Ronald Hartz
@ronaldhartz.bsky.social
Senior Researcher at Technische Universität Ilmenau, Germany | organization studies | critical management studies | alternative forms of organization | higher education | he/him
Reposted by Ronald Hartz
'David Maguire and Alex Bols, vice-chancellor and chief of staff respectively at the University of East Anglia, updated their prediction made last autumn that 10,000 jobs could be lost in 2024-25, claiming this same amount could in fact be lost every year going forward.' 1/3
UK universities ‘could cut 10,000 jobs every year’
Academics claim changes made to higher education system a decade ago have divided sector into ‘winners and losers’, with government-imposed limits on income exacerbating financial challenges
www.timeshighereducation.com
November 28, 2025 at 7:38 AM
'David Maguire and Alex Bols, vice-chancellor and chief of staff respectively at the University of East Anglia, updated their prediction made last autumn that 10,000 jobs could be lost in 2024-25, claiming this same amount could in fact be lost every year going forward.' 1/3
Reposted by Ronald Hartz
In light of record submission rates and a large volume of AI-generated slop, SocArXiv recently implemented a policy requiring ORCIDs linked in the OSF profile of submitting authors, and narrowing our focus to social science subjects. Today we are taking two more steps:
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November 27, 2025 at 2:54 PM
In light of record submission rates and a large volume of AI-generated slop, SocArXiv recently implemented a policy requiring ORCIDs linked in the OSF profile of submitting authors, and narrowing our focus to social science subjects. Today we are taking two more steps:
/1
/1
Reposted by Ronald Hartz
I feel much safer today knowing that we deported a Babson College student back to a country where she hasn't lived since childhood.
She wasn't even flying internationally. She was flying to Texas.
She wasn't even flying internationally. She was flying to Texas.
A Babson College student wanted to surprise her family for Thanksgiving. She was deported instead. - The Boston Globe
Any Lucia Lopez Belloza was at Logan to catch a flight to Texas when immigration authorities detained her as she was about to board the plane.
www.bostonglobe.com
November 27, 2025 at 10:47 AM
I feel much safer today knowing that we deported a Babson College student back to a country where she hasn't lived since childhood.
She wasn't even flying internationally. She was flying to Texas.
She wasn't even flying internationally. She was flying to Texas.
Reposted by Ronald Hartz
What should an international research agenda for critical studies of "edtech" look like? After running a critical edtech conference this year, a few of us have mapped 6 key areas for further research in a brief new report zenodo.org/records/1767...
Critical Edtech Studies. Defining the field; envisioning the future. 2025 Position statement after the inaugural edition of the European Conference on Critical Edtech Studies (ECCES).
kein Abstract vorhanden
zenodo.org
November 27, 2025 at 5:12 PM
What should an international research agenda for critical studies of "edtech" look like? After running a critical edtech conference this year, a few of us have mapped 6 key areas for further research in a brief new report zenodo.org/records/1767...
Reposted by Ronald Hartz
Has anyone bothered to explain why universities would be needed at all if they were market driven?
The private sector is already positioned to supply any 'training' that is immediately profitable in the market for skills.
Universities only have a comparative advantage at being universities.
The private sector is already positioned to supply any 'training' that is immediately profitable in the market for skills.
Universities only have a comparative advantage at being universities.
In sum, calling for university curricula to “adapt to the market” is not neutral reform. It’s a normative position that privileges one cognitive interest over the others.
November 27, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Has anyone bothered to explain why universities would be needed at all if they were market driven?
The private sector is already positioned to supply any 'training' that is immediately profitable in the market for skills.
Universities only have a comparative advantage at being universities.
The private sector is already positioned to supply any 'training' that is immediately profitable in the market for skills.
Universities only have a comparative advantage at being universities.
Transformers in action.
"On the strategic transformation piece, I would welcome clarification on the relationship between operational transformation, tactical transformation, and local strategic transformation."
November 27, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Transformers in action.
Reposted by Ronald Hartz
"On the strategic transformation piece, I would welcome clarification on the relationship between operational transformation, tactical transformation, and local strategic transformation."
November 27, 2025 at 2:10 PM
"On the strategic transformation piece, I would welcome clarification on the relationship between operational transformation, tactical transformation, and local strategic transformation."
Reposted by Ronald Hartz
I've blogged on idea that #AI 'democratises' various skills, such as illustration and writing. I think that misses the point of learning a skill entirely. It's the learning of the skill that enriches and frees us, not us being able to offload it to a machine: blog.matthewbarnard.phd/democratisat...
Democratisation and AI
A philosophical critique of AI “democratisation,” exploring how skill, freedom and education relate, drawing on Plato, Aristotle, Heidegger and Berlin.
blog.matthewbarnard.phd
November 27, 2025 at 1:36 PM
I've blogged on idea that #AI 'democratises' various skills, such as illustration and writing. I think that misses the point of learning a skill entirely. It's the learning of the skill that enriches and frees us, not us being able to offload it to a machine: blog.matthewbarnard.phd/democratisat...
Reposted by Ronald Hartz
Efforts to “get on the artificial intelligence bandwagon” are not paying off for universities, with institutions being urged to “take a step back” before rushing to make more investments in new technologies, reports Juliette Rowsell from #THEarabsummit https://ow.ly/vyGW50Xyx6k
Universities making ‘bad’ investments in new AI technologies
Institutions urged to take a step back and think about what they are trying to achieve before ‘jumping on AI bandwagon’
ow.ly
November 27, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Efforts to “get on the artificial intelligence bandwagon” are not paying off for universities, with institutions being urged to “take a step back” before rushing to make more investments in new technologies, reports Juliette Rowsell from #THEarabsummit https://ow.ly/vyGW50Xyx6k
Reposted by Ronald Hartz
'Universities are communities of people and those within Scotland’s universities play a critical role in shaping our regions, our nation and our international reach and impact.'
Devolution dividend: staff matter too. A huge contrast to DfE/Jacqui Smith approach in Tuesday's testimony. 3/3
Devolution dividend: staff matter too. A huge contrast to DfE/Jacqui Smith approach in Tuesday's testimony. 3/3
November 27, 2025 at 8:00 AM
'Universities are communities of people and those within Scotland’s universities play a critical role in shaping our regions, our nation and our international reach and impact.'
Devolution dividend: staff matter too. A huge contrast to DfE/Jacqui Smith approach in Tuesday's testimony. 3/3
Devolution dividend: staff matter too. A huge contrast to DfE/Jacqui Smith approach in Tuesday's testimony. 3/3
Reposted by Ronald Hartz
'The University of Dundee has been told it cannot make any compulsory redundancies until it has a three-year recovery strategy in place as part of conditions placed on its bailout from the Scottish government.' 1/3
Bailout conditions restrict compulsory redundancies at Dundee
University told to come up with a plan for financial recovery before it enforces more job losses
www.timeshighereducation.com
November 27, 2025 at 8:00 AM
'The University of Dundee has been told it cannot make any compulsory redundancies until it has a three-year recovery strategy in place as part of conditions placed on its bailout from the Scottish government.' 1/3
Reposted by Ronald Hartz
Is this platform still massively against the Discover Tab or has it moved more towards acceptance?
November 26, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Is this platform still massively against the Discover Tab or has it moved more towards acceptance?
Reposted by Ronald Hartz
Crisis of underfunding didn’t just “happen”
It was overseen by UniversitiesUK, who represent University Vice Chancellors
They're now pretending to be helpless bystanders
There’s excuses, hand-wringing … but absolutely no one taking responsibility
www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/what-we-do/c...
It was overseen by UniversitiesUK, who represent University Vice Chancellors
They're now pretending to be helpless bystanders
There’s excuses, hand-wringing … but absolutely no one taking responsibility
www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/what-we-do/c...
Universities receiving £6.4bn a year less for teaching students compared to a decade ago
New analysis from Universities UK (UUK) shows the scale of underfunding English universities face in teaching today’s home students, compared to ten years ago.
www.universitiesuk.ac.uk
November 25, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Crisis of underfunding didn’t just “happen”
It was overseen by UniversitiesUK, who represent University Vice Chancellors
They're now pretending to be helpless bystanders
There’s excuses, hand-wringing … but absolutely no one taking responsibility
www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/what-we-do/c...
It was overseen by UniversitiesUK, who represent University Vice Chancellors
They're now pretending to be helpless bystanders
There’s excuses, hand-wringing … but absolutely no one taking responsibility
www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/what-we-do/c...
Reposted by Ronald Hartz
Cambridge University spends > £400k on injunctions over protests
Universities now mainly exist to channel public money to lawyers ...
... corporate advisers, reputation managers & external consultants
www.varsity.co.uk/news/30669
Universities now mainly exist to channel public money to lawyers ...
... corporate advisers, reputation managers & external consultants
www.varsity.co.uk/news/30669
Uni splashed over £400,000 on controversial protest lawyers
Universities across the country spent almost £1.4 million on legal advice to tackle encampments
www.varsity.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Cambridge University spends > £400k on injunctions over protests
Universities now mainly exist to channel public money to lawyers ...
... corporate advisers, reputation managers & external consultants
www.varsity.co.uk/news/30669
Universities now mainly exist to channel public money to lawyers ...
... corporate advisers, reputation managers & external consultants
www.varsity.co.uk/news/30669
Reposted by Ronald Hartz
Seeing a fair few academics saying things like ‘sure I know AI is terrible and the people who designed it are terrible and the impact it has on the planet is terrible…but how might *I* be able to use it in a non-terrible way?’
November 26, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Seeing a fair few academics saying things like ‘sure I know AI is terrible and the people who designed it are terrible and the impact it has on the planet is terrible…but how might *I* be able to use it in a non-terrible way?’
👇
all those years work pitching the value of the humanities and STILL when financial crunch comes and management consultants role in, they could not care less.
history doesn’t have enough commercial applications! humanities aren’t engaged enough with AI! why isn’t my house a helicopter!
history doesn’t have enough commercial applications! humanities aren’t engaged enough with AI! why isn’t my house a helicopter!
November 26, 2025 at 7:07 PM
👇
Reposted by Ronald Hartz
all those years work pitching the value of the humanities and STILL when financial crunch comes and management consultants role in, they could not care less.
history doesn’t have enough commercial applications! humanities aren’t engaged enough with AI! why isn’t my house a helicopter!
history doesn’t have enough commercial applications! humanities aren’t engaged enough with AI! why isn’t my house a helicopter!
November 26, 2025 at 6:59 PM
all those years work pitching the value of the humanities and STILL when financial crunch comes and management consultants role in, they could not care less.
history doesn’t have enough commercial applications! humanities aren’t engaged enough with AI! why isn’t my house a helicopter!
history doesn’t have enough commercial applications! humanities aren’t engaged enough with AI! why isn’t my house a helicopter!
Reposted by Ronald Hartz
Banks, consultancy firms position chronic underfunding as an opportunity to reform and repurpose universities, rather than as a rallying cry to garner support, break out of somnambulance, and get to the upstream cause of many of the problems.
www.caut.ca/bulletin/not...
www.caut.ca/bulletin/not...
Not all calls for public funding are good - CAUT
Program cuts, layoffs and campus closures are making headlines across the country.
www.caut.ca
November 26, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Banks, consultancy firms position chronic underfunding as an opportunity to reform and repurpose universities, rather than as a rallying cry to garner support, break out of somnambulance, and get to the upstream cause of many of the problems.
www.caut.ca/bulletin/not...
www.caut.ca/bulletin/not...
Reposted by Ronald Hartz
One weird thing about working in a university is that a bunch of people who don’t teach, & don’t understand your subject area, have strong opinions about what & how you should teach, how you should assess, & the value of your courses. Same deal your research. Those people are in charge.
November 26, 2025 at 6:03 PM
One weird thing about working in a university is that a bunch of people who don’t teach, & don’t understand your subject area, have strong opinions about what & how you should teach, how you should assess, & the value of your courses. Same deal your research. Those people are in charge.
Reposted by Ronald Hartz
My own object to the term 'provider' is that over the years I feel that I've gone from being an educator to a 'service provider'. I now expect that one day I will be replaced by a vending machine.
November 26, 2025 at 12:44 PM
My own object to the term 'provider' is that over the years I feel that I've gone from being an educator to a 'service provider'. I now expect that one day I will be replaced by a vending machine.
"Yet the tales of the organizational hero, the visions extolled in the mission statements, and the omnipresence of the holy corporate logo, all exemplify a rationalized appeal to the irrationality of our deepest fears and insecurities." (Hancock, 1997)
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Citizenship or Vassalage? Organizational Membership in the Age of Unreason - Philip G. Hancock, 1997
In his article `Organizations and Citizenship' (1997), Martin Parker observes that what he terms `new style management' has placed, high on its agenda...
journals.sagepub.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:34 PM
"Yet the tales of the organizational hero, the visions extolled in the mission statements, and the omnipresence of the holy corporate logo, all exemplify a rationalized appeal to the irrationality of our deepest fears and insecurities." (Hancock, 1997)
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Reposted by Ronald Hartz
When they say ‘higher education providers’ do they mean universities?
When they say ‘exiting the market’ do they mean closing?
When they say ‘exiting the market’ do they mean closing?
November 25, 2025 at 11:06 PM
When they say ‘higher education providers’ do they mean universities?
When they say ‘exiting the market’ do they mean closing?
When they say ‘exiting the market’ do they mean closing?
Reposted by Ronald Hartz
I’m a past winner of the Orwell Prize & won partly because I exposed Vote Leave’s unlawful activities.
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove Made Orwell Prize Judge Despite Record of Attacking Journalists and Dodging Scrutiny
Critics say "Orwell would have enjoyed the irony" of the former Conservative minister's appointment
bylinetimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:53 PM
I’m a past winner of the Orwell Prize & won partly because I exposed Vote Leave’s unlawful activities.
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
"students are increasingly telling us that the way they want to learn languages is changing" 🤷♂️
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Protest over future of University of Nottingham language courses
The University of Nottingham has suspended entry for new students on modern language courses.
www.bbc.com
November 26, 2025 at 11:23 AM
"students are increasingly telling us that the way they want to learn languages is changing" 🤷♂️
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Ronald Hartz
'Exiting the market' is such a crap euphemism. It's not like the 'university' will then go and apply all its assets to another market. Those assets (human and non-human) will be dispersed, wasted, destroyed. Un-creative destruction. Which we can't afford as a society.
Chief exec of OfS 'said the OfS believes there are 24 institutions at risk of exiting the market in the next 12 months, seven of which are large providers with more than 3,000 students. There are another 25 or so institutions of various sizes at risk over a two- to three-year period, she added.'
Seven ‘large providers’ at risk of going under in the next year
Skills minister says no higher education institutions are at imminent risk of collapse this year but OfS confirms more than 20 providers are being closely monitored
www.timeshighereducation.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:54 AM
'Exiting the market' is such a crap euphemism. It's not like the 'university' will then go and apply all its assets to another market. Those assets (human and non-human) will be dispersed, wasted, destroyed. Un-creative destruction. Which we can't afford as a society.