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Many years ago, it fell to me to chair Higher Education Funding Council for England teaching-quality inspections of academic departments.

At one such event, the head of department confided to me and my team that he and his team completely disagreed with the strategic direction in which their vice-chancellor was taking them and were doing all they could to undermine it, in the interests of the discipline they taught.

We agreed, and gave the department top marks.

Geoffrey Alderman, Michael Gross professor of politics and contemporary history Buckingham University.