They are elitist but in the higher education sector that matters. They are objectively the ‘best’ universities whether judged on rankings, student intake, research impact or even historical achievements and alumni.
Self-selection is not a valid basis for leadership. Why 24, and not 40, or 7? Their NSS scores tend to be nothing special, for example. The whole idea is just total pompous hype and always has been and mysteriously lost currency around the same time as losing Wendy Piatt.
As a control experiment for your self-selection hypothesis, pick some random universities and try to get them to self-select, and see how prestigious that will make them.
They are a trade body as happens in any industry. They have common interests and goals including lobbying government. You’re right that NSS scores can be much better at smaller unis and post-92s. But students reckon on being able to point to a RG cert as being worth it.
It is the duty of all citizens everywhere to dump X. It is the duty of all Governments to ban access to X. Same for Faecebook. Time to neuter fascist propaganda channels. And while we are at it chop down Murdoch for the damage he has done to individuals and to the truth.
I'm going to be lobbying the universities I've attended and work at to do the same.
Even from an engagement perspective, it makes no sense to shout into the winds of misinformation and hatred - who there is listening to what you have to say?
Good. Institutions have no place on a platform that trashes so many of the tenets that make a free society. If nothing else, the level of control in favour of a singular point of view is scary… well done Leeds.
That’s the Leeds University who accused Muslim students of anti semitism when they raised the issue of the Jewish chaplain joining IDF volunteer soldiers in Gaza and returning to his role in Leeds.
Comments
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/8/uk-students-call-on-university-to-suspend-rabbi-who-served-in-israeli-army
I also quit X today.
(Can't speak for the Uni though.)
Even from an engagement perspective, it makes no sense to shout into the winds of misinformation and hatred - who there is listening to what you have to say?
Uni
Let's hope this end quickly.