The ‘third space’ describes a group of university staff who can neither be described as academic nor non-academic professional staff. In the context of research, several roles clearly fit into the third space, including: A new report from the Higher Education Policy Institute (www.hepi.ac.uk), The characteristics and career pathways of…
London cements its reputation as the best student city in the world While the top five best student cities have been relatively stable since 2021, London has been untouched at the top. London leads the UK in many QS Best Student Cities ranking aspects In most of the lenses we…
The UCAS process in the UK has many benefits compared to its global counterparts. Its relative simplicity is likely welcomed by anyone who has ever attempted a US university application! The downside of the relative ease of process-driven system is that it belies the realities of a transition from sixth…
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) allows students to take out student loans to fund modules within a full qualification, opening up new opportunities for people who want to learn new skills or upskill for a new career but do not want to commit to a full qualification. Whilst we are…
This report explores the experiences of Black early-career academics (ECAs) in higher education. Based on a survey of nearly 100 Black ECAs and 24 interviews with staff working on initiatives to support them, this report examines the challenges faced by Black ECAs in securing a post and advancing their careers.…
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…
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…