***UPDATE*** A recording of the webinar is now available below:
Many university activities are widely celebrated, such as developing a vaccine for COVID-19 or educating nurses. Despite this, universities largely receive a negative coverage in the UK media. This includes regular coverage of: ‘mickey mouse degrees’, high executive salaries, snow flake students, lack of free speech, tuition fees causing student debt, a poor record on access and participation and an apparent crisis in student mental health.
Universities lack adequate coordination at the sector level and have failed to respond to these issues collaboratively and effectively, making any response appear defensive, self-interested and awkward.
Universities therefore need to respond to criticism and explore ways of presenting themselves in a collaborative and positive way, in the media and with government. This would enable them to capture the esteem with which some university activities are held and gain more friends in the media, government and society more generally.
This online event by the University of Gloucestershire School of Media, in association with HEPI, is designed to ignite lively debate and discussion on the issue.
Speakers:
- Rt Hon Chris Skidmore, MP for Kingswood, former Universities Minister
- John Gill, Editor, Times Higher Education
- Rachel Hewitt, Director of Policy and Advocacy, HEPI
- Kirsty Walker, Director of Media Relations, UCL University College London
To join the discussion, register your place here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/universities-and-the-media-online-forum-and-conversation-tickets-150153492137