The TEF… and the University

The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) results were published last week.  For me, as Chair of the TEF panel, last week was hectic: two hundred and ninety-five institutions submitted for TEF assessment, including large multi-faculty universities and specialist institutions, research-intensive and teaching-intensive universities, further education colleges offering higher education and alternative providers. That meant that the…

The morning after the night before

I switched on the television at ten.  I had intended to look at the exit poll and, assuming it would point to a clear winner, turn in.   My wife stuck to her plan to go to bed, but I stayed up until about 3.30 am – and in an age of Twitter, watching the early…

Moving more, more often

We are programmed to move.  To survive in a harsh environment full of natural and human obstacles and enemies, early humans not only had to run, but also walk, balance, jump, crawl, climb, lift, carry, throw and catch things. Our ancestors routinely moved more than we do now: more people worked physically harder in their…

Runner and riders: policies and manifestoes

I have no reliable tip for the Kirkgate Handicap, which is run at 2:30 at Ripon on Thursday 8 June, and, since I know that’s the case, it’s probably sensible to avoid predictions for the General Election on the same day.  Indeed, as regular readers of this blog will know, I was intending to source my online…