'I am doing my job better than ever'

Alison Utley reports from last week's Association of University Teachers summer council in Scarborough

Philosopher Nick McAdoo (pictured left) works from home for the Open University and the University of Kent, covering both research and teaching duties, and says he feels at the height of his powers.

"Not only am I doing my job better than ever, but I have discovered late in life a love of cooking and have become a compulsive tidier," he said,shifting a huge pile of paperwork.

Working from home has taken some getting used to, he says, as normally it is the place to get away from work. But now it never really goes away, especially when work is due in.

"I know when I'm going to get a flood of phone calls from students with excuses," he said, remembering his first day at home when two students called him. The first said she was being evicted and the second said the pony was ill.

The biggest relief, however, according to Dr McAdoo, is the escape from institutional politics.