(Image of Paula Vennells is public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.0) The Post Office Scandal is the defining event of 21st century Britain. Between 1999 and 2015, about 1000 sub-postmasters were wrongly prosecuted for theft because of Read more…
Athena SWAN is run by Advance HE. Universities pay fees to Advance HE for assessment, application and renewal of the Athena SWAN accreditation. Advance HE is a company limited by guarantee (as well as a registered charity). The company is Read more…
(Video clip from Googlebox, hat-tip to Plashing Vole on BlueSky) “Have you ever betrayed anyone?” “Well, I work in HR” “So, yeah” This video clip is for anyone working in UK universities.
The 21 Group has long argued that the University of Cambridge needs an independent Ombudsman to address serious abuses. At present, the University does not have an Ombudsman. Instead, it relies on a Board of Scrutiny (BoS). Although the BoS does not possess the same Read more…
Following last week’s diary entries on the impact of bullying on a young academic, this week another victim from Cambridge University steps forward to speak out. In this instance, the mistreatment of the early career researcher has been reported to Read more…
Nothing surprises us about university HR departments any more. Last week, The Times and Personnel Today reported an extraordinary story. A famous UK university, which is currently implicated in a case involving allegations that a senior professor sexually harassed a Read more…
Too often, the voices of those who have suffered bullying in Universities go unheard. Their pain is hidden behind a culture of fear and silence. Their experiences are dismissed by the very systems and people who are meant to protect Read more…
A brief post to show that the blog is hitting new heights. The blue line is the chart of visitors to the 21 Group blog site (sessions per month versus date). Each of these sessions has on average 3-5 page views. The red Read more…
The modern university is a place where exposing misconduct is a disciplinary offence, and protecting senior professors is a core value. The victimisation is usually performed by the institution itself –- either by the HR and Legal Departments, or the Read more…
The Vice Chancellor of Cambridge University’s Annual address was given on 1 October 2025. A written version is here. This is the Alternative Vice Chancellor’s Annual Address. “I came from 3000 miles away. When I arrived, I knew little about Read more…