Cruel summer – the all new ARWU world ranking
The 2017 Shanghai academic ranking of world universities is out. What better to enjoy with a cocktail on the beach? ponders Paul Greatrix.
Posts, page 16
New from Wonkhe! University Top Trumps
Yes, it’s the new card game set to sweep the higher education community – University Top Trumps. Available from Wonkhe and all good university bookshops.
Academic DJs
Some surprising information has emerged about a group of academics who could be mistaken for BBC Radio DJs past and present.
TEF – is it here to stay or a flash in the pan?
Whilst it is unlikely to outlive external examining, will TEF last as long as Audit and HE Review? Or will it have as short a half-life as TQA and Subject Review? Paul Greatrix takes us through a history of quality assur…
Campus hauntings – there’s a ghost in my house
There’s a possibly concerning trend for campus hauntings, as highlighted by FOI requests and international media coverage. The truth is out there.
Institutional memory: lessons from Star Wars for the OfS
Paul reflects on the importance of institutional memory for universities’ soon-to-be-regulator, including the lessons to be learned from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
University record breakers – Dedication’s what you need
One of the great things universities offer is the opportunity for students to experiment and push boundaries. And many of them decide the best way to do this is by trying to break world records for really strange activit…
An end to higher education jargon? Here’s the prospectus
Universities are full of strange jargonistic terms. A writer in America has come up with a list of those we should axe, and Paul adds some suggestions of his own.
Graduation – the most wonderful time of the year
Here’s to you, Mrs Robinson! Registrarism reflects on the ups, downs, and quirks of graduation, perhaps the only time of the year when everyone in a university is (or at least appears) happy.
Ignoble – a new essay mill scandal?
There’s more bleak news about the use of essay mills for cheating in our universities, but it doesn’t quite stack up to using SparkNotes as a Nobel Laureate.
Karaoke kings & queens: stressbusting for students
Whilst in previous exam seasons we have seen a number of innovations designed to help relieve students’ stress during these most difficult times, this year has been a little disappointing.
Now That’s What I Call an Honorary Graduate §7 – Musical Chairs
We have a new crop of musical honorary graduates in recent (and a few not quite so recent) ceremonies.
Rock & Enrol: Universities named after bands
Let’s not forget those universities which were either named after bands or perhaps provided the inspiration for the naming of popular beat combos. The list is longer than you think.
Real internationalisation: thoughts after the gold rush
Establishing an overseas campus is very far from straightforward. Universities will better reap the rewards on their investment if they look beyond the short-term financial gains, writes Paul Greatrix.
World shut your mouth: It’s the 2018 QS ranking
It’s QS World University Rankings time, and UK universities have taken a bit a battering this year.
Just a minute: the lost art of minute-writing
Universities love a good committee meeting, but is the art of effective minute-writing dying out? Paul Greatrix writes in defence of an important but undervalued practice.
A new online course. For professional services staff
You’ve all heard of MOOCs, but what about NOOCs? We’ve just released our latest NOOC for professional services staff.
Colour me Clever
It seems that academia is not immune from the colouring craze. Let’s review a new book leading the charge: “Doodling for Academics”.
A decade is a very long time in university administration (and blogging)
Registrarism is now ten years old! Paul reflects on this momentous occasion with a look at what has changed over the years.
Celebrating and supporting academics (in the park)
Academician parks are a new innovation from China, something to support coming to the UK perhaps?