Susan J. Smith
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sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith
@sjs1869.bsky.social
1.4K followers 160 following 380 posts

President,The British Academy.
Writes about housing and economic inequality.
Life Fellow at Girton College, Emerita Honorary Professor in the Dept of Geography, Cambridge University, UK.
(Views my own).

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Susan Jane Smith is a British geographer and academic. She became President of the British Academy in July 2025. She was mistress of Girton College, Cambridge from 2009 to 2022. Smith previously held the Ogilvie Chair of Geography at the University of Edinburgh from 1990 to 2004 and until 2009 was a professor of geography at Durham University, where she played a key role in establishing the Institute of Advanced Study. On 1 October 2011, she was conferred the title of Honorary Professor of Social and Economic Geography in the Department of Geography at the University of Cambridge for five years, which was renewed until 2021. .. more

Economics 50%
Medicine 9%
Posts Replies Media Videos

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · 17h
Smashing New Year’s Day concert from Vienna; listen up for a stirring speech on the power of #music by the irrepressible Yannick Nézet-Séguin www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...
New Year's Day Concert - Live from Vienna 2026
Petroc Trelawny presents the Vienna Philharmonic's traditional New Year’s Day concert for 2026, live from Vienna.
www.bbc.co.uk

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · 2d
A reminder that Flood Re is in the mix to help keep some insurance premiums (from some providers) in check… for now… www.floodre.co.uk

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · 6d
The case for a different approach… www.economicsobservatory.com/what-future-...
What future for residential property taxation in Britain? - Economics Observatory
Council tax is unpopular, unfair and overdue for reform. An alternative would be to fund statutory services through central government, introduce a modest local service charge, and absorb stamp duty a...
www.economicsobservatory.com

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · 6d
Right sentiment (tax the investment element of residential property), wrong - clunky, inefficient, irrational, unfair, partial, game-able - approach. Leaves most under-used housing assets untouched and does little to address the challenge of local authority funding.
www.thetimes.com/article/c864...
Extra 12,000 second home owners face double council tax
Another 38 councils in England will bring in the 100 per cent surcharge on holiday homes that are not rented out
www.thetimes.com

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · 7d
Must do better… raising funds by reforming residentisl property tax would be a start. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Vulnerable people ‘set up to fail’ in Birmingham’s streets of unregulated ‘supported’ housing
The city now has 30,000 units crammed with people with mental health and other problems
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Paul Langley

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · 8d
Apparently, the world is getting richer. Here’s the catch: ‘The top one-in-a-million (about 5,600 adults, enough to fill a concert arena) collectively hold 3% of global wealth, more than the entire bottom half of the world’s adult population’… wid.world/document/wor...
wid.world

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · 8d
On the subject of New Year’s resolutions, philanthropy is extremely tax efficient - what’s not to like?

www.thetimes.com/article/7b30...
Generous taxpayers could be missing out on millions in charity relief
Anyone paying higher or additional rate tax can claim back money on charitable donations — but many don’t know about this perk, says George Nixon
www.thetimes.com

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · 9d
She was also the first woman to receive the Patron’s medal from the Royal Geographical Society in 1869 for ‘her proficiency in those branches of science which form the basis of physical geography’.
royalsociety.org The Royal Society @royalsociety.org · 9d
Born #OnThisDay in 1780 was the polymath Mary Somerville. She was the first woman to have a paper read to and published by the Royal Society with her paper on the relationship between light and magnetism, and she in fact inspired the coining of the word 'scientist' itself. #WomenInSTEM

Reposted by Susan J. Smith

royalsociety.org
The Royal Society @royalsociety.org · 9d
Born #OnThisDay in 1780 was the polymath Mary Somerville. She was the first woman to have a paper read to and published by the Royal Society with her paper on the relationship between light and magnetism, and she in fact inspired the coining of the word 'scientist' itself. #WomenInSTEM

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · 11d
Chuffed to be invited to join Melvyn Bragg and Martin Rees on Christmas Eve’s Today Programme to reflect on the future…
britishacademy.bsky.social The British Academy @britishacademy.bsky.social · 11d
'We need to nurture those subjects which enable us to build a resource - "human ingenuity" - to interact with the technologies, politics and institutions that will shape the future'

Our President @sjs1869.bsky.social looks to the future for BBC R4 Today (from 45mins) https://bbc.in/49pus0h
Today - 24/12/2025 - BBC Sounds
News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
www.bbc.co.uk

Reposted by Susan J. Smith, Margot C. Finn

britishacademy.bsky.social
The British Academy @britishacademy.bsky.social · 11d
'We need to nurture those subjects which enable us to build a resource - "human ingenuity" - to interact with the technologies, politics and institutions that will shape the future'

Our President @sjs1869.bsky.social looks to the future for BBC R4 Today (from 45mins) https://bbc.in/49pus0h
Today - 24/12/2025 - BBC Sounds
News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
www.bbc.co.uk

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · 13d
Loved the launch of the East of England Early Career Researcher Network - on the brink of a brighter future! www.crassh.cam.ac.uk/blog/launch-...
Launch: British Academy Early Career Researchers Network, East of England - CRASSH
Throughout the day, participants had a unique opportunity to meet the leaders and partners of the ECR network, but most importantly, to build connections with each other.
www.crassh.cam.ac.uk

Reposted by Michael Zimmer

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · 19d
It is sobering, finally, to catch a glimpse across all subjects - the risks of this way of going on are enormous…
eicathomefinn.bsky.social Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 19d
British Academy's pioneering 'cold spots' work now replicated by HESA.

'University "cold spots" are developing in some parts of the country, new data analysis suggests, with courses in some subjects no longer available to students in certain regions.' 1/2
University students facing course 'cold spots' as enrolments fall
New data analysis suggests courses like artificial intelligence are surging in popularity as languages fall.
www.bbc.co.uk

Reposted by Susan J. Smith, Bill Bowring, Andrew Thacker

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 19d
British Academy's pioneering 'cold spots' work now replicated by HESA.

'University "cold spots" are developing in some parts of the country, new data analysis suggests, with courses in some subjects no longer available to students in certain regions.' 1/2
University students facing course 'cold spots' as enrolments fall
New data analysis suggests courses like artificial intelligence are surging in popularity as languages fall.
www.bbc.co.uk

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · 24d
This is to enable the study of Western medieval manuscripts. Don’t miss it if you’re interested. Deadline 7 Jan…
britishacademy.bsky.social The British Academy @britishacademy.bsky.social · 24d
We are still accepting applications to the Neil Ker Memorial Fund 2026, open to both early career and established scholars of any nationality. Awards are tenable for a maximum of 12 months. Find out more and apply: https://bit.ly/4hO0Oo1

Reposted by Susan J. Smith, Kathleen Kennedy

britishacademy.bsky.social
The British Academy @britishacademy.bsky.social · 24d
We are still accepting applications to the Neil Ker Memorial Fund 2026, open to both early career and established scholars of any nationality. Awards are tenable for a maximum of 12 months. Find out more and apply: https://bit.ly/4hO0Oo1

Reposted by Katherine Brickell

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · 24d
Exactly. Which is why the @britishacademy.bsky.social is so concerned about the spread of ‘cold spots’ in the provision of courses in the humanities and social sciences www.timeshighereducation.com/news/more-ha...
More than half of disadvantaged students living at family home
Admissions chief fears rise of commuter students may limit access to courses for those from poorest backgrounds
www.timeshighereducation.com

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · 25d
Take a look peeps. Eye watering trends: ‘a world in which a tiny minority commands unprecedented financial power while billions remain excluded from even basic economic stability.’ wid.world/document/wor...
wid.world

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · Nov 29
Or, the deferral scheme could tap into a tiny proportion of the value of the property - easy to calculate, no interest rate risk, more logical overall?

www.thetimes.com/article/233d...
Homeowners who can’t afford mansion tax could face 8% interest
The government will let payments be deferred, but this could be a money spinner for the Treasury if you have to pay interest
www.thetimes.com

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · Nov 26
There is still so much to gain from a comprehensive, joined up, review of higher education funding.

www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/news/british...
The British Academy's response to the Autumn Budget
The British Academy has responded to the Autumn Budget (26 November 2025)
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · Nov 24
Also international student fees already work hard for the sector… we need a more sustainable way to square the higher education funding circle www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/news/respons...

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · Nov 24
Hitting the nail on the head…
timeshighered.bsky.social Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · Nov 24
Universities in England are receiving over £6 billion less each year for teaching students than they did a decade ago, new analysis shows. Helen Packer reports
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/university-teaching-income-ps64-billon-less-10-years-ago

Reposted by Susan J. Smith

timeshighered.bsky.social
Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · Nov 24
Universities in England are receiving over £6 billion less each year for teaching students than they did a decade ago, new analysis shows. Helen Packer reports
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/university-teaching-income-ps64-billon-less-10-years-ago

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · Nov 23
Less than 10 per cent of properties are in these bands, yet the whole Council Tax system is regressive to incomes, by region and by property value. Surely the time has come?
www.thetimes.com/article/b43b...
Rachel Reeves to hit 100,000 properties with mansion tax to balance books
Rachel Reeves will attempt to raise £400-£450 million from the mansion tax charge, which will come from revaluing properties across bands F, G and H
www.thetimes.com

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · Nov 20
Finally… www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The Guardian view on falling net migration: political debate is now detached from the facts
A fixation on reducing numbers leaves no room for rational discussion of what that means for the economy and society
www.theguardian.com

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · Nov 19
The rise and rise of ‘stackable’ ‘micro-credentials’; the decline and fall of… (am I worried or excited?)

Reposted by Susan J. Smith

timeshighered.bsky.social
Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · Nov 19
Countries face a “growing mismatch” between what education provides and “what the world really needs”, says OECD director

#AcademicSky #EduSky
Global education ‘not aligned with real needs’ – OECD chief
Students struggling to find good jobs while employers say they cannot address skills shortages, Andreas Schleicher highlights
www.timeshighereducation.com

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · Nov 16
Great round up of key problems and possible solutions. Hope you managed to get it on front of the ‘fair funding review’ (www.gov.uk/government/c...)

sjs1869.bsky.social
Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · Nov 16
Shocking news from my home town, caught by ongoing disparities in income and wealth, with housing generally, and council tax in particular, adding to the mix. Time to grasp the (tax reform) nettle?

Reposted by Susan J. Smith, Margot C. Finn

theguardian.com
The Guardian @theguardian.com · Nov 16
‘I think the city is falling apart’: Leicester braces for a make-or-break budget
‘I think the city is falling apart’: Leicester braces for a make-or-break budget
In the local authority where people have the least spare cash there are hopes the chancellor will instil change
www.theguardian.com