Jonn @GuardianEdu: The British Council – Friend or Foe?

On the surprisingly widespread disdain for a much-loved institution.

A few years ago, when the CfBT Education Trust, a non-profit organisation that runs schools and education services, was looking to expand its operations in Malaysia, its chief executive, Neil McIntosh, arranged a meeting with the local high commissioner. When he got there, though, he was disappointed to see that the commissioner had brought along a representative of one of CfBT’s main competitors. “He was a bit put out that I should see the British Council in that light…”

You can read the rest here.

Jonn @GuardianEdu: On Gove’s original sin

Throwing rocks at Michael Gove again, this time for last Tuesday’s Guardian. (Why yes, that is a flatteringly photo-shopped photograph of my face they ran with the article. How kind of you to notice.)

This time I’m asking “Will Gove’s legacy be parents petrified they won’t find a primary school for their child?”

Incidentally, “For goodness sake don’t tempt fate by saying you’ve identified MG’s worst cock-up!” may be the best comment posted under anything I’ve ever written.

You can read the piece here.

Jonn @GuardianEdu: Flat-pack universities for sale

On David Willetts’ plans to help British universities sell their wares to developing countries:

…UKES won’t just push overseas campuses: everything from technology to accreditation is also in its sights. But it could also market a sort of flat-pack higher education system, with campus construction, academic expertise and the finance to pay for it all in a single package. Governments in a hurry to create a new university could use Britain as a one-stop shop…

You can read the rest of it here.