Three main policy drives – on research, teaching quality and the promotion of social mobility – mean that in recent … Continue reading “Let’s do away with ‘Excellence Frameworks’ in higher education”

The Department of Business Innovation and Skills, which in a sensible world probably wouldn’t be responsible for our universities, has … Continue reading “Oh, please: Not yet another ‘excellence framework’ for higher education”

Some of us were hopeful that following the election, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills might be closed down. … Continue reading “Note to the people at BIS: Don’t just do something, stand there”

Work is proceeding within universities on the assumption that in 2019 they will have to submit another Research Excellence Framework … Continue reading “Why the government should abolish the Research Excellence Framework”

British universities are tightly regulated. But, as often happens with regulation, bureaucratic procedures do not guarantee that things work well. … Continue reading “Scrap the REF”