Margot Finn

I thought the actions didn't quite match the text, here.

AI could pollute the open science space, so contribute to open models? (Which could also do so.) AI scrapers are misbehaving, so do the bare minimum of blocking possible?

YouTube video by UK Research and Innovation UKRI opportunities update from Professor Sir Ian Chapman

UKRI CEO announces his plans for communicating research opportunities quarterly and notes upcoming AHRC, ESRC, BBSCR, MRC, NERC, EPSRC and other grant opportunities coming soon. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1Oc...

New calls for research funding from the Royal Historical Society: opening in March 2026 - RHS The Society currently invites applications for the following two schemes — open to postgraduate researchers and early career historians — with closing dates of 5 June 2026. For further information on ...

Money for UK-based historians engaged in research and/or public history. #Skystorians

A group of approximately 15 people wearing white hard hats and neon yellow safety vests stand on the rooftop of a construction site for a topping out ceremony. They are posing behind a blue pedestal branded with "Dominus" and "McAleer & Rushe." Above them, a crane hoists a large concrete block bearing the McAleer & Rushe logo. Modern London skyscrapers are visible in the background.

A high-angle wide shot of a multi-story building under construction at 65 Crutched Friars in London. The concrete frame is largely complete, with blue safety netting on lower levels and several blue construction cranes towering over the site. In the background, the iconic "Gherkin" skyscraper and other City of London high-rises are visible under a cloudy sky.

Last month we celebrated a major milestone: the topping out of our future home at 65 Crutched Friars. This was a special construction marker and an occasion to recognise that Britain’s first permanent Migration Museum is now moving from vision to reality!

Photos: Mike O’Dwyer

YouTube video by Andy Tattersall Under Review with Dr Elisabeth Bik - Research fraud detection, papermills and that rat.

I've been really pleased with the reception of my Under Review podcast. Last week's episode with @elisabethbik.bsky.social has been viewed on YouTube almost 800 times as well as a good number on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=l254...

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/u...

1/3

Nottingham's council is writing planning guidance for converting student housing into other forms, such as 'co-living' for professionals and young families.

No discussion here of wider economic impact on local economies. 2/2

The student loans crisis hollowing out Britain’s university towns Vacancy rates are rising as undergraduates increasingly choose to stay at home while studying

'The mantra of developers may have been: “If you build it, they will come.” But there’s a problem: increasingly, students are not.'

Nottingham, Sheffield, Leeds and Leicester vacancy rates up as international students discouraged and home students stay at home. 1/2

The majority of UK academic institutions now no longer post on X - LSE Impact For the first time, more UK universities and associated organisations are inactive on X than active.

'Andy Tattersall, a research communications consultant who was previously at the University of Sheffield, has been tracking universities’ use of X since 2022—when billionaire Elon Musk acquired the platform, known then as Twitter.' @andytattersall.bsky.social 2/2

Most UK universities now inactive on X - Research Professional News Tipping point reached as shift away from Elon Musk’s social media platform continues

'Among universities, there are now 76 inactive accounts, compared with 65 institutions still active this year. Tattersall found that in the past three months, 13 universities have ceased posting and five have stated publicly on the platform that they have quit.' 1/2

Strong agree re babies and bathwater. Plus many of the 'solutions' seem tantamount to proposing that babies are best bathed in the shower.

It's worth noting that Philip Augar (former banker, chair of the government's 2019 review of post-18 education and funding), who was on the same panel, expressed much scepticism about the success of mergers, noting that they had a poor track record when the merging institutions merged in crisis. 2/2

“This is a national catastrophe, and whether we deal with it through institutional mergers, or we deal with it through better coordination, we really need to do that,” Tickell said. “Unless we do, we’ll just see the loss of national cultural assets.” (Adam Tickell) 2/3

'Speaking at the British Academy’s Shape conference in London on 4 March, Tickell said that students who want to study modern foreign languages in the Midlands will only be able to start courses at two institutions: Birmingham and the University of Warwick.' 1/3

The subjects are yet to be specified but are widely believed to align narrowly with the Industrial Strategy in ways unlikely to increase the number of university-educated working-class novelists, journalists, playwrights, archaeologists, historians, sociologists or foreign language experts. 2/2

Student loans system risks collapse, says minister who trebled fees Lord Willetts calls for interest rates to be cut and regular reviews of repayments

“The government has made a tiny step with maintenance grants coming back for some subjects. We should try to ensure the next generation of students don’t have to have as much debt, by bringing back maintenance grants for those who need it.” (David Willetts) 1/2

University of South Wales cutting 200 jobs to reduce costs The university said compulsory redundancies would be avoided

'It said a voluntary redundancy process had now opened for staff in professional services and in some academic areas.' Plans to lose 200 staff do 'not include course or department closures, and could equate to savings of £11m.' Total staff count is currently 2,040.

Definitely need a more granular approach and some actual data to determine where the problem areas lie. Is it 18 year olds with few qualifications going straight into (some) UG programmes, foundation year students transitioning to degree programmes or mainly low calibre franchises, for example?

Economists: we award Nobel Prizes for work on efficient institutions and minimizing transaction costs.
Also Economists: the review process at the American Economic Review.

As someone who spends a good bit of time shaking A level-type History out of first year History undergraduates I do find the fetishisation of A level results a bit bonkers.

What happens when everything can become a bet?

Based on British Academy-funded research by @sarah-mills.bsky.social, this article explores the rapid rise of prediction markets – and what they mean for regulation, public trust and democracy. 👇

British Academy response to the Department for Education's technical consultation on the Interational Student Levy 18 February 2026 Background The Department for Education is consulting on the proposed levy on international student income, due to be introduced in England in August 2028.

‘We remain deeply concerned that universities will be unable to absorb the cost of the levy’s
introduction. The loss of cross-subsidy for domestic teaching & research will harm
universities’ ability to deliver their core functions’
Our response to the levy
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/documents/60...

Building public connection with research is about more than good communication Sarah Chaytor says that when it comes to research and economic growth it's not just what universities say but what they do that matters

'The rise of populism...suggests that citizens and communities are fed up of being told about the importance of economic growth when they perceive no tangible evidence of its benefits. Declining public trust in institutions suggests that universities cannot take public support for research granted.

'Around 1.9 million people with university-level qualifications in Germany were at risk of poverty in 2025, a rise of 350,000 in three years'. 2/2

Stalling German economy prompts graduate ‘poverty’ fears Concerns degrees are losing value may be misplaced, say economists, but high unemployment and rise of AI ‘sinking all ships’

'An increase in the number of German university graduates at risk of poverty is more a reflection of a stalling economy that is affecting workers at all levels rather than a sign that degrees are losing their value, economists say.' 1/2

'One key consideration of any review should include the academic level at which students are entitled to draw on student loans, said Tickell. “We are getting students without a single A level or equivalent getting access to the student loan book".' 3/3

'“I don’t think tweaking the margins will really address things”, continued Tickell, adding that he did not think the post-16 education White Paper, published in October, “addressed this in any meaningful way”.' 2/3

Review whether students with no A levels should get loans – v-c ‘Difficult questions’ must be confronted as English funding system ‘not working for anyone’, says Birmingham’s Adam Tickell

'Speaking at the British Academy Shape conference, Adam Tickell...argued that a rethink on how universities are funded was required because “we have a system where more state money goes in, students are more indebted and universities are on the brink of failure”.' 1/3

'People of both genders in Indonesia (66%) and Malaysia (60%) were most likely to agree with the statement, compared with 23% in the US and 13% in Great Britain.' 2/2

Gen Z men twice as likely as baby boomers to believe wives should obey husbands Global survey shows young men hold more traditional views about gender roles than older generations

'A third (33%) of gen Z men also said a husband should have the final word on important decisions, according to the 29-country survey which included Great Britain, the US, Brazil, Australia and India.' 1/2

'As home secretary, he “raised the hurdle” for immigrants to achieve “naturalisation” (equivalent to indefinite leave to remain) “from five to 10 years, and to 15 years for Russians”. “Russians” tended to mean Jewish refugees, fleeing pogroms and other oppressions.' 2/2