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The UK's only independent think tank devoted to higher education.

Blog

The HEPI Blog aims to make brief, incisive contributions to the higher education policy landscape. It is circulated to our subscribers and published online. We welcome guest submissions, which should follow our Instructions for Blog Authors. Submissions should be sent to our Blog Editor, Josh Freeman, at [email protected].

  • Election spotlight on HE policy: Liberal Democrats

    2 June 2017 by Liberal Democrats

    With just one week to go until the General Election, HEPI is asking the political parties for their views on higher education issues. We are asking the same 5 questions to all parties. The second post in our series comes from the Liberal Democrats. How do you think undergraduate study…

  • Election spotlight on HE policy: Plaid Cymru

    2 June 2017 by Plaid Cymru

    With just one week to go until the General Election, HEPI is asking the political parties for their views on higher education issues. We are asking the same 5 questions to all parties. First up – Plaid Cymru, who deserve praise for being the first party to send their responses…

  • **Why you shouldn’t miss the HEPI Annual Conference 2017**

    26 May 2017 by Diana Beech

    On 7 June, HEPI will host its 2017 Annual Conference at Regent’s University London. The conference will provide a timely opportunity for senior leaders and policymakers from across the sector to come together to reflect on what it takes to create a university for students. But why is that important?…

  • What, exactly, do the manifestos say on higher ed?

    26 May 2017

    As political campaigning resumes after the horrific attack in Manchester, HEPI is focusing on what the manifestos of the three biggest UK-wide political parties have to say on higher education. The main announcements are shown in the table below. Three things stand out: A real choice is being offered. On issues…

  • Defining student resilience

    22 May 2017 by Emily McIntosh

    This guest blog was kindly provided by Dr Emily McIntosh, Director of Student Life, University of Bolton. ‘Resilience’ has stealthily crept into higher education consciousness to become the latest buzzword.  The Teaching Excellence Framework, student mental health and wellbeing, retention, achievement, student engagement, learning analytics and employability have preoccupied us…

  • ‘Forward, Together’ or ‘More of the Same’?

    19 May 2017 by Nick Hillman

    The official title of the Tory manifesto is, perhaps surprisingly, not ‘Strong and Stable’ but ‘Forward, Together’. Given that the Conservatives have been in office, in coalition or on their own, for seven years already, one could be forgiven for thinking it might have been ‘More of the Same’. There…

  • Why do academics keep getting election predictions wrong?

    15 May 2017 by Simon Goldsworthy

    This guest blog has been kindly provided by Simon Goldsworthy, Professor of Public Relations and Advertising and Head of Department of Communication & Media (Communication, Public Relations, Journalism & Film Studies), Richmond University, Kensington Campus. Shortly before the referendum on the UK’s place in the EU, the Political Studies Association (PSA) polled…

  • Scrapping tuition fees or scraping away the glue holding the sector together?

    11 May 2017 by Dr Diana Beech

    Yesterday, footage emerged of John McDonnell, the Shadow Chancellor, announcing that Labour will scrap tuition fees if the party wins the General Election on 8 June. Speaking in Mansfield two weeks ago, the Shadow Chancellor can be seen to introduce the idea of a national education service, which is ‘free…

  • The future of UK higher education: What should the manifestoes say?

    10 May 2017

    I am speaking this morning alongside Jo Johnson, the Minister for Universities and Science, at a Portland Communications event on the future of UK higher education. Here are my remarks. Thank you for inviting me. We don’t have long so I want to get straight into the swing of it. But, first, I must…