❝@TimesHigherEd Newsletter—UK & global #highered news views reviews

…another weekly HE newsletter. It could be early but I don't see anything here on COCAL XI, which has already been covered in Australia by CASA,which suggests (to me at least) that #auscasuals & allies may be more truly global minded than THE.  More at random than on any schedule, I try to blog a variety of education newsletters ~ a rotating sampler. Education International (EI-IE, @eduint) is another. Several University Affairs/Affaires universitaires bloggers are already on the PF blogrolls ~ more about UA/AU (just subscribed to the email newsletter too). Recommendations invited... 

As for domestic mainstream #highered media, it's already covered. Most readers already follow IHE and CHE, multiple share story links all over social media. When I remember, IHE's weekly newsletter and podcast go either straight to Precarious Faculty-Facebook or there via Precarity Dispatches. CHE's Academe is email, no link for easy online blogging and sharing, although sometimes I will. 

Times Higher Ed FEATURED CONTENT

Is living in an English-speaking country a curse? « @GdnHigherEd

…May 6 Newsletter…also featuring #AcademicsAnonymous series, why networking is like dating, PhD tips, #quitlit & more

Write for our #AcademicsAnonymous series    English is now the only serious global scientific language, says Peter Scott. The global spread of English has boosted the success of UK science, and has also helped to recruit international students to UK universities. But living in an English-speaking country is also a curse, Scott argues.

the view across the pond

We are not alone. This story in Times Higher Education has a familiar ring: "The insecure scholar: My name badge is about to let me down again" is from THE's new weekly online blog on the daily struggles, petty indignities and insecurities of an academic life on casual contracts: "Conferences are fun but the chat about position and status can be so embarrassing."

The writer then describes a typical conference encounter, "Yes, I’m fully qualified with a good track record of post-doctoral research and publication. But my position within academia since completing my doctorate has been unclear. For a number of years after completing my thesis I did not hold a university position, subsisting on freelance community research projects. In those years, I came to dread receiving an integral part of any conference – the name badge. I had no institution to put underneath my name. When I bumped into people I knew, they would frequently come out with something like: 'so you’re now at... oh', looking embarrassed at my lack of affiliation. I’d have to quickly summarise my complicated employment situation before apologetically explaining that I was still doing some academic writing in my field."

What's on your name badge? Maybe it's time to face up and out ourselves as what and who we are, precariously employed some still desperately seeking permanent academic employment. Imagine the effect of complacent tenured conference goers looking around a room and seeing themselves in the minority, outnumbered like Custer at Little Big Horn... 

Other UK post-secondary (tertiary) education links of possible interest:

• College and University Support Network (CUSN):  an independent charity supporting all adult, further and higher education staff and their families to improve their wellbeing and effectiveness; established by the Teacher Support Network, in collaboration with the University and College Union, to meet the specific needs of those working in further and higher education.
• University and College Union (UCU): represents more than 120,000 academics, lecturers, trainers, instructors, researchers, managers, administrators, computer staff, librarians and postgraduates in universities, colleges, prisons, adult education and training organisations across the UK and is the largest post-school union in the world. 

A comparative, global overview of Higher Education

 

1st U, & founder: Rupert I: 

how times have changed