatcher, rather than leaving economic-influenced approach to society and social division as her parting gift, perhaps her real legacy to politics should be seen as socially-focussed policy and starting the development of a new society.

The Spending Review

A 'rolling post' on the Spending Review - for the first posts please scroll to the bottom. 

1421  So the analysis now starts as people try to find a little (or any) detail in the numbers just announced.
I am waiting for statements from the various University boards to get more of the detail for HE but my initial feeling is that it is bad maybe not as bad as predicted but that will only be clear in a few months. The teaching budget is down, the research budget is down a little less than feared. That said there is going to have to be some pinching across the sector and research capacity will be reduced. There does seem to be a focus on science rather than the wider subjects available and this may be particularly damaging to the Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities.
More broadly, an interesting review for the politics thrown up. The body language was interesting. Clegg looked uncomfortable - perhaps thinking of how to sell this to his parliamentary and grass routes people. The PM and the Chancellor looked a little more comfortable but the thrust of their argument was 'this is because of what we were left by the last government.' Not completely true as they have always discussed a smaller state (and this is a good opportunity to implement that) but are also wary that this could damage them in the polls too. The shadow chancellor tried to pin this on ideology but faltered - perhaps due to lack of confidence in his brief and perhaps due to a lack of policy. And the Leader of the Opposition did not look happy with his shadow chancellor's performance and wonders if there is a start of another Leader/Chancellor divide in the labour party.
The chips are down and shortly various commentators and the markets will have their verdict. It may be years though before anyone tell if the gamble was worth it.
1400 Twitter @ cjgrinbergs RT@Queen_UK Have put "new Royal Yacht" on the agenda for this afternoon's audience with the PM, just to see the look on his face.
1359 Twitter @ cjgrinbergs Good article on research funding from BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11579949 Not great but maybe better than feared.

1357 Twitter @ cjgrinbergs BBC analysis says freezing science budget with no inflation actually means cut of 10% to research.

1354 Twitter @ cjgrinbergs Assoc of University Research & Industry Links says HE need to shout more & have impact. True but not popular with academics

1349 Twitter @ cjgrinbergs Leader of the Opposition looks unhappy - wonder if he wants to take the stand instead? #csr

1343 Twitter @ cjgrinbergs From Friend via text: "You watching #csr? Clegg's body language is rather special! Fascinating stuff!" Couldn't agree more

1340 Twitter @ cjgrinbergs Not a great performance by the Shadow Chancellor - tad stilted, all politics no economics. #csr

1333 Twitter @ cjgrinbergs RT@AURIL_Office well the devil will be in the research budget detail - so we wont know what until January I think

1321 Twitter @ cjgrinbergs RT@Cardiff_Blogger Benny Women's retirement age should be equal to men. Equality works both ways. #csr

1319 Twitter @ cjgrinbergs RT@AURIL_Office PROTECTING SCIENCE BUDGET AT 4.6 BILL A YEAR

1307 Twitter @ cjgrinbergs RT@AURIL_Office Ha MP's Pensions might get a hammering - cant see too many dry eyes

1305 Twitter @ cjgrinbergs Good to know MPs pensions are affected like the rest of the populations. #csr


1257 Twitter @ cjgrinbergs @journotutor Good to know they have to practice like we had too!

1256 Twitter @ cjgrinbergs RT @journotutor Sounds like rehearsalsRT @Generic_Jammin: "Can somebody get Paul in here" What's up with the live feed on BBC website! We can hear you lady!

1256 Twitter @ cjgrinbergs BBC having issue with feed - very good sound of practicing for the 1pm ... rather than the chancellor #bbs #fail

1254 Twitter @ cjgrinbergs RT @BBCBreaking Chancellor George Osborne says budgets of every main UK government department to be cut by a third

1252 Twitter @ cjgrinbergs @AnthonyMaxwell That's what we fear ...

1251 Twitter @ cjgrinbergs @AnthonyMaxwell But not clear what the science budget will go to now - rumours it may have to cover more things.

1247 Twitter @ cjgrinbergs RT @ AURIL_Office those who earn the most should pay the most? MMMM

 1244 Lots of numbers on how the budget will be reduced and attacks of the opportunity.  Less detail on what is actually to be cut ... yet. 

1236 Twitter @ cjgrinbergs  PMQs: Science budget not to be cut - any idea what this means for universities #pmqs #csr

1231 Chancellor on his feet - what will the answers be - though I doubt we will have any real answers even when he sits down again. 

1227 Spending review to start in a few moments though many of the announcements seem to have been made in advance and in PMQs.  There have been announcements on defence, security, benefits, housing, education and a new Green Bank.  In my own field of Higher Education, predictions of £3.2 billion from the teaching budget and £1 billion from the research budget.  That said, in PMQs, it was announced that there will be no cuts in the science budget but what this means is a little clear.

Using the Comprehensive Spending Review to Assess Higher Education's Priorities

There's been a lot in the news about universities and their funding over the last few days.

From the results of the Browne Review and the subsequent increases in student fees to the predictions of £4.2 billion cuts (three quarters of which come from the teaching budget) ahead of the full announcement on Wednesday, much of the focus has been on teaching.

Which brings me back to my old problem with higher education: what do we want it to do and for whom? And that's a question the politicians, the academics, the university administrators, business, students and the wider population should be asking. Much of what has been discussed thus far has focussed on the teaching aspects - and particularly the teaching of those leaving school at 18. Universities have a far broader output - research, knowledge transfer into business/industry or cultural impact on the worlds around them. Yet, when examining the media output, the 'additional' areas are overlooked and their contribution to world-class teaching is not to be underestimated. To have good teachers, you need them to be at the front of their discipline.

There are concerns in the academic world that disciplines that are not obviously having an economic impact (the arts and humanities in particular) will be cut ahead of the sciences and technology areas which are deemed to bring in more money. Now these arguments are well rehearsed but worth remembering: research may not have an obvious or an immediate impact but that is not to say it is worthless.

So what do we want our institutions to do? Some may become teaching only with only a select few carrying out research. Some may want our student population to shrink and in its place a more vocational option for tertiary education developed. In all likelihood we will see a reduction in the number of institutions (with mergers etc.), in the number of students (fees will put off a few) and a rationalising of the subjects available (institutions focussing on a few areas, rather than all subjects).

On Wednesday we will get the broad headlines of how the Comprehensive Spending Review will be making cuts but it may take us some time to find out specifically which budgets are being cut and over what time. Over recent years there have been a number of reports on aspects of Higher Education (from Student Funding to Skills, Business Engagement to Research). All of these have been important and have built on the expansion of the Robbins Report in the 1960s. But few have taken the broader look, simply due to the size and complexity of the sector. Perhaps it is time for that to change and to capitalise on the cuts as a moment to fundamentally examine the sector.

There are not many academics who are interested in researching their own sector (though I hope to add to the number who actually are). But perhaps it would be a good time to use that intellectual capacity to fundamentally discuss the future of Higher Education system whether that be in terms of teaching, research or all the other activities currently undertaken.

Challenges in Global Education

A friend of mine has recently written a short piece for a course in reply to the question “Describe what you think are the main challenges for your institution in terms of competitiveness in and relevance to global education.” She focussed on the cuts to UK education and the need to correctly define & target a market. Though I agreed with the second point, the former I saw as a bit of a red herring as though the cut of 35% to universities’ funding will affect research budgets and slightly UK student numbers rather than international education.  This got me thinking: what would my reply be within the 500 world limit set. So here goes:

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have been engaging for years in ‘global education; this is here understood here as the involvement of those from outside the UK in a UK HEI’s education remit. This can take several forms including:
- Mobility of students INTO the UK
- Delivery of Education OUTSIDE the UK by a UK HEI
- Collaborative Education, delivered jointly by UK and international partners
Traditionally, UK universities have a single office mainly focussing on the first of these. Increasingly, ‘international’ is seen as forming part of curriculum, the mobility of students and the exchange of research by academics, all of which is delivered by multiple departments right across an institution. Perhaps, to be truly ‘global’ educators there is a need to focus on the processes behind this (and the process of globalisation) and therefore focus on the off-shore and collaborative education (points 2 and 3 above).

Institutions are challenged currently by their very understanding of ‘global education’; many have international policies which are often bureaucratic statements of utopic aspiration or false reviews of activity and do not really understand the situation. Part of the challenge facing a University is engaging and educating staff in this broader sense of ‘international’; at a time when staff are squeezed, there will be fewer staff to cover ‘core’ teaching and learning activity and not the broader set of activities needed to deliver a truly global education. Institutions need to be careful in defining a market which makes them stand out and the current practice of institutions delivering nearly all subjects should not continue: specialist and unique should become more important.

I see three medium-term threats to global education:
- Economic: With less funds available, will students have the money to travel or governments to support them (take the cancelling of Chevening Scholarships and various British Council streams).
- Security (terrorism will remain a risk and increased border security will make it harder for physical mobility to take place).
- Environmental (probably the longest issue but increases in air fares and fuel insecurities will threaten travel).
To combat this, HEIs need to plan that in the long term physical mobility may be limited or impossible and should invest in technology & remote provision in anticipation. What is key is that this will take imagination and creativity as well as an understanding that there will be failures. The main challenge for institutions with regard to global education may be learning to take a risk.

410 rather broad words but in a time when spending reviews are about to be announced, a new way needs to be found into Higher education.

Listening to Administrators about the Future of Universities

At a recent team meeting, my head of department pointed out that the University of Westminster was unusual in that the ratio of academics to administrators fell in the academic’s favour.

Now I can hear academics everywhere starting to spin at the suggestion that they do not universally dominate the staff at Higher Education Institutions. There would be multiple reasons for this not least that they are the intellectual capital in terms of research and teaching. And in many ways it surprised me in that I have always believed that we cannot deliver projects as that is the role of the academic.

However, perhaps I am being a little unduly subservient. The reason that there are often more administrators is partially down to the changing roll of academics: as Bruce Macfarlane points out much of the soft skills (‘careers advice’, ‘study skills’, ‘counselling’ etc.) is being heavily supported by non-academic staff. Also, much of the mark processing, research administration and financial work which used to be primarily focussed on the academic now needs to be supported. Also, society more widely has become more bureaucratic and to ensure legal compliance, Quality/Standards Assurance, Human Resources and Finance Departments have needed to expand. However, not least of this is that we are asking academics to do more as new areas within the university have also grown up, not least my own of research/enterprise/knowledge transfer/business development which requires specialist support. All of this requires detailed knowledge and understanding of universities, how they work and knowledge across a whole host of different disciplines which an individual academic or administrator cannot hold.

And yet, both professionally when discussing projects (‘you can’t understand you’re not an academic’) and academically (‘you struggle to move between your professional and academic lives’), I have been criticised for seeing the world through an administrator’s eyes. Whilst I would agree that I have to be careful in how I see the world, not allowing me to see it and analyse it as an administrator is almost impossible. Just, as I argued at a recent seminar, as it is impossible to ask a Muslim student not to see the world, universities and research through the paradigm of their faith so it is impossible to see the world through anything but the paradigm of an administrator. Humans cannot easily compartmentalise like that. By condemning the administrative aspect of my work, people are limiting the world I can analyse and participate in by reducing and condemning the field within which I operate.
Not only is not possible, it may not be desirable. One of the best academics I know founded the academic enterprise department at Roehampton and has gone on to internationalise Fontys OSO whilst not sacrificing her academic values or quality. By limiting the perspectives with which the world is analysed we risk cutting out cross-sector work and really seeing how Higher Education could work. At a time of budget cuts perhaps all visions are needed rather than one particular type of vision. I have been lucky to be listened to but perhaps this antagonism between academic and non-academic needs to move forward: both sides need to learn.
So, as part of my research I need to find a paradigm that allows for individual perspectives and views of the world, that allows and acknowledges me as a researcher and administrator. In my last blog I mentioned Newman’s ‘Idea of a University’ and he said in this work:

“Nothing is more common than for men to think that because they are familiar with words they understand the ideas they stand for.” (Newman)

Perhaps with some re-thinking I can show that academics alone are not the right people to decide what words stand for.

The Idea of a University

As you will know, I have written about some academics looking at the universities of the past with rose tinted glasses and looking to create a golden past that doesn’t really exist. Thus, when I learnt of Roehampton’s conference on ‘The Idea of a University’ (John Henry Newman’s work on academia) I was intrigued as to what they would present and what vision would come forward.

Now, sadly, I was unable to attend despite a number of the papers sounding interesting. In a blog about the event (which includes a variety of discussions on Catholic-related issues), there is an engaging summary. The conference seems to have discussed the changing face of the university and the challenges to it in the face of ‘globalisation, commodification and bureaucratisation’. Yet, as they point out on the blog, the man who inspired the conference (Newman) did himself not hold sufficient ‘financial or administrative acumen’ (dare one suggest ‘bureaucratic’ traits) to be a University Rector. However, one can easily see the thrust of the argument: that the number of forms, checks and balances in existence can distract from the true job of researching & educating; that defining academic importance on financial income (either to the university or society) can mean the loss of certain disciplines & contributions to civilisation.
This ties into a recent seminar I attended at the University of Westminster where 2 sociologists had analysed their changing student body. Though a little thin on actual data or analysis from the interviews, there did seem to be a feeling that things were better ‘in their day’. They quoted Churchman & King (who I must look up) as saying that there is a difference between what the public and what the academic perceive as their role (the public do not see academics as teachers rather as researchers). They went on to challenge the fact that the public sector is expected to learn from the private and, indeed stated that, central control is “not what the public that requires this at all”
I mentioned both Ken Robinson (who argues that our education system is designed to create professors and not educate the mainstream) and Bruce Macfarlane (who argues some administration is part of ‘academic citizenship’ and should not be shunned). Just as with the ‘Idea of a University Conference’, I felt that academics sometimes we feel comfortable in the idealised university of yesteryear or the utopic vision of the university of tomorrow. We are educating far more students than a generation ago (about five times as many) and institutions which were originally about teaching a few to be researchers, lawyers or clergymen, are now teaching thousands in a whole variety of careers. Universities, once institutions of academe, have been forced to take on the ‘teaching and learning’ agenda and skills have taken over knowledge.

My argument would be, far from being a bad thing, this realignment could be positive. Now I am sure the academics would say that they are not defending the past and that their view of how academia should be is for the sake of the sector rather than anything else. But, if done correctly, this shift can bring knowledge and skills to a new population. The skills gained need to be in today’s context rather than yesterdays (else institutions would only teach law, the humanities and theology as they did in the middle ages).

All this has left me wondering if a pro-modern university argument/thesis exists. When I was at the AURIL event chaired by my line manager, I was impressed by the innovative activities out there but the majority of the speakers were non-academics. Most of the academic papers produced in this area adopt a stance which questions (if not down-right condemns) certain aspects of the modern university with few suggestions on how things could be changed or what alternative courses could be taken.

You see, there are common themes I feel between these ‘Ideas of a University’; at the conference it is reported that Mike Castelli spoke on “The Idea of faith Dialogue in the University” and highlighted four pedagogical qualities for such dialogue:

- Seriousness with regard to meaning making
- Humility in our approach to dialogue and learning
- Hesitation which arises from the realization that our knowledge is partial and contingent
- Articulation in being literate and able to communicate well about our subject and ideas

The blog goes on to point out that these work for all academic disciplines and the more one things about it is true. What I would like to do is prove that these are not damaged by current trends in academia. Indeed, that these ‘skills’ and ‘attitudes to knowledge’ still prevail in academia and that the modern university brings them to a wider cross-section of society.
Now I am not well versed (yet) in the discussions around the university but I would like to see if a justified, logical and convincing argument can be made in favour of the modern, business linked, student focussed university with its insensitivities and bureaucracy. Does a pro-neo-liberal history need to be written? Do 21st century and not 18th century values need to be used to define the modern ‘Idea of a University’?

Why the Tories need to act like they are in opposition

So it's been announced, at last, that the new leader of the Labour Party is a Miliband and it is of the Ed variety. No surprises there then but the margin is hardly a ringing endorsement for him. One is left wondering how long he will last and whether we are simply waiting for a couple of failures in local elections before a fuller election is held with the likes of Alan Johnson standing. Ed Miliband does not feel - yet - like a Prime Minister in waiting. Unlike Cameron who felt like he might make it, the younger Miliband does not feel like he will make it all the way to number 10 or have the right gravitas for such a role. But I may be wrong and his leader’s speech may give out different signals.


Some of the papers have already been calling the next election as a Tory win. Despite my above comments, I think they need to be careful, even 4 months into a 5 year parliament, of how they plan to take on new Labour. Both parties now have younger politicians at their helm and it is clear that over the last few weeks there has been a passing of power to a new generation. The young, fresh aspect of Cameron was lost the moment he came into power and further hidden now there is newer, younger man on the scene.
Also, all the Tories are in power, they neither won the last election nor have full power. They are having to react far more to what another party says (the Lib Dems) than ever before. Just like the Lib Dems, the Tories will need to set out their own stall and show what they are about. What one can see if coalition politics is to continue is that you have parties campaigning on one issue and compromising in power. We’ve seen this for years in the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliament as well as in numerous councils but the difference between promises in manifestos and actual plans for government are only going to be greater now coalition has come to Westminster.
The Tories also need to work out what will happen if they do win an outright majority in the next parliament; do they keep some links with the Lib Dems as it will be somewhat down to their involvement if they remain in power or do they cast Britain’s third party off as they will have fulfilled their usefulness? And the Lib Dems need to ask if they could swap sides and work with Labour if there is a slight shift in the numbers?
The Tories also need to be careful as the next election will come sooner than they think. A set term parliament means that we cannot be surprised so after the council and European elections in 2014, the campaign will start, particularly at the party conferences in the autumn of 2014. In many ways, just as this year and in 1997, when the date of the election is known the campaign lasts almost forever. So the parties only have 3 and a half years until campaigning for the general election will slowly start. Not long to solve the problems of state or develop new policies on how to tackle the big issues.

What I am trying to highlight here that coalition government coupled with a new Leader on the Labour side makes the next election unreadable. Along with the current political and economic issues, one cannot predict easily how politics will look in five years time. Therefore, the Tories need to act as if they are in opposition, creating a personality and identity away from the other parties and being self-critical of their acts in government. Just like the Lib Dems, the Tories must defend their identity for their own electoral success and also to make sure how politics do not go from Blue, Red and Yellow to a shade of Beige.
But the Tories have always been clever at positioning themselves (with or without Lord Ashcroft’s cash) so discussions will already be underway. But what would my betting be for the next election even at this early stage? I am not sure that much will change. Labour does not look yet like a strong force and the country is not that much in love with the Tories and has certainly fallen out of love with the Lib Dems. I would bet on a small Tory majority or a further coalition as we head into the next parliament. But who knows? As the cliché goes, a week is a long time in politics so four and a half years is a life time in – particularly coalition – politics.

Why the Pope’s Visit Makes me Feel more removed from Rome?

I remember sitting in a meeting of the Church in Wales Governing Body discussing the ordination of women. In a more frustrated moment Archbishop Barry asked those who disagree with the ordination of women on grounds of relations with Rome are damaged something like:

“Do you think that Rome pays any attention to the Church of England, let alone what we are doing here in Wales?”

And he has a point. The language used by the Vatican and indeed by the Catholic Church has always been based on a ‘top down’ notion of power. What we have seen over the last few days is a further manifestation of what the Pope sees as best for us; he sees faith as being integral to society but it is his vision rather than a vision based on the actual opinions of the people. In a similar way, in many Catholic churches (and I include those in the Anglican tradition here, too), there is a feeling that ‘Father knows best’ and that all authority comes from him. There is an argument that this idolising and rendering of the priest as ‘better’ than ‘ordinary’ people lies at many of the issues that face the catholic church. The decrease in attendance can be seen as down to the father being removed (being on his pedestal) and lacking touch with reality in a society where respect is less important. The decrease in belief that the Pope attacks can be seen as faith being a dictation process to the people rather than a listening one with the people. Even the paedophile issues are based on the priest being overly dominant and people being afraid of challenging their authority. And this is what troubles me with the Roman Catholic Church – and indeed with any alignment of the churches in this country – is the impact on free will.

There has been discussions about how the churches based in Rome and Canterbury might align but the whole discussion has been around how Anglicans can become more like Roman Catholics and not how any rapprochement could happen the other way around. Again, Rome sees it fit to dictate their form of church to other rather than perhaps revising their method of doing church. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am largely at the more catholic end of the church but acknowledge our protestant heritage, too. Any movement towards Rome would austracise so many of us and I would probably end up becoming a Methodist. All of this is highly speculative as I am not convinced any formal relations with Roman Catholics will happen in my life time.

I know I am not the first to say any of this – look at Luther just as a starting point! Yet, it is worth emphasising again the difference in our churches to do with free will and the relations between the clergy and the laity. Seeing the Pope in the UK was fascinating and allows us to reflect on our spiritual life. But as Archbishop Barry points out – don’t necessarily think Benedict XVI was listening as hard to us as we were to him: power and influence is still coming from our leaders in the Roman Church rather than from the people.

And that is probably what keeps our churches generally – and me specifically – at a distance from Rome.

Zagreb: Final, Personal, Reflections

I am sitting on a plane looking out the window and watching Croatia and the Western Balkans disappearing behind me. And once again, I’m listening to Brandon Flowers cracking album. As I said in the first blog, there is always a CD that defines a holiday. When I heard ‘Crossfire’ in the middle of the Kapitol shopping centre, I knew my prediction had been right. It’s not just me that enjoys reflective (? Miserable?!) music.

I have had an interesting few days and it has shown me that I am able to travel alone and without work; I have to admit dinner is pretty lonely as a single traveller and I have done an awful lot of reading at the table and in cafes. That said, I am largely happy with my own company and at times being alone is good; when I got a little lost trying to get up the mountain and had to wait 50 minutes for a bus as the lift was closed, I can imagine Bro not enjoying this very much!! But sitting in the Sunday sun with a nice glass of Croatian Pinot, I did want someone to share how good this wine was with. But I also realise, we don’t just travel to ‘find ourselves’ but we also travel to show to others who we are; travelling to new, unusual places says something about me and I should not stop doing this as it would stop me being me.

I asked a number of questions on the way out. I asked what I would find in the city: divisions in identity and new insights into European culture? The city is certainly not neurotic and far from being of multiple cultures but you can see it collectively, adapting at once acknowledging its past and wrestling with where it is heading, politically, socially and culturally.

Personally? Well, I am once again reminded how much I like travelling (I think Sarajevo is now on the list) but also how much I want to stay in a place and discover what is really like. I enjoy being ‘imbedded’ as I was in Grenoble. I did wonder if I wanted to return to France but increasingly I think I want to go somewhere new; my trips to Prague, Tallinn and, now, Zagreb make me very interested in the ‘Eastern European’ culture. If I could find a contract helping develop research in an Eastern European (or Western Balkan) city then I would be interested. A bit of a gamble, I know, but the risk of what it would do for my career development compared to what it might do for my personal development is a bet I am prepared to place.
So a mixed personal journey allowing me time to reflect on my career and desire for someone to explore this world with as well as time to see how a country and its capital city adapts to Europe and retains its proud national identity.

Or as some lyrics from ‘Jilted Hearts and Broken Hearts’ on the ‘holiday album’ (quoted more narrowly on my way to Zagreb) describe the choices we have:

“Is there anyone out there?

Somewhere I can belong?

Man, this city just ain’t so kind tonight.

I need a place to take refuge.

See, I have been loving you blind.

I guess it may be hard for me to find

That we were caught up in the middle

Of a worn out dream

I knew we were in trouble

But baby I almost screamed.

When I saw you dancing,

On the moon now,

I watched him spin you round and round.

Why did you roll your dice? Show your cards?

Jilted lovers and broken hearts!

You’re flying away while I am stuck here on the ground!

[…]

You’re out on the wind and I’m still waiting to be found.

Will I ever win? Only time will tell!”

(Jilted Lovers and Broken Hearts)

Zagreb: City of Contradictions

In the name of balance, I feel it is worth just putting reflections on what make Zagreb an interesting city and why I have found it such an intriguing place to visit.

For me, the questions of identity mentioned in my previous blog, go some of the way to explaining the reasons for a visit. The tree-lined streets are good walking territory and there are many fine buildings to inspect with the aid of a coffee or beer. Then just these odd touches of history: the graffiti, the under-investment in building preservation and the sinister police boxes with mirrored windows so you can be watched but not watch in return. But most of the time can be spend admiring the views the city offers, the stunning countryside and the genuinely excellent wine & cooking with fish!

That said, some of the street art is spectacular and clearly reflective of the real political and cultural identity of the Croatian capital. It is colourful, subversive and interesting. Unlike the Europeanised art of the museums, this showed me more about Zagreb.

There is pride in this city, as I found went up the nearby Skemje mountain. Two couples (probably in their mid sixties) were out for a day’s walking and sang songs about Zagreb and Croatia. And certainly in the wealthier northern city and the mountain regions above Zagreb there is a huge amount to be proud of. It is beautiful, tranquil and a part of the country that the locals are clearly proud of.

On the road in from the airport you can see the new motorway out to the airport being built and fields left fallow in between the new factories and office block. It made me wonder what holds up the economy: tourism, service-industry and infrastructure investment may not last and the longer term economic stability is something I would be interested to find out about. This is a country which has much to shout about and needs to start finding a voice because its hard is justifiably proud.

Zagreb: A European Capital?

s I left the main square in Zagreb – Trg bana Jelacica – the opening bars of Charpentier’s Te Deum bounced off the walls. Better known as the Eurovision Anthem, it seemed to symbolise the current status of relationships (nationally and internationally) within this country.
Not that this is the only link to Europe – and specifically – Charpentier’s home country of France. Yesterday I went to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Novi Zagreb – the southern, probably 1960s/70s part of town. Now it was a little like sitting on the edge of a motorway or some dodgy estate:

But this reminded me in so many ways of Grenoble; not only the mountains surrounding the city but the attempts of the state to ‘give’ culture to the masses by planting cultural centres in the poorer suburbs (see Maison de la culture in France) in an attempt to ‘impose’ culture which is almost guaranteed to fail. The housing blocks reminded me of the Village Olympique in Grenoble. This area of brutalist architecture has the same issues – good and bad – that can be found on the edge of any European city.

And turning to the art gallery, this again seemed very multi-cultural; I mean take these two photos.

Spot the difference? One is the Carlston Hicks ‘slides’ in Tate Modern and the other taken in Zagreb. This isn’t the only link with the Gilbert and George exhibition that was at Tate Modern now in Zagreb.
Even the coffee is changing here; I had been warned that true Croatian coffee is strong and somewhat of the Turkish variety. This was what I was served at breakfast and was a sort of caffeinated dishwater. Everywhere else I had been served Italien-esque coffee. Again, evidence of a slight chipping away of national identity and culture.
All of this is fine and all of this reflective of how things are changing in the Croatian capital. And this is my worry as Europe becomes more powerful: will this mean a harmoniosed European culture? Or are we simply seeing the common, the ‘European’ elements of our culture more dominantly; a single ‘European Culture’ with multiple regional variations?

Zagreb: Not a City of Lights

Things are a little dark at night in the Croatian capital; unlike other city centres there does not seem to be a need to light every building or, indeed, provide the coffee and beer drinkers in a variety of cafes in the city’s squares with enough light to clearly see their tipple of choice. That said, despite what various of the guidebooks said, there is a good and full nightlife.

But it is a very different night life to those in other European cities, where coffee and sparkling water are popular drinks and not considered the weak option. That said, it is a city of contradictions. Walk up Tkalciceva and there are a number of bars catering for those more desirous of its intoxicating powers: the very young, new drinker or the foreign, English-speaking tourist. As I wandered up the town hill to take the above darkened photograph, I was welcomed by the sound of a young jazz group playing to locals, on the other side of the hill a bar played out the latest ‘turbofolk’ for more drunken, younger clients. If that’s not a variety of night life, then I don’t know what is – however dark it is!!

Zagreb: Challenging & Confirming Expectations

Well, I have been walked out. As predicted, Zagreb is not quite what I expected but at times it is so hard to describe a place other than comparing it to other places that people may know a little better. The best I have come up is likening it to the 19th century/Hausmen sections of Paris or Prague without the medieval elements.

Despite being a former edge of Europe country and having suffered war recently, the countryside and the city are much more consistently wealthy than, say, the suburbs of Tallinn or Prague which felt much more poorer than the centres of these capitals. That said, it is not a wealthy capital either, as a lot of buildings need graffiti removing and a general lick of paint. However, there are fewer tourists which is very pleasant and it is a genuinely pretty place with a great café/bar culture and enough interesting views to keep me interested. Take this one of the Cathedral:

Or this one looking towards Novi Zagreb:

Some might say that this is spoilt by the tower but throughout you get these architectural hints of former regimes within the country. It does not feel overly like a capital city and it is hard to work what keeps the city economically working other than the ministries and the shopping. This is a city still getting used to being a capital and one could almost overlook the parliament:

But this building does tell us something about the questions I was asking before I arrived: identity. You would be forgiven for thinking that Croatia is already a member of the European Union and not just a candidate country. This is a country very much looking towards Europe. Yet at the same time the leading news story on the national news is the fact that the UN has passed a resolution encouraging dialogue between Croatia’s neighbours Serbia and Kosovo. The national identity is very proud but in some ways is defined not in terms of what or who they ARE but in terms of what they want to be (European) or move away from (former Yugoslav republic). So over the coming days it will be interesting to see if this first analysis is right and what a wider geographic & cultural spread means for Europe. As I said in my first Zagreb post, travel brings as many new questions as answers.

Zagreb: Somewhere for the First Time

Travelling is always filled with a mixture of emotions: personal feelings about you, what you are leaving behind and what you are travelling to. For me, there are questions to be asked and answers to be searched out on every trip.

I am sitting on the plane to Zagreb with the entire emergency exit row to myself. My father would be proud of keeping the family tradition of ensuring leg roon! I have now finished the guidebook a friend lent me and the few pages I copied from the Lonely Planet (no point lugging the entire thing). The personal emotions I am travelling with are that I feel a little guilty to be doing this with Mother’s operation on Tuesday (but I am back for that) and not bringing Bro (though I am not sure he would want to come and he’s had days out/Weddings to contend with). It’s been booked a while and I think having a little break will be good for me but it is a little scarey. I have travelled a fair amount with work but this is the first time that I have done it alone. This trip was planned after my realisation of how much of Europe that is left to be seen after watching the Eurovision song contest. I am writing a PhD on the subject s of Europe so I should at least have an idea of its edges!

Reading the history Zagreb, the city is one of those parts of the former Yugoslavia which was not itself damaged by the various wars in the early 90s and instead was simply the national focus for Croatian independence. Unlike the Croatian coast or the capital of Serbia (the former Yugoslav capital of Belgrade), there are fewer hints that this country is a former member of a republic of some six countries. Having spent centuries tied into a variety of empires and still retaining some sense of national identity, it will be interesting to see how this new state combines its independence with its drive to be part of the new coalition of states as a member of the EU. The combination of personal, national and a ‘corporate’, cross-continental identities is an issue facing all members of the EU but it a new state it must be more complicated.

Croatian is often portrayed as the pretty, safe, modern country compared to some rather less safe Western Balkan sister. Indeed, in some ways, it has preferred to look to Europe than to its neighbours. Yet this was the country that in 1996 waged a war against its Serbian neighbours to defend ‘the homeland’ and its conscience is a little less clean than one might expect. Zagreb itself was divided for centuries and indeed one of the streets is called ‘Bloody Bridge’ – the link where so many battles were felt between the two sites. If the pretty sister in the Western Balkan family, I do wonder if it is a little grittier than first appearances would tell.

As whenever I travel, there seems to be album which accompanies me. This time I have Brandon Flowers’ debut solo album on repeat play which is the sort of music I particularly like: angst-filled, indie music combining guitars, piano and good lyrics. Bro would label my angst-ridden, black music but I really do see it as fairly positive; depression is always tinted with a silver lining!! Who could not love the work with lines like “Why did you role the dice? Show your cards? Jilted lovers and broken hearts? You’re out on a whim. Only time will tell.” (Jilted Lovers and Broken Heards) and “We’re caught in the cross fire of heaven and hell and we’re searching for shelter […] Tell the Devil he can go back from where he came […] And our dreams will break the boundaries of our fears”(Crossfire)?

So what will I find in Zagreb? Some kind of personal revelation? Some new insight into European culture? A city where divisions are not explicit but nuanced? A mixed sense of identity: national, European or other? As my album of choice points out, some sort of crossed/torn identity (for me and the city)? Or simply that travel throws up more questions than it answers. And that’s one of the reasons we do it.

Living with MND

As many of you know, my mother is dying from MND. Many would use the word ‘suffering’ but I am not sure that that quite encapsulates the process. There is but one end to this. It relentlessly eats away. This is particularly true for the form that my Mother has, Progressive Bulbar Palsy, where time frames are particularly short and each day some slight bodily function seems to be lost never to be regained. In the coming days she is being operated on to have a feeding tube installed; another step on the path. 

There is growing awareness of MND; there’s the MND Association’s campaign using ‘Patrick The Incurable Optimist’ (a good awareness raising technique though I worry about him being subject to media manipulation but thus far it has been excellently managed), the blogs of the likes of Prof D. Mark Cato (an excellent chronicler of how this disease eats away at the body and life from an upper middle class perspective) and blog entries by those who are not directly affected by the disease but moved by it (e.g. ‘Thoroughly Good’). This makes it a little easier and less necessary to explain the ins and outs of the disease, as these people do it far better than I ever could.

In simple terms, the disease stops the functioning of the nerves which tell the muscles what to do. In my mother’s case this is happening in the mouth, throat and respiratory system areas. Eating, drinking and even breathing are becoming hard work. Gradually now she is losing mobility in her limbs – the left foot has a permanent limp and the left hand is less responsive. We suspect the right is going the same way though this is less obvious. She is gradually losing weight and find even the simplest things are tiring and take far longer than they ever used to.

It was hard on holiday witnessing the affects knowing the woman as she was but also inspiring watching my mother fight it day by day:

• The woman who helped me learn how to swim now needs help swimming but is determined to join us in the pool.
• The woman who washed me in the bath as a child, resists us supporting her in the bath, even though occasionally it makes life easier. 
• The woman who used to cook all the family’s meal, only allows Bro and I to help occasionally; we, as her children, are still seen as the ones who need caring for. 
• The woman who would have walked the walls of Carcassonne without thinking now has to do with a tour on a French 'town train' but wants to see the world around her. 
• The woman who seemed to drink a coffee every 20 minutes now takes 20 minutes to manage even half a cup but wants to spend the time chatting with her friends with her drink.  
• The woman who has proof-read nearly every single one of my essays and dissertations, still helps me out with a word for an essay and to shape my thinking on issues. 

You see, though the body works slower, the brain has no problem.  The kindness of the people that we tell and their understanding is astonishing.  Yes, you find the odd company (Barclaycard, Our Burglar Alarm Firm etc.) who badly manage things (and at times ignoring any anti-discrimination legislation) but on the whole one has been impressed with the NHS, with the kindness of colleagues and the thoughtfulness of strangers.  So in another way, we are not 'suffering' this disease but learning to live with it.

Research Update - Nationally and My Own

So where have I been?  Well here there and everywhere if I am honest - I presume you've been checking out the twitter feed?!    Well the essay on 'what counts as education' has now been completed as has the redraft of the journal article.  Only the small issue of a Literature Review Chapter to plan and write.  It is all taking a bit longer than I ever predict - coupled with an extra trip home next week! 

Whilst things have been going steadily with the research, the university world around me has been continually moving forward and is a little worried about the cuts going forward.  Even today, Universities UK used a press release about their conference to raise concerns that the UK's investment of 1.3% of GDP into Higher Education is below the OECD's average of 1.5% of GDP.  Furthermore, the patterns of international mobility are changing with the UK as the second most popular destination but Canada, Australia and New Zealand all increasing their shares.  Indeed, the OECD says that governments should increase the amount they spend on Tertiary education to firm up their economic growth.  Listening to the noises coming from the coalition government, I would be asking more 'how deep are the cuts' (25% upwards is my guess) rather whether there should be cuts. 

One of the blogs I read regularly is Research Fundermentals which has some of the best news of what is happening in the research funding world.  Included this week has been a discussion on impact and an article talking by a report from the Society of Scholarly Publishing on the fact that peer reviewing is important.  They argue that given all the non-peer reviewed sources out there academic journals are more important.  I am not so sure.  The BBC produced a report on the growth of social networking sites and the way that we interact.  Now I have blogged about this in the past but it is clear that certain media are growing (facebook and twitter) and certain shrinking (flikr and myspace).  The way we interact is constantly changing and who we consider an audience is important.  So whilst we the peer reviewed article will be important in academic circles (and after the time I have spent on one this week, I do hope so), we really do need to look more widely so that research affects the world more widely. 

So why have I brought these three elements: my research taking time, the potential cuts and the way we communicate our research?  Well because I do not believe them to be separate.  Research takes time - and a lot of it - and is also very personal to the individual.  The freedom to do research must be defended but perhaps the risks of funding cuts is down to the way communicate this work and its findings.  The undergraduate degree has been opened up to nearly 50% of the population and research affects our country in so many ways but appears so closed.  Engagement in a fuller, newer way with the wider community using technology or whatever methods is important.  Until our presence is felt our funding will always be endangered.

‘Fun and Adventure’ as a way of learning

I’m currently having to examine how 2 articles ‘view’ education for my ‘Education and the Social Sciences’ Module.

The two I chose are by Messer & Wolter (Swiss, writing in 2007) and Stronkhorst (Dutch, writing in 2005). They both take largely quantitative looks at the impact of exchanges abroad. The former concludes it has no impact on earnings or likelihood of future studies, the latter concludes it only has minimal impact on the academic development and learning outcomes of the students.

Not good news for me both as someone who spent a year in France and as a researcher with the belief that time spent overseas is benefitial for the development of the individual and their academic career.

Both articles concede that there is an element of personal development. But both articles separate this from educational development. But they also dismiss the ‘fun and adventure’ aspects (their words, not mine) of living overseas in the development of an individual. So where does the personal start and the educational end?

If we take a developmental look at education (which the likes of Froebel started), this only applies to the Primary and Early Childhood phases of life. If we truly believe in lifelong learning surely the experiential, gradual learning through new experiences is just as valid. Else, not only the year abroad but much of the development which happens through this PhD is a waste of time. And not to acknowledge that sort of learning would be a shame.

Do I Really want to be a constrained academic?

So it is Friday, Day 7 of my 9 day holiday in Provence. I have successfully done an hour’s work each day and have the essay planned, the essay is coming on though the article is a little way off and as for the chapters of the thesis that is quite a way off even finger tip touching key board as yet.
Though I am clear on what is required for master’s level study and what I need to be asking of my academics. But what is required for a PhD level study and a career in academia leaves me a little unsure.
The thing is that the current form of academia relies on me copying the ways and means of those before me and lacks individual personality. At times the creativity which many people have (and I mentioned this in a previous post) seems to be stifled. I have been told off for trying to be gently witty or engaging rather what I find as a dull style. There seems to be a lack of personality.
So much of the work seems to focus on basic definitions of words which we all know and accept rather than thinking how we can make this world better. This may simply be me being bored of what I am doing at the moment but that is not unusual!!

The ultimate answer is of course, yes I do want to be an academic and help to shape a newer form of academia and thinking going forward.  For now, I have play by the rules - and try not to be overly socialised. 

Changing News, Changing Reseach

Andrew Marr has just written a very good piece about the changing nature of news and journalism.  His main thrust is that the changing technology and number of authors/voices out there has meant that during any crisis he is personally merging professional news sources with comment.  For me, this was best seen during the election and budget a couple of weeks ago when I was watching the BBC for the official footage and some instant comment but supplementing this with twitter and blogs to provide comment.  Now, we're all aware that this is partisan comment but as readers' we are able to differentiate between a variety of news sources and voices.  Marr's argument goes onto say that rather than being focused on a variety of spikes (news bulletins, newspaper editions), news now permeates.  This requires a new way of reading news and a new of interacting with information which academia could learn from.   

I remember when doing the MA in Broadcast Journalism, they justified the level of the degree by saying that good academia is like good news: based on thorough, honest, thoughtful research which is well targeted and challenging for its audience.  As part of this I wrote a list in 2005 called My Rucksack and Beliefs saying what I thought I needed to my job.  Five years on and my career has changed from researching news to researching as an academic.   The list in 2005 was as follows:

1. My Notebook
2. My Contacts Book
3. Pens and Pencils
4. A Diary
5. An Umbrella, hat and gloves
6. A lunch box
7. Mini-Disks
8. Pen Knife, Tissues and Condoms
9. CD/Radio Player
10. A Book
11. Spare Batteries
12. Me?

As an academic researcher, I still need numbers 1 to 4 to keep records and make sure interviews with participants take place.  Increasingly electronic varieties are common but pen and paper does not run out of power! Numbers 5 and 6 are still important as keeping warm and fed is just as important for the academic in a drafty library as the door-stepping journalist.  Mini-disks are now outdated but I still use a little digital recorder to record interviews.  Number 8 lists tools for maintaining recording equipment (the condom was to stop wind on the mic) and I still carry most of the stuff but for different reasons: packed lunches, a cold nose and ... um ...  The CD/Radio has been replaced by a digital radio but along with the books and batteries provide the latest info for my research as well as entertainment.  So the list needed to be a good researcher has not changed that much though perhaps a little more high-tech: a lap top along with a mobile would probably feature. 

Yet, I have a feeling I am unusual in my research; the fact I keep this blog and twitter is often derided by the academic community.  For me, it is a way of sharing and testing my theories, for exchanging ideas and forming a larger debate.  The changing technology has opened news to a new audience and yet many (though not all)  in academia remain aloof and not engaging with the technology or the potential audience.  Personally, I think academia - like news - should become a rolling dialogue with official voices (academics at universities) and commentators (those from the wider community). 

What is universal to both the 2005 and 2010 lists and in common with Andrew Marr's article is the importance of the individual.  The ability to tell a story, to identify key issues and ask the questions is necessary to both trades, yesterday, today and tomorrow.  This will not be lost in a changed academia - indeed the value of the individual could be enhanced and, as Marr concludes, thus making it an exciting world to be involved in.