Margot Finn
@eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Historian of Britain and colonialism, material culture, the EIC. Also works on equalities, museums, open access & research policy. Download the EIC @ Home open access volume here: https://www.uclpress.co.uk/products/88277 (or individual chapters via JSTOR)
Thought for the day:
On Bluesky, it's "nice" to "Like", but it's (more) effective to Repost. Be effective. (You can also be nice).
On Bluesky, it's "nice" to "Like", but it's (more) effective to Repost. Be effective. (You can also be nice).
November 10, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Thought for the day:
On Bluesky, it's "nice" to "Like", but it's (more) effective to Repost. Be effective. (You can also be nice).
On Bluesky, it's "nice" to "Like", but it's (more) effective to Repost. Be effective. (You can also be nice).
That's just the tip of this iceberg. Citizen research, enhanced archival practice, better-informed health care professionals and co-produced museum exhibitions all feature in this Impact Case Study.
We lose more than Humanities when we lose university Humanities research. Humanity & policy. 4/4
We lose more than Humanities when we lose university Humanities research. Humanity & policy. 4/4
November 10, 2025 at 12:39 PM
That's just the tip of this iceberg. Citizen research, enhanced archival practice, better-informed health care professionals and co-produced museum exhibitions all feature in this Impact Case Study.
We lose more than Humanities when we lose university Humanities research. Humanity & policy. 4/4
We lose more than Humanities when we lose university Humanities research. Humanity & policy. 4/4
What's more "The coal industry and its workers, via Friendly Societies, Trade Unions and Mutual Aid societies, were innovative in responding to disability via sickness benefits, provision of medical care and assistive technologies." Food for thought for today's policy-makers? 3/4
November 10, 2025 at 12:39 PM
What's more "The coal industry and its workers, via Friendly Societies, Trade Unions and Mutual Aid societies, were innovative in responding to disability via sickness benefits, provision of medical care and assistive technologies." Food for thought for today's policy-makers? 3/4
How aware is/are your MP(s) of what your local universities deliver beyond taught programmes? Little in political debate or media suggests that their understanding is high. Perhaps it's time to add tutorials with worked examples to the mix, before it's too late. ICSs offer easy starting points. 8/8
November 10, 2025 at 10:10 AM
How aware is/are your MP(s) of what your local universities deliver beyond taught programmes? Little in political debate or media suggests that their understanding is high. Perhaps it's time to add tutorials with worked examples to the mix, before it's too late. ICSs offer easy starting points. 8/8
Organ donor matches work best if donors share recipients' ethnic background. There are shortages of many kinds, including acute shortages for Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic donors. UK opt-in organ donation policies (2015-21) were designed to address donor shortfalls. But as we know, it's tricky. 4/8
November 10, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Organ donor matches work best if donors share recipients' ethnic background. There are shortages of many kinds, including acute shortages for Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic donors. UK opt-in organ donation policies (2015-21) were designed to address donor shortfalls. But as we know, it's tricky. 4/8
Some call it mass uncontrolled migration. Others call it the British empire.
November 4, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Some call it mass uncontrolled migration. Others call it the British empire.
Keen to welcome and learn about a great new book? Join us in Mile End at QMUL on 30 October at 6PM to celebrate Dr Jake Richards' Bonds of Freedom: Liberated Africans and the End of the Slave Trade (hot off the press from Yale). Free and open to the public.
October 23, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Keen to welcome and learn about a great new book? Join us in Mile End at QMUL on 30 October at 6PM to celebrate Dr Jake Richards' Bonds of Freedom: Liberated Africans and the End of the Slave Trade (hot off the press from Yale). Free and open to the public.
Something that's surprised (that's surprised, not shocked) me in today's Post-16 Education & Skills paper is the attention to access to PhD programmes for Home students (e.g. 'the declining proportion of UK doctoral applicants in some [unnamed] fields, including reducing financial barriers' (p. 57).
October 20, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Something that's surprised (that's surprised, not shocked) me in today's Post-16 Education & Skills paper is the attention to access to PhD programmes for Home students (e.g. 'the declining proportion of UK doctoral applicants in some [unnamed] fields, including reducing financial barriers' (p. 57).
Trott concludes with a waring about 'death trap degrees'. (Are they the same as Mickey Mouse degrees, one might ask?) Phillipson handles this nicely: which children does Trott not want to go to universities? Whose children? Trott is in the trap. 6/x
October 20, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Trott concludes with a waring about 'death trap degrees'. (Are they the same as Mickey Mouse degrees, one might ask?) Phillipson handles this nicely: which children does Trott not want to go to universities? Whose children? Trott is in the trap. 6/x
Andrew Jones (VC Brunel) in RPN Sunday Reading today moots re REF2029 'the PCE element could be assessed primarily at institutional level and only at unit level where essential'. Better to replace UoA PCE with Main Panel (A, B, C, D) PCEs, where HEIs make substantial submissions to more than 1. 1/2
October 19, 2025 at 11:06 AM
Andrew Jones (VC Brunel) in RPN Sunday Reading today moots re REF2029 'the PCE element could be assessed primarily at institutional level and only at unit level where essential'. Better to replace UoA PCE with Main Panel (A, B, C, D) PCEs, where HEIs make substantial submissions to more than 1. 1/2
'The rise of India as a destination for British universities to open satellite campuses feels like the “California gold rush”, according to...Phil Allmendinger, pro vice-chancellor for education and partnerships at the University of London'. 2/3
October 11, 2025 at 9:36 AM
'The rise of India as a destination for British universities to open satellite campuses feels like the “California gold rush”, according to...Phil Allmendinger, pro vice-chancellor for education and partnerships at the University of London'. 2/3
So interesting to witness the slow death on non-AI enabled Google. If I now Google 'Times Higher Education' its top 3 offerings are: 1) #Amazon: Buy Craft Supplies Now/Save on Arts & Crafts; 2) Post-16 Education Options (Skills for Careers); and 3) Times Higher Education home.
September 17, 2025 at 5:05 PM
So interesting to witness the slow death on non-AI enabled Google. If I now Google 'Times Higher Education' its top 3 offerings are: 1) #Amazon: Buy Craft Supplies Now/Save on Arts & Crafts; 2) Post-16 Education Options (Skills for Careers); and 3) Times Higher Education home.
The trends the report identifies in the contraction in SHAPE provision have wider implications for STEM and for the UK university sector as a whole.
Don't ignore the canary in the coal mine. 4/5
Don't ignore the canary in the coal mine. 4/5
September 10, 2025 at 5:53 AM
The trends the report identifies in the contraction in SHAPE provision have wider implications for STEM and for the UK university sector as a whole.
Don't ignore the canary in the coal mine. 4/5
Don't ignore the canary in the coal mine. 4/5
Also at risk are UK regions themselves. SHAPE graduates (more than half of whom stay in the region of their university after graduation) offer key skills to culture, the economy, civil society, health and public institutions. 3/5
September 10, 2025 at 5:53 AM
Also at risk are UK regions themselves. SHAPE graduates (more than half of whom stay in the region of their university after graduation) offer key skills to culture, the economy, civil society, health and public institutions. 3/5
Regional inequalities in access to SHAPE undergraduate courses are growing. In the crosshairs are (for example) students who want or need to commute to university, disproportionately including state school students and students from lower socioeconomic groups. 2/5
September 10, 2025 at 5:53 AM
Regional inequalities in access to SHAPE undergraduate courses are growing. In the crosshairs are (for example) students who want or need to commute to university, disproportionately including state school students and students from lower socioeconomic groups. 2/5
If the rumours are true, next time a parent at an open day asks you what History graduates do, mention UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology as one possibility.
If the rumours aren't true, don't worry: there are lots of other excellent answers on tap.
If the rumours aren't true, don't worry: there are lots of other excellent answers on tap.
September 5, 2025 at 4:35 PM
If the rumours are true, next time a parent at an open day asks you what History graduates do, mention UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology as one possibility.
If the rumours aren't true, don't worry: there are lots of other excellent answers on tap.
If the rumours aren't true, don't worry: there are lots of other excellent answers on tap.
So, other than taking any consultations we're invited into seriously, maybe 'pause' is a good time to step back and focus on what's actually of value.
Are 'dry run' exercises on that list? Hmm. Probably not. Is actually enabling/doing/supporting research on that list? Hmm. Emphatically yes. 7/7
Are 'dry run' exercises on that list? Hmm. Probably not. Is actually enabling/doing/supporting research on that list? Hmm. Emphatically yes. 7/7
September 5, 2025 at 12:44 PM
So, other than taking any consultations we're invited into seriously, maybe 'pause' is a good time to step back and focus on what's actually of value.
Are 'dry run' exercises on that list? Hmm. Probably not. Is actually enabling/doing/supporting research on that list? Hmm. Emphatically yes. 7/7
Are 'dry run' exercises on that list? Hmm. Probably not. Is actually enabling/doing/supporting research on that list? Hmm. Emphatically yes. 7/7
What's bad-REFfing? Letting the REF tail wag the Research dog. Not knowing what REF2029's requirements are is an opportunity to focus on what we know is good for good research. Good-Research=time, independence, collaboration, flexibility, encouragement, support, respect and money, for example. 5/7
September 5, 2025 at 12:44 PM
What's bad-REFfing? Letting the REF tail wag the Research dog. Not knowing what REF2029's requirements are is an opportunity to focus on what we know is good for good research. Good-Research=time, independence, collaboration, flexibility, encouragement, support, respect and money, for example. 5/7
Most of our research environments are now worse than during the REF2021 cycle. The pandemic, the erosion of research and teaching funding, in some nations the wild swings in student numbers, the BL hack and more have degraded our research conditions.
Don't degrade them more by bad-REFfing. 4/7
Don't degrade them more by bad-REFfing. 4/7
September 5, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Most of our research environments are now worse than during the REF2021 cycle. The pandemic, the erosion of research and teaching funding, in some nations the wild swings in student numbers, the BL hack and more have degraded our research conditions.
Don't degrade them more by bad-REFfing. 4/7
Don't degrade them more by bad-REFfing. 4/7
Some (no doubt annoyingly) glass-half-full reflections on REF2029 pause, for academic and PS staff involved in HEI submission(s).
If, like me, you're having to deal with the hiatus in the known unknowns, what's a viable approach to take? Some very preliminary thoughts. 1/7
If, like me, you're having to deal with the hiatus in the known unknowns, what's a viable approach to take? Some very preliminary thoughts. 1/7
September 5, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Some (no doubt annoyingly) glass-half-full reflections on REF2029 pause, for academic and PS staff involved in HEI submission(s).
If, like me, you're having to deal with the hiatus in the known unknowns, what's a viable approach to take? Some very preliminary thoughts. 1/7
If, like me, you're having to deal with the hiatus in the known unknowns, what's a viable approach to take? Some very preliminary thoughts. 1/7
And the criteria-setting Sub-panel membership for REF2029 is now up. All the best to them and to the later additions to the SPs: it's exhausting but also stimulating and vital work. 2029.ref.ac.uk/news/
September 4, 2025 at 12:25 PM
And the criteria-setting Sub-panel membership for REF2029 is now up. All the best to them and to the later additions to the SPs: it's exhausting but also stimulating and vital work. 2029.ref.ac.uk/news/
If you're teaching global history (or, frankly, just history) in the coming year, this 10-min talk will be a fab resource, and can be supplemented by Rebecca's articles on the history of food & her book on the history of the potato, Feeding the People: The Politics of the Potato (Cambridge, 2020).
July 29, 2025 at 9:28 AM
If you're teaching global history (or, frankly, just history) in the coming year, this 10-min talk will be a fab resource, and can be supplemented by Rebecca's articles on the history of food & her book on the history of the potato, Feeding the People: The Politics of the Potato (Cambridge, 2020).
Given Researchfish's track record, I'm thinking more along the lines of
July 24, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Given Researchfish's track record, I'm thinking more along the lines of
What's left out of this discussion? Disciplinary differences are mentioned, but has thought yet gone into UoA sizes? On Panel A in 2021, this ranged from c. 4FTE to 499FTE; on Panel C from 2FTE to over 300. Any policy needs to recognise impact of this. Good luck to the team. It's complicated! 10/10
July 15, 2025 at 2:07 PM
What's left out of this discussion? Disciplinary differences are mentioned, but has thought yet gone into UoA sizes? On Panel A in 2021, this ranged from c. 4FTE to 499FTE; on Panel C from 2FTE to over 300. Any policy needs to recognise impact of this. Good luck to the team. It's complicated! 10/10
The 'substantive link' component, another knock-on effect of consciously decoupling, would seem to create a quagmire of paperwork. For the exceptions to non-portability posited for 'longer form' Outputs, make that 2 quagmires. If 5% of REF submissions are audited, add another quagmire or two. 9/10
July 15, 2025 at 2:07 PM
The 'substantive link' component, another knock-on effect of consciously decoupling, would seem to create a quagmire of paperwork. For the exceptions to non-portability posited for 'longer form' Outputs, make that 2 quagmires. If 5% of REF submissions are audited, add another quagmire or two. 9/10