I made it onto campus today, at least. I like this shot of the ventilation chimneys outside the tents set up to suppor this week’s graduation ceremonies; look at the top-right third of the shot and see how it is disorted by the heat coming out of the main stack.
When graduation ceremonies have appeared on here in the past they have either been those at Manchester or a couple in Moscow, back a few years ago. But this one, today, is at the University of Leeds — and I was not present through professional duty but personal connection, seeing as it was Clare who was celebrating the award of her (second) MA in Psychotherapy and Counselling. Well done to her and to everyone else there today — our C was at the front, far away from the camera, but these graduates nearer where I was sat capture the mood of the day just as well.
The twice-yearly graduation ceremonies give us the chance to dress up in our finery and enjoy some pomp and circumstance. Opportunities to do that are getting fewer in the world so let’s embrace them while they still exist. And as ever, congratulations to all the students as well.
It’s that time of year again. It crossed my mind today that it’s now twenty years since I first graduated, in July 1997. Gosh…
Congratulations to all my students who graduated from the class of 2015 at today’s ceremony — and indeed to all students everywhere, who work bloody hard, you know.
None of my students are present — they all usually graduate in December — but the summer graduation ceremonies bring a last burst of life to the campus before it really shuts down for high summer. Not that there were any attendees yet present this morning when I took this shot. Not much light in Manchester this morning but the seats have caught a dim flicker.
Congratulations to the summer graduates of the UoM, who certainly had fair weather to mark their achievement, although I was not present at this (or any) ceremony this year. Most of my students graduate in December. The shot also gets in because of the mild comedy value, you see what I mean, I’m sure. Or maybe it’s the Watchmen reference. I love Watchmen.
Couldn’t take lots of photos at this happy event because I had an official role to play: it would not have done to have been snapping away from up on the stage while reading out the names of the many graduates celebrating their achievements this evening. (Reading the names out is a harder job than it looks, I can assure you.) This was the best shot to encapsulate the most important thing about the day however – it makes people happy.
I would say, somebody please tell our government that higher education remains a public good, but we have done so, and they don’t care. Very soon Fei, and I, will sod off to work and study in a country which still values the notion of higher education as something which benefits everyone, not just the student. And we will take all the expertise and economic gains that it represents with us. Their loss. I hope it never happens, but we teeter on the edge here in the UK system, right now.
Today I was the University of Manchester’s representative at the graduation ceremony of our partner, the Moscow School of Social and Economic Sciences. Like all graduates these guys have worked very hard. Like all of us they face an uncertain future, but hey, that’s what futures are. Good luck to them all. This was a good day.
