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].
When I think about higher education the only thing that comes to mind is university. I know little to nothing about any other options and neither do any of my peers. The only time an adult has ever come to me directly about other options for higher education was one…
There is a growing concern for the mental health of university students globally. A national study of about 70,000 students across 17 universities in South Africa found that 21% of students reported signs of clinical trauma while 37.1% of students reported anxiety symptoms. Mental health challenges impact the lives of…
A 25-year journey It is decades since I last read quite so many words by Sam Freedman. But over 25 years ago, I had the privilege of being his GCSE History teacher. In recent years, Sam has made his name as a political commentator and he has now written his…
Cancelled A levels I was part of the cohort whose A level examinations were cancelled during the 2020 Covid lockdowns. Teacher-assessed or algorithm-determined grades were handed out in place of real marks – leading to chaotic scenes as students failed to meet university offers or universities became so oversubscribed some…
The ‘value’ of a degree has been the subject of active recent debate, but chiefly with reference to what a degree costs a student in tuition fees and maintenance loans, and what it offers by way of employment prospects. Less has been said about the competence of the providers which…
Two University academics put in a room will soon ask each other: ‘What do you do?’ This is most often a question of identity and belonging: In what discipline were you trained? To which community do you belong? It is also a question of power and status: Are they at…
Promotion for academics, especially those on teaching and scholarship (T&S) pathways, is fraught with challenges. Unlike research output, which can be easily measured through journal rankings, citations, and research income, the impact of teaching and scholarship is harder to quantify, making progression criteria poorly defined across the higher education sector.…
In today’s dynamic digital environment, the changes occurring in marketing and public relations (PR) are particularly significant and complex relative to other sectors. As businesses increasingly turn to digital platforms to engage with their audiences, the need for professionals adept in digital marketing and PR strategies is growing rapidly. This…
In the same way that opinion polling predicted how the public was likely to vote at this month’s UK general election, UCAS’s June 30 Deadline data offers a strong steer on what demand for higher education may look like come the start of term. Hundreds of thousands of students on…
At a recent HEPI Partners’ dinner, Sir Anthony Seldon cited his new book coauthored with Tom Egerton ‘The Conservative Effect 2010-2014 – 14 Wasted Years?’ He provided some thoughts on what in higher education had changed for better or worse during this period. It will not have gone unnoticed that…