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Spotlight on Professor Simon Marginson
22 April 2015
This week the spotlight is on Professor Simon Marginson, Director of the 果冻影院 Institute of听Education (IOE) Centre for听Global Higher听Education.
What is your role and what does it involve?
I听am Professor of International Education and Director of the 果冻影院 Institute of听Education Centre for听Global Higher听Education, which opens in October 2015, and Joint Editor of Higher Education,听the main journal in higher听education听studies. My day job is primarily to听organise, plan, implement and write social science听research focused on higher听education, which is a large, important and under-researched social sector. It's great that the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) has recognised the importance of higher听education by creating the new research centre.听
I also teach and supervise PhD students, and carry out public听communication, policy-related advice and other activities of the kind we now call 'research impacts'. Essentially though听I am a writer of non-fiction and a public intellectual. Those are my core functions; the reasons why听I am a professor at 果冻影院. I try to ensure the other activities contribute to the conditions necessary to the core functions, or at least don't get in the way too much. It is a constant battle to find enough听time to write properly. If writing time ever becomes听completely obliterated by the other functions, sadly听I听will have to quit the job. 听
How long have you been at 果冻影院 and what was your previous role?
The IOE been part of 果冻影院 only since December 2014, and听I听have been part of the IOE only since October 2013. Still learning how to live in the UK, a curious but interesting place. Previously (2006-2013)听I听was Professor of Higher听Education听at the University of Melbourne.听
What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of?
Books. Teaching, doctoral supervision and public work are important but it is through sustained critical听contributions听to knowledge that social听scientists reach the greatest number of people. I'm听moderately听happy with three books that have gained readers. The best is called听Markets in听Education. There are two听other听books听that听I听like but no-one else has noticed!
Tell us about a project you are working on now which is top of your to-do list
Writing a book called Higher Education. Each week听I听do as much work on it as听I听can. At the top of the practical agenda听is setting up听the 果冻影院 Institute of听Education Centre of Global Higher听Education - kick-starting three research programmes with 13 research projects and ten partner universities, forming the website, and finding an administrator,听communications manager and a clutch of brilliant postdocs who will be the next听generation in higher听education studies.
What is your favourite album, film and novel?
What a question. Of current musicians, Peter Gabriel has the听most听for me.听I听cannot split the albums听So (1986) and Up (2002). The best contemporary writer in English is Cormac McCarthy - his books burn into the brain, but Tolstoy's听War and Peace听is still my听favourite novel. Movie? I don't know. The Coen听brothers' Oh Brother Where Art Thou? is great. I'm especially fond of the work of Hayo Miyazaki, and the early to mid period Zhang Yimou films. To Live (1994) is a wonderful movie about people and about modern China.听It was banned in China and you can't get it on DVD.
What is your favourite joke (pre-watershed)?
In Nigel and UKIP there is no end of possibilities for satire, but you听can't help asking yourself听'is听it really funny?'听Maybe, in thirty years听time, 'Springtime for UKIP'听will be hilarious.
Who would be your dream dinner guests?
Thomas Piketty, Joseph Stiglitz and Naomi Klein. Marina Hyde would keep us amused. Of those who have gone, Ho Chi Minh,听Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley,听Martin Luther King and听Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.听
What advice would you give your younger self?
颁丑颈濒濒.听
What would it surprise people to know about you?
I听won the prize for听'Divinity'听in my last year at school for an essay on the topic听'Is God Dead?'听
What is your favourite place?
Kyoto. Traditional Japan.听