Last weekend, I attended the third annual Progress through Science and Freedom conference, organized by Australian for Science & Freedom (ASF). The conference took place at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). It was my first time back in Sydney and at my alma mater since 2019.
Thanks for the summary Jim. Sounds like a powerful conference. Brilliant idea to move to a more apprentice type system. Large companies would hire new students from out of high school for a reduced rate and then train them. They could then pick the ones they wanted to continue. Everyone wins. Bypass the now defunct universities! There are some obvious exceptions to this idea but in general I would love to see it happen. Force universities to prove their worth.
The conference ended with a brainstorming workshop on education.
So sick of governments/politicians/leaders using Education as a control carrot. Should not be controlled by Government... used as political football... for votes....
there was something about the video of Gigi Foster : from Victimhood to Freedom that ties into my own thinking about : we are being informed at ever turn of our lives and it is getting worse.
I for one feel over therapised and it comes out in my speech and trying to 'find out what is wrong' rather than just living a life. You know, before the internet came along and no I'm not totally lambasting the internet but there is a solution to everything now a days and we don't rely on our own selves or 'just living our life'...
Her double whammy on climate change.. love it.. its not my fault but collectively it is our fault...
Much of the problem that we currently have with universities is that enrolment based on merit
has (I believe) fallen by the wayside. Universities are now money making factories. However,
many thanks for your continuing focus of attention on university education. My personal wish is
that entry to university for students should be raised. In my day only 5% of matriculants moved
from high school to first year university. As with all complex tasks, one needs to be" ready, willing and able " to do the job. The workplace has the same requirement.
We had orientation week for first year entrants. For me Professor Walter Murdoch addressed all of the students in the main hall. He started by saying that "orientation" meant to be "buried with the feet facing towards the east". That lead to loud guffaws from the audience. Today he might add "orientation" in our university means "merely corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative". (taken from Gilbert and Sullivans "The Mikado"). This remark will fail to stimulate any guffaws. One or two students in the front row might call out "That's racist". And another might scream "That's sexist". Personally, I prefer the good old days.
It was an excellent conference James.
I don't think I've ever attended a smaller conference, or a conference with a higher quality of speakers, participants, or discourse.
My wife and I felt privileged to be there.
I totally agree. And I felt privileged to meet you! What a great couple of days!
As a non academic I really wanted to get to the ASF conference to hear and meet you and Fiona Girkin. Sounds like it was fruitful and productive
Thanks for the summary Jim. Sounds like a powerful conference. Brilliant idea to move to a more apprentice type system. Large companies would hire new students from out of high school for a reduced rate and then train them. They could then pick the ones they wanted to continue. Everyone wins. Bypass the now defunct universities! There are some obvious exceptions to this idea but in general I would love to see it happen. Force universities to prove their worth.
James, do you know if the conference has been recorded? Is it available on YouTube?
The conference ended with a brainstorming workshop on education.
So sick of governments/politicians/leaders using Education as a control carrot. Should not be controlled by Government... used as political football... for votes....
there was something about the video of Gigi Foster : from Victimhood to Freedom that ties into my own thinking about : we are being informed at ever turn of our lives and it is getting worse.
I for one feel over therapised and it comes out in my speech and trying to 'find out what is wrong' rather than just living a life. You know, before the internet came along and no I'm not totally lambasting the internet but there is a solution to everything now a days and we don't rely on our own selves or 'just living our life'...
Her double whammy on climate change.. love it.. its not my fault but collectively it is our fault...
loved this..
Much of the problem that we currently have with universities is that enrolment based on merit
has (I believe) fallen by the wayside. Universities are now money making factories. However,
many thanks for your continuing focus of attention on university education. My personal wish is
that entry to university for students should be raised. In my day only 5% of matriculants moved
from high school to first year university. As with all complex tasks, one needs to be" ready, willing and able " to do the job. The workplace has the same requirement.
We had orientation week for first year entrants. For me Professor Walter Murdoch addressed all of the students in the main hall. He started by saying that "orientation" meant to be "buried with the feet facing towards the east". That lead to loud guffaws from the audience. Today he might add "orientation" in our university means "merely corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative". (taken from Gilbert and Sullivans "The Mikado"). This remark will fail to stimulate any guffaws. One or two students in the front row might call out "That's racist". And another might scream "That's sexist". Personally, I prefer the good old days.
Yes, we need to see a return to merit.