The HEPI Blog aims to make brief, incisive contributions to the higher education policy landscape. It is circulated to our subscribers and published online. We welcome guest submissions, which should follow our Instructions for Blog Authors. Submissions should be sent to our Blog Editor, Josh Freeman, at [email protected].
This blog was kindly contributed by John Craven, Chief Executive of upReach, the award-winning social mobility charity that works in partnership with universities to support the progression of disadvantaged students into highly skilled jobs. You can find John on Twitter @upReachJCraven . Ofqual were set a nearly impossible task: Provide students with…
This blog was kindly contributed by Philip Cunliffe, Senior Lecturer in International Conflict at the University of Kent and author of the recent report ‘Saving Britain’s Universities: Academic Freedom, Democracy and Renewal’ published by Cieo. Just as university recruitment looked as if it was beginning to settle, the Government’s U-turn…
This blog was kindly contributed by the Research Development Team, Faculty of Humanities, The University of Manchester: Chloe Jeffries, Aaron McGaughey, Luke Postlethwaite and Jared Ruff. COVID-19 upturned research funding. The first act of the crisis saw a necessary focus on health risks. Medical research dominated the media, funding calls…
This blog was kindly contributed by Professor David Voas, Head of the UCL Social Research Institute. Members of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) are losing a key benefit, and almost no one knows it. Currently, you have the option to increase your pension income on favourable terms by giving up…
This guest post has been kindly contributed by Huy Duong, who has been described by the Guardian as ‘the father who foresaw A-level algorithm flaws’. Huy thanks Professor George Constantinides, Professor Rob Cuthbert, Professor Mike Larkin and Mr Dennis Sherwood for important discussion and help in writing this article. Ofqual’s…
Dennis Sherwood has been tracking this year’s ‘exam’ round for HEPI. Here, he responds to the latest announcements – or u-turn – on using Centre-Assessment Grades. Good news! So now we know. After all the anguish since the A-level results were announced on 13 August, teachers’ Centre Assessment Grades (CAGs) will…
This blog has been kindly contributed by Mary Curnock Cook, who is a HEPI Trustee, Chair of Council at the Dyson Institute, Chair of Trustees of the Access Project, a Council member at the Open University and a non-exec Director at the Student Loans Company – as well as the…
This blog has been contributed by Rob Cuthbert, an independent consultant at Practical Academics and an Emeritus Professor of Higher Education Management. This piece follows on from his previous HEPI blog, ‘A-Levels 2020: what students and parents need to know’. The horror show that is A-levels in 2020 descended to complete farce…
This guest blog has been provided by Dr Gary Gates, Senior Vice President of Pearson – UK Higher Education and Pearson VUE. Pearson is the world’s learning company providing content, assessment and digital online services to learners, educational institutions, employers, governments and other partners globally. This week Pearson released its second…
This guest blog has been kindly contributed by Professor Rama Thirunamachandran, Chair of MillionPlus, The Association for Modern Universities, and the Vice-Chancellor of Canterbury Christ Church University. There is no area of our lives that has not in some way been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the education sector,…