My piece for History Workshop looks back at what feels, I'm sure to me and so many other academics in the UK, like a decade-long crisis in universities. A crisis of politics, of a particularly venomous form of "education as market" ideology, and now a crisis of desperate, annihilating job cuts. 1/2 - ThreadSky

davehitchcock.bsky.social • 6 days ago

My piece for History Workshop looks back at what feels, I'm sure to me and so many other academics in the UK, like a decade-long crisis in universities. A crisis of politics, of a particularly venomous form of "education as market" ideology, and now a crisis of desperate, annihilating job cuts. 1/2

Reposted from History Workshop

UK universities are in crisis.

Dave Hitchcock (@davehitchcock.bsky.social) on how the sector became 'broken' and why it must be approached as an interdependent system.

www.historyworkshop....

Comments

sarahcrook.bsky.social•6 days ago

This is a fantastic piece, thank you so much for writing it

vjctorianist.bsky.social•6 days ago

This is a fantastic article Dave!

davehitchcock.bsky.social•6 days ago

Thanks!

earlymodlancs.bsky.social•6 days ago

An absolutely awesome piece of writing! Thankyou

kunzea.bsky.social•6 days ago

victims of neoliberalism and super managerialism ...bad in Australia too..how to survive it?

davehitchcock.bsky.social•6 days ago

I then try to look around and look forward. I argue that acts of preservation so many are currently engaged in can be understood as a radical defense of something valuable. I put the political efforts required to change HE into context.

It would not be that hard to fix what is broken in UK HE.

davehitchcock.bsky.social•6 days ago

For those coming to this crisis now from outside of universities, or who want more details on 'how we got here' the best contextual piece to read on this frankly baffling and hair-tearing mess is @will-davies.bsky.social's piece for the Guardian from last year:
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-interactive/2024/jul/02/how-the-tories-pushed-universities-to-the-brink-of-disaster

kfullagar.bsky.social•6 days ago

Really powerful article Dave. Thanks - also so pertinent for Australians. Some of this so sad and poignant makes me tear up.

katiecannon.bsky.social•6 days ago

Both the UK & Australia are monetary sovereigns: Create their own currency, no debts in foreign currency & float their currency (vs peg to a foreign currency)

The myth of “tax payer money” is killing democracy

The state creates the currency & banks create loans

brookenewman.bsky.social•6 days ago

This hit hard and sums up my current experience: “My students were a resource, and I was just a cost.”

katiecannon.bsky.social•6 days ago

The UK just prints its own currency & can always afford to pay for anything that’s priced in pounds.

Also, universities could issue Public Money:

https://bsky.app/profile/katiecannon.bsky.social/post/3lipmqrs7js2w

dangerouscorner.bsky.social•6 days ago

There's a useful exploration of how the supposed ideal of 'new entrants' to the UKHE market system doesn't actually exist: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/1/93

hagenilda.bsky.social•6 days ago

👏 great stuff

davehitchcock.bsky.social•6 days ago

Thanks Jo!

hagenilda.bsky.social•6 days ago

I like the hope that’s woven into this, and concrete steps for what we can do collectively. Paralysing doom is not the one x

smidbob.bsky.social•6 days ago

Cold comfort, perhaps, but this is the best thing I've read on the crisis

davehitchcock.bsky.social•6 days ago

Thanks Andrew!

oldandcrippled.bsky.social•6 days ago

I read your piece and wished/hoped that Starmer et al would read it too. Just a well argued manifesto for saving a sector that is vital to the wellbeing of the country as a whole.

katherinemcdon.bsky.social•6 days ago

This is a wonderful article, Dave. I was just talking to a childminder about how problems are mirrored between early years and university: expensive for the individual, but underfunded on a systemic level.

davehitchcock.bsky.social•6 days ago

God yeah I can only imagine. And that's despite some focused attention on early years recently as well isn't it, that's how deep the hole is.

ruthholliday.bsky.social•6 days ago

Great article Dave! I think we are all feeling this gradual erosion of quality and civic purpose.

ruthholliday.bsky.social•6 days ago

Being in a classroom with students, deviating from the already-delivered “content” via the VLE, it’s the only time HE feels real now.

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