It took me years in academia to realise that many “average Universities” are often actually better than elite Unis.

Elite unis business model is, in many subjects, effectively a “CV branding” process for a specific minority of intelligent children of highly privileged top 5%.
2/

It’s why you see a far greater focus on humanities among this particular cohort at elite unis than elsewhere. It’s also why states which have this elite uni model - US & UK - rely on foreign students in sciences at elite unis than elsewhere.
3/

I can’t be the only academic to notice that at the average uni where I am the privileged students all seem to be ahead of the rest of the class in the 1st year but regress to the mean by the end.
4/

It’s like privileged schools are very good at getting average students into good unis...

..but average schools are pretty bad at getting potentially excellent students into elite unis.
6/

This is not to say elite unis aren’t great or better than most.

But rather that average unis are adding a greater “added value” to students than elite unis.

This isn’t a criticism so much of elite unis but on how they take admissions.
7/

Which has led me to the conclusion that Oxbridge isn’t the problem - it’s the solution.

Increase the ratio of science/STEM subjects at Oxbridge & triple the intake of total students via competitions among state schools.
8/

I have no real problem with an intellectual elite. The problem is that the UK doesn’t have one. It has a social group that send their intelligent children to do humanity degrees as a CV branding exercise while average unis struggle to get funding for gifted students.

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with Nick🇬🇧🇪🇺

Nick🇬🇧🇪🇺 Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @nicktolhurst

20 Jan
As I understand it the actions of both West Bromwich Albion & West Ham regarding the Snodgrass *should* result in both a fine & points deduction for each team.

It is essentially colluding on team selection to the detriment of others and thus comes under match fixing regulations.
2/

Legally the only get out I can see is if Sam Alladyce claims to have got it wrong and the boards of both clubs back him up.

This will of course be views as obviously a lie but could be enough.

Problem is West Ham won which could enable other clubs to sue.
3/

Effectively a club below West Ham could argue West Ham offered a “bribe” for West Brom to field a weakened team as part of a transfer deal.

As such West Ham, at the very least, should forfeit the 3 points.
Read 4 tweets
19 Jan
Welsh political landscape now starting to resemble Scotland more than England.

Rise of @Plaid_Cymru means that Wales now a 3 way split with once strong liberal vote drifting below the Greens.

As I’ve long advocated, due to this Wales is likely to be THE electoral key to 2024.
2/

The number of Tory held marginals where the combined opposition vote vastly outweighs the Conservative one is both huge given Wales relative size - and easy fruit for an even relatively discreet electoral alliance.
3/

However the conservative vote in Wales is likely to hold up due to the higher number of English - often retired - voters compared with Scotland.

Without an electoral pact a large number of seats would essentially be won by English voters voting for an English centered party.
Read 4 tweets
17 Jan
2 weeks into Brexit..

..and one of its chief architects decides to leave Britain.

Douglas Carswell, former Tory & at one time only UKIP MP, has decided to forgo the delight of seeing the glorious Brexit era he helped usher in..

..he’s moved to Mississippi in the US Deep South.
2/

For disappointed “Carswell fans” don’t worry!

..you can still catch up with the latest Carswell news via the Mississippi Centre for Public Policy - a right wing lobby organisation that Douglas now heads.
3/

The Mississippi Center supports the “privatization of medical services around the world”, which seems a little strange as Carswell...

...did of course champion the £350 million a week extra Govt spending on NHS “Brexit bonus”.

Still I’m sure that’s all a misunderstanding!
Read 5 tweets
17 Jan
If you are still declaring „how could leave voters have been so stupid?” – you are not just part of the problem – you don’t understand your own country.

Brexit & the survival of the English gentleman.

- A Thread –
2/
Imagine for a moment you’re NOT the type of person that watches Newsnight, regularly reads a newspaper or went to Uni. Imagine you’re a busy person with family.

That is, imagine you're in the majority of the population.
& the governing party offer a referendum with 2 choices.
3/

To the average person why would a govt run by a party thats largely ruled the country since a century offer a choice btwn 2 options if one was stupid, self-harming nonsense?

This doesn’t seem a big point point – but its utterly central to Brexit..& one remainers often miss.
Read 12 tweets
16 Jan
+UPDATE+

The UK Govt plans to raise money from hauliers by taxing them £50 an hour as they park at the govt's 'inland border facilities" while waiting for Brexit customs checks.
2/

Number of media sources - including the Telegraph's Alan Tovey - now confirming the UK Govt's plans to extract money from hauliers as they are forcibly delayed waiting for Brexit customs checks.
3/

There's another issue in that the Kent Access permit - "The Kermit" - was originally set for 24 hours...

...if trade does go back to pre COVID levels then the queue of hauliers will automatically mean drivers going over the 24 hour limit & facing further fines (or "taxes").
Read 6 tweets
16 Jan
+UPDATE+

For the first time in 300 years...

....border guards INSIDE Gibraltar will include those from non British countries including Spain as part of EU-UK deal on Gibraltar.
2/

Confirmation also that the road linking Gibtaltar & Spain will now be widened to allow people and cars to travel freely.

Arrivals from UK will - either from air or sea - will now face checks from the EU FRONTEX Schengen border system..
3/

Gibraltar will become part of EU's passport-free travel area - the Schengen zone - though there is a different use of language from both sides on being "part of" or "connected to" Schengen.

This is because as Gibraltar can't join officially as its not an independent country.
Read 4 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Too expensive? Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal Become our Patreon

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us on Twitter!