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Latest Blogs

The state of the UK higher education sector’s finances

8 July 2025 by Jack Booth and Maike Halterbeck

In recent years, financial pressures have mounted across the entirety of the UK higher education (HE) sector, and have left many institutions in an exceptionally…

Can a university be civic if it fails to invest in local relationships?

7 July 2025 by Julian Dobson

The Government wants English universities to play a greater civic role in their localities. But new research shows universities are failing to invest in the…

WEEKEND READING: Should the seminal Robbins report inform the forthcoming post-16 strategy?

HEPI’s Director, Nick Hillman, spent Friday at a conference organised by SKOPE (the Centre for Skills, Knowledge, and Organisational Performance), part of the University of…

The AI balancing act: universities, innovation and the art of not losing the plot

4 July 2025 by Alejandro Armellini

Universities must harness AI’s promise with caution, ensuring innovation enhances rather than undermines education, equity and academic integrity.

Own Your Narrative: Why Personal Branding Matters for University Leaders

3 July 2025 by Caroline Dunne and Janice Kay

A clear, authentic personal brand helps university leaders build trust, amplify impact, and future-proof their careers in a changing sector.

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Latest News

Unite Students Applicant Index shows student wellbeing surpasses pre-pandemic levels for the first time

Today, Unite Students is launching the 2025 edition of its Applicant Index in partnership with HEPI. Student wellbeing has surpassed pre-pandemic levels for the first…

What the next generation of entrepreneurial university leaders need to know

The higher education sector is navigating one of the most challenging periods in its history, marked by financial uncertainty, rapid technological transformation, demographic shifts and…

Thank you

This note is by HEPI Director, Nick Hillman. I’m over the moon and completely surprised to have had my work in higher education policy since…

More than two-thirds of full-time students now undertake paid work during term time, major survey reveals

A record 68% of students now work during term time, reshaping study habits amid rising cost-of-living pressures.

Universities are boxed in: Is there a way out?

In a new HEPI Debate Paper, Universities are boxed in: Is there a way out?, Professors Diana Beech and André Spicer of City St George’s, University…

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