Incoming Vice Chancellors (VCs)- who are also Chief Executive Officers in the UK – face a chorus of voices jockeying for position, stakes and interest. It is sometimes also the case that the university has run into difficulty, for example with student outcomes, research, or financial metrics and these may…
Since the first hint last year of proposed changes to key parts of the next Research Excellence Framework (REF2029), many in the sector have been eagerly awaiting further details. Working in a small, specialist institution, I welcome the proposed shift in REF2029 away from the existing Environment Statement narrative and…
The London Book Fair 2024 shed light on numerous critical issues currently impacting the publishing industry. On March 14th, I had the privilege of participating in a panel discussion addressing one of the most recent and swiftly evolving changes—generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). By harnessing the power of AI responsibly: researchers,…
Asking an established professor how they arrived at that position can be like asking a centipede to explain how it walks. Those of us who got here were often too busy doing the kind of work that got us here to keep note of the steps and strategies. In fact,…
Has regulation of higher education gone too far? Those in Government would say certainly not and most likely point at the National Audit Office’s recent report on student loan fraud at franchised providers or explain that – given higher interest rates have increased the cost of funding the student loans…
In their recent study “The gainers and losers from the United Kingdom’s university-related migration: A subregional analysis of Graduate Outcomes Survey data”, Professor Tony Champion, Professor Anne Green, and Dr Kostas Kollydas offer an insightful analysis of higher education-related migration within the UK, utilising Graduate Outcomes Survey data from the…
Our universities face a funding crisis. Fees of £9,250 are not sufficient to cover the costs of delivering higher education to the typical student. But many people, including many policymakers, do not believe this. They think it looks like quite a lot of money for modest contact hours and limited…
It has been said that the translation of research into profitable and impactful businesses is one of ‘Higher Education’s best-kept secrets’! University spinouts can bring to market cutting-edge research and technology, create jobs and contribute to economic growth. No matter which party wins the next general election, they will want…
At any time, but particularly in times of challenge, an executive team’s leadership of the university’s strategy is paramount. This strategy charts the path to achieving shared institutional vision and mission, embodies organisational identity, frames associated plans, informs targets and timeframes and, ultimately, is the measure of a Vice Chancellor…
In the rapidly evolving landscape of higher education, universities are increasingly embracing engagement dashboards and learner analytics as powerful tools in their quest to enhance student success. Internal and external drivers are propelling this shift, with academic institutions adopting early warning systems to efficiently identify students at risk. At Keele,…