It’s telling Seldon still ruffles other VC’s’ feathers; – he remains one of the most energetic, influential and innovative thinkers on the education policy scene. Year-in, year-out he rails against the “monolithic” exam system; “factory schooling”; and ministerial meddling. And as ever, he advocates passionately for “character education”, wellbeing and resilience, and lifelong learning. So it’s no surprise Seldon’s interventions in the last 12 months have been characteristically headline-grabbing – embodying Buckingham’s “challenger” brand.
First, he argues HE is “fiddling while Rome burns” in ignoring drug-use, pledging to create the UK’s first drug-free university through enforceable contracts, tackling peer-pressure and better education. Second, he urged HE’s leaders to embrace artificial intelligence’s potential to transform the economy, society, and democracy – articulated powerfully in his book The Fourth Education Revolution. And third, he’s slammed his fellow vice chancellors, arguing HE only has itself to blame for tougher regulation. He despairs of their “embarrassing” and “humiliating” tone-deafness in defending pay awards way above their own staff’s agreements – Seldon’s own salary was cut to £150,000 in 2016.
Too many leaders, he argues, live in an echo-chamber – instead of (like the man himself) fighting for social justice, greater diversity, and inclusion, and transforming mental health provision.