Nick Hillman
Following the money – Review of Paul Johnson’s latest book
HEPI Director, Nick Hillman, takes a look at the lessons in Paul Johnson’s book ‘Follow the Money: How Much Does Britain Cost?’ This is one of the best books I’ve read. That’s really saying something, given it is a book on fiscal policy – or government tax and spend. It…
It’s a wrap! What did we learn about the best way to fund higher education from our UK tour – in London, Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff?
It’s a wrap! Over the past two weeks, HEPI has hosted events in London, Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff in conjunction with the Nuffield Foundation and London Economics. The theme in each place was higher education fees and funding, with a backdrop of:the forthcoming Westminster election and other political goings on –…
The lives of early career researchers
In 2023, the British Academy commissioned 11 members of its Early Career Researcher Network to write about their experiences of life and work in UK higher education. The essay collection shines a light on the voices, perspectives and journeys of early career researchers, poignantly showcasing the realities and challenges faced…
What is wrong with franchise provision?
Franchised provision of higher education has been under the spotlight in recent times. Without shying away from the challenges faced by those delivering successful franchise arrangements, this paper shows how important franchising can be in extending access to higher education. The authors explain what protections need to be in place…
Croeso i Gymru: Is the Welsh student funding system the best in the UK – or is it far from perfect? Discuss
There’s one certainty about higher education funding in Wales: whatever you say about it, someone will shoot you down in flames. (And there will be more heat than light.) Five years ago, we published a paper, Is ‘progressive universalism’ the answer? The new student funding arrangements in Wales, which pointed…
Student Accommodation: The State of the Nation in 2024
In a new paper from the Higher Education Policy Institute, Student Accommodation: The State of the Nation in 2024, Martin Blakey, the former Chief Executive of the Leeds-based student housing charity Unipol, explains the changes in the student accommodation market that have led to higher rents. Following the recent announcement that…
Whatever happened to all those ‘alternative providers’ of higher education? By Nick Hillman
While Margaret Thatcher was the Secretary of State for Education and Science in the 1970s, she instructed people working in independent educational institutions to: ‘never apologise for independence. It is worth stimulating and nurturing for its own sake. You do not have to justify it. It is those who wish to…
General election 2024: Higher education fees and funding
The logic of fees Whether we like it or not, there is one higher education issue that tends to bestride all the others at general elections, and that is tuition fees. In many ways, that is an odd fact. Undergraduate fees have existed in some form or other in most…
At Amber: The financial position of UK universities
On Christmas Day, my family gave me a lovely new fountain pen (made out of recycled plectrums by this master craftsman since you ask). There was one other thing at the top of my Christmas wish list too, although – unlike the pen – it has only just arrived. I am referring…