Earlier this week came the news that a White Paper on ‘Levelling up’ would be delayed to the New Year. Conjecture in the media appears to blame the delay on disagreements within the government about what can be done. It…
It seems there’s a lot going wrong, and its not just to do with the ‘misfortune’ of being white, working-class and a boy. The government is determined to target this group with a campaign to improve their university ‘aspirations’. Universities…
Today the Guardian revealed that the Higher and Further Education Minister, Michelle Donelan, is racking up more pressure on universities. This appears to yet more evidence that Donelan is softening up students and the universities for a response to Augar…
An online conference last week marked the ‘World Access to Higher Education Day’ and highlighted the universal problems of inequality in access and success in Higher Education. The activities of many countries and organisations dedicated to equality are to be…
A partial U-turn on the fate of post-16 education by the Education Secretary, Nadhim Zahawi, earlier this week has created a ‘dog’s breakfast’ of choices for students in an already confused system. The plan to replace the more flexible BTECs…
The COP 26 conference of the United Nations ended a day late yesterday with many feeling the +1.5oC target could be missed in time. It is clear much more must be done. The final pact decision text was long on…
There is rising speculation and ‘advice’ for the government coming from many different quarters. It is fuelled by the failure of any response to Augar in the budget and no account taken of the costs of Higher Education (HE). There…
The big surprise in the budget and Spending review yesterday was what was missing. Some universities were acknowledged as world-class but Higher Education was omitted from any plans except for their role in research investment. It appears there may be…
The launch day of the delayed Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) is upon us and we fear what is still to emerge on Wednesday. There have been an unprecedented number of press releases and ‘leaks’ in advance of a budget vote…
With universities and colleges bracing themselves for the budget and the Comprehensive Spending review (CSR), they will also be looking to find more sources of revenue. Catering for students as a ‘captive audience’ on campus is one such source with…
