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In June 2025, two pressure groups — the 21 Group and For the 100 — announced that they were carrying out the first survey of both staff and students in UK Universities. A description of the purpose of the CTRL+ALT+DEL+UNIVERSITY survey is given here. The survey has 17 questions about Read more…

One of the rewarding aspects of a blog is the exchange of thoughtful comments. In this posting, we highlight a contribution from Justius in the thread here. While he or she is describing events at Cambridge University, the 21 Group has evidence that these issues are widespread across the UK Read more…

Freedom of speech was a defining issue in Cambridge University’s recent Chancellorship race. The victor, Lord Smith of Finsbury, told The Observer that it is “our touchstone”. He praised the Vice Chancellor’s passionate advocacy: “It’s why I’m delighted that since she arrived at Cambridge as our Vice Chancellor, Professor Deborah Prentice has Read more…

UCL has long and distinguished record of failure to deal with bullying and harassment. In 2021, Dr Christopher Backhouse, a particle physicist, was found to have carried out a prolonged harassment campaign against a fellow physicist Dr Erica Smith, as reported in The Guardian here. Dr Backhouse’s actions included: creating Read more…

Once upon a time, a Researcher discovered a rot in the roots of Knowledge. So he did what any honest creature would: he spoke. First in whispers, then in reasoned letters, he petitioned the Owls in their towers — the Senior Professors, the Heads of School, the Pro Vice-Chancellors, the Read more…

The standard practice of any Russell Group University when confronted with serious allegations against someone senior is the four stage process. Stage 1 is the Deliberate Stalling of investigations — especially when the accused is a Head of Department or a strategically important position. Delays occur through slow appointment of investigators, Read more…

Once upon a time, in a Department nestled within a Seat of Learning, there was a Researcher. One unusually bright winter day, the Researcher proposed a project for an internship scheme in the upcoming summer.  Among the applicants was a clever Student with a High Widening Participation Score — a measure reflecting the Read more…

The results of the Single Transferable Vote election for the election of the Chancellor of Cambridge University are shown above. Congratulations to Lord Smith of Finsbury who won the election. We wish him well in his new post. The announcement of the result by the University of Cambridge is here. Read more…

The Chancellorship candidates are a mediocre bunch, according to The Critic. In the Times Literary Supplement, Mary Beard was uninspired. In Reaction, Adam Boulton was unimpressed (except by his friend, Lord Browne of Madingley). The consensus is that this is a dismal group of people to choose between! I agree Read more…

It is often said that the role of the Chancellorship is purely ceremonial. In recent years, this has certainly been the case. The pattern was set by the long tenure of the Duke of Edinburgh as Chancellor from December 1976 to June 2011. However, the Statutes and Ordinances support a Read more…