Rose Stephenson
In this section
Rose is the Director of Policy and Strategy at the Higher Education Policy Institute.
Rose leads a high-profile programme of research, analysis and public engagement, shaping national debate on higher education and equality. Her work focuses on strengthening the links between evidence, policymaking and practice. Rose also leads HEPI’s strategic direction, setting priorities that position the institute at the centre of national debate on higher education.
Rose works closely with policymakers, regulators, and sector leaders, and has particular expertise in the evolving student experience, lifelong learning, the impact of AI on higher education, and issues of social mobility and equality . She is known for her ability to translate complex evidence into clear, practical policy insight and for building constructive dialogue across government, institutions and the wider public.
Before joining HEPI, Rose held a series of transformational roles at the University of Bath, spanning student experience, policy development and programme delivery. She brings a strong understanding of how national policy decisions are implemented on the ground, and is a regular media commentator, speaker and chair on higher education reform.
A photo of Rose can be downloaded here.
Rose is available for media work relating to higher education. Email: [email protected]
HEPI publications:
- The hidden impact of menstruation on higher education
- The Student Academic Experience Survey 2025
- Evolution of Devolution: how higher education policy has diverged across the four nations of the UK
- Aligning the Lifelong Learning Entitlement and the Growth and Skills Levy: how these policies could work together under a new Government
- Advancing Translational Research
- The Student Academic Experience Survey 2024
- Trans and non-binary student experiences in higher education
- How should undergraduate degrees be funded? A collection of essays
- Show me the money: an exploration of the gender pay gap in higher education
- The Student Academic Experience Survey 2023
- Does the lifelong loan entitlement meet its own objectives?
- Renters (Reform) Bill and the impact on higher education
HEPI Blogs:
- You may not know this example of translation research, but it will have changed your life . . .
- Have we been looking at free speech all wrong?
- Ten things we heard at the Labour Party Conference
- What do I want from a new labour Government?
- From knee-jerk reactions to saving the sector to opening the knowledge estate – discussions on generative AI
- Degree apprenticeships and the lifelong learning entitlement
- How are universities funded?
- Creating robust safeguarding policies to enhance the student experience
- The staff-student relationship register
- What could the higher education short course trial mean for the lifelong learning entitlement?
- Free speech in HE part 1 – we need to talk about objective harassment
- Free speech in HE part 2 – who can speak?
- Free speech in HE part 3 – who’s judgement will be right? The Office for Students or the Office of the Independent Adjudicator?
- Smaller, flexible, more localised higher education provision – the big theme from the Labour Party Conference
- Challenges facing women in post-study jobs, retraining and skills following the pandemic
- Should pastoral support training be mandatory for staff in higher education?
