One underreported facet of the Great University Crisis is the contribution of a small number of consultancy firms who recommend: *Centralise functions *Cut small courses *Reduce student options *Abolish loads of joint awards *Chop staff headcount This is *exactly* what you must not do. (1/3) - ThreadSky

gsoh31.bsky.social • 19 days ago

One underreported facet of the Great University Crisis is the contribution of a small number of consultancy firms who recommend:
*Centralise functions
*Cut small courses
*Reduce student options
*Abolish loads of joint awards
*Chop staff headcount
This is *exactly* what you must not do. (1/3)

Comments

gsoh31.bsky.social•19 days ago

By loading all the functions on the centre, you increase the data stress there to intolerable levels, and it collapses. You also ramp up costs that the thinner and thinner 'lower' offer cannot meet. You do quality and reputational harm that is likely impossible to repair. (2/2)

gsoh31.bsky.social•19 days ago

These consultancies remind me of Cornish wreckers in the c18th, luring ships onto the rocks. Unis think they can see a lighthouse with harbour, but ooh no it isn't. They thought they were being sold safety, but in fact they've been handed a doomsday device. And they don't even know it! (3/3) /END

oddthisday.bsky.social•19 days ago

I wrote to my MP to ask her to raise with uni minister/immigration minister making it easier for overseas students to come here. Not a magic wand, but presumably it would help? (Trying to encourage others to do the same...)

somecallmedc.bsky.social•19 days ago

Sorry to intrude, but
https://www.tastesofhistory.co.uk/post/dispelling-some-myths-wreckers-and-smugglers

somecallmedc.bsky.social•19 days ago

What consultancies do not consider is the consequences of price vs value. From Pratchett, Going Postal

catfordmum.bsky.social•17 days ago

I am not arguing the merits of cookie cutter consulting but the centralised admin tend to come with job cuts for prof services staff and are cheaper than having staff in different depts doing things differently. It tends to fall apart on implementation but it is cheaper….

hotchkiss13.bsky.social•18 days ago

Ok. I recently listened to a uni VC say a Dept of nursing is to be closed. England has almost 50k nurse vacancies and the VC is paid £290k pa. Explain.

claireljones.bsky.social•19 days ago

They also cannot prove how any of these measures cut costs in any way

claireljones.bsky.social•19 days ago

just a little bit of critical thinking might enable one to think that joint awards actually bring in more than they cost.......but no

beapichel.bsky.social•19 days ago

But the admin systems Claire!!! Who's going to think of the poor admin systems for whom joint degrees are too complicated to manage?!! 🙃

claireljones.bsky.social•19 days ago

🫠

davehaskell.bsky.social•19 days ago

Funny how they never seem to suggest cutting admin bloat

botzarelli.bsky.social•19 days ago

Are joint awards good?

One of the reasons my son chose Mcr over Oxford was that the Mcr Physics degree is customisable through options to go from pure theoretical through to environmental science or economic modelling without having to choose joint at 18 or be driven down a narrow path.

gsoh31.bsky.social•19 days ago

I don't think that was a comment on their quality or otherwise, but merely the cost implications of narrowing and narrowing your income while you increase central costing.

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