I was asked if I wanted to grow old and decrepit. I declined. #weakendpun
Johnny Rich
@johnnyrich.com
Director, ResearchPlus CEO, PushTalks | Author (The Human Script and other works) | Speaker | #HigherEd Specialist Personal account - any views are all my own fault. Web: johnnyrich.com
When I was young, my teacher told me I could be anyone I wanted to be. I’ve learned since that apparently that’s ’identity theft’. #weakendpun
I lost my job as a car mechanic for swapping my overalls for a tuxedo. I blame my boss for telling me to change attire. #weakendpun
#PartyConference season is approaching. If you're going to Labour, Conservatives, Reform, Greens or Lib Dems, the team at @wonkhe have built a superb listings tool for fringe sessions, socials and events related to higher education, education, research and skills. partyconferences.wonkhe.com
HE Influence – Party conference events 2026
Higher education at all five UK party conferences. Crowd-sourced fringe listings from HE Influence by Wonkhe.
partyconferences.wonkhe.com
I failed my driving test. When the examiner said, “Brake, fast”, apparently I wasn’t supposed to start eating a full English. #weakendpun
Nobody Tableaus like @dkernohan.bsky.social Tableaus. The intriguing truth about application rates and demography. wonkhe.com/wonk-corner/...
The intersection between ethnicity, disadvantage, and social mobility via higher education is complex
Entry rates might not be the easiest way to understand it
wonkhe.com
The good people of #Clacton may be interested in data published today, broken down by constituency, showing the net economic impact of international students (ie. AFTER public costs). They gain over £2million, amounting to the equivalent of £20 in the pocket of every resident.
Major science facilities to be scaled back, UKRI confirms as it unveils final STFC cost-savings plan. STFC will also reduce project spending, despite £135m of fresh money. @francesjones.bsky.social got hold of details ahead of imminent announcement. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Major science facilities to be scaled back, UKRI confirms - Research Professional News
Science and Technology Facilities Council will also reduce project spending, despite £135m of fresh money
researchprofessionalnews.com
I caught a salmon and was told it was best if cured. Sadly the vet couldn’t help. #weakendpun
#R4Today programme just now - Nick Robinson interviewing Jonathan Agnew about Ben Stokes’ retirement: NR: I’m just going to stop you there because we’ve got Piers Morgan on the line. JA: Really? Oh dear.
I told my friend all about my obsession with seaweed. He said I should see kelp immediately. #weakendpun
Calling all wonks! It's arrived: partyconferences.wonkhe.com Your crowd-sourced, listings app for everything #education #universities #research and #skills related at the #PartyConferences brought to you by @wonkhe.bsky.social
HE Influence – Party conference events 2026
Higher education at all five UK party conferences. Crowd-sourced fringe listings from HE Influence by Wonkhe.
partyconferences.wonkhe.com
Happy #INWED2026! epc.ac.uk/article/happ...
Happy International Women in Engineering Day 2026! - Engineering Professors Council
EPC Chief Executive, Johnny Rich, marks #INWED26 by celebrating the moves towards gender equality in engineering academia and the EPC itself and inviting all academics to contribute to our efforts. ...
epc.ac.uk
I agree with every word of @davephoenix.bsky.social's letter in today's Guardian on minimum entry requirements to higher education. www.theguardian.com/education/20...
A more integrated education system would benefit all | Letters
Letter: Prof Dave Phoenix says government policy should not focus on who can be excluded from higher education
theguardian.com
I'm pleased to say the Advertising Standards Authority has just approved the slogan for my new range of alternative medicines: "Johnny's Finest Remedies – you won't get better" #weakendpun
Welcome to day 2 of #EANCongress26. Please tag us and let us know what you are enjoying or have discovered.
Johnny Rich@johnnyrich.com · 2mo agoWith #EANCongress26 starting today, this compelling piece by @bevgibbs.bsky.social is brilliantly timely and a must-read for the whole HE sector, not just “canaries in the coal mine” in engineering. @epc.ac.uk wonkhe.com/blogs/are-we...
#EANCongress26 is underway at @unistrathclyde.bsky.social with the opening keynote by Prof Sir Jim McDonald, who recently received Scotland’s highest honour, Knight of the Order of the Thistle, but we trumped that by also awarding him the @epc.ac.uk’s President’s Prize.
With #EANCongress26 starting today, this compelling piece by @bevgibbs.bsky.social is brilliantly timely and a must-read for the whole HE sector, not just “canaries in the coal mine” in engineering. @epc.ac.uk wonkhe.com/blogs/are-we...
An African bull elephant can grow up to 13 feet. But most only grow four. #weakendpun
Next at #hepiac26 the launch of the findings from the Student Academic Experience Survey 2026. Alastair Jarvis, @advancehe.bsky.social starts us off highlighting some of the key stats including that just 7% of grads would not go to uni if they had their time again.
Baroness Smith, Minister for Skills, kicks off #HEPIAC26 @hepi-news.bsky.social by talking about instability and change: “we need to be resilient and ready, not despairing, open to opportunities”
I took Ryanair to court when my luggage went missing. They lost the case. #weakendpun
The chief executive of the Engineering Professors’ Council, Johnny Rich, has been appointed inaugural director of ResearchPlus, a new grouping of research-focused institutions in the UK
ResearchPlus names Johnny Rich as inaugural director
Sector stalwart picked to lead new grouping in next stage of development
timeshighereducation.com
"What do you want to be when you grow up, little Johnny?" "A stalwart!" #MissionAccomplished www.timeshighereducation.com/news/researc...
ResearchPlus names Johnny Rich as inaugural director
Sector stalwart picked to lead new grouping in next stage of development
timeshighereducation.com
After ten fantastic years as CEO of the @epc.ac.uk, I am delighted to announce that I have been appointed first Director of @researchplusunis.bsky.social, the collaborative of research-led universities, from August 1st 2026. researchplus.ac.uk/policy-news-...
ResearchPlus appoints Johnny Rich as first Director - Research Plus
researchplus.ac.uk
This is a barnstormer of a blog. Highly recommended. www.hepi.ac.uk/2026/06/02/w... by @rstephenson123.bsky.social @hepi-news.bsky.social
Women in higher education: progress, power and the work still to do - HEPI
Below is the text of a speech delivered by HEPI’s Director of Policy and Strategy Rose Stephenson, to the Women’s Higher Education Network conference. It is a huge honour to join the Women’s Higher Ed...
hepi.ac.uk
Satin, silk, shellac, lustre, eggshell - with all these different terms for shiny paint finishes, I need a glossary. #weakendpun
“We risk turning away tomorrow’s leaders by placing restrictions on outstanding scholars who have already passed the government’s own rigorous selection process”. – Prof Sasha Roseneil of ResearchPlus
Leading universities urge Mahmood to exempt exceptional students from visa ban
Exclusive: Russell Group universities ask for carve-out from visa ban for Chevening scholars
independent.co.uk
Thanks to @isaacbarbosa1.bsky.social for inviting me to comment for his piece on China overtaking UK on number of British engineering papers funded www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-i...
China overtakes UK on number of British engineering papers funded - Research Professional News
Acknowledgements of funders in China topped those of British counterparts in 2025, RPN analysis reveals
researchprofessionalnews.com