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].
Franchising and partnership provision in higher education offer valuable opportunities for widening access, but recent scrutiny has highlighted the need for stronger governance and risk management, prompting sector bodies to develop frameworks and resources to ensure quality and protect students.
Chancellors, often seen as ceremonial, play varying roles across British universities, raising questions about their relevance and how they contribute to institutional leadership and reputation.
Student number caps in Scotland limit access, particularly for widening participation students, highlighting the need for flexibility in higher education recruitment to ensure diverse student choice and opportunity.
As students struggle with rising living costs and inadequate support, universities must explore how EdTech and online learning can alleviate financial burdens and improve student outcomes.
Business schools can strengthen their research culture by adopting a three-step organisational change model, focusing on faculty support, academic citizenship, and celebrating research success to sustain long-term productivity.
**Excerpt:** Higher education institutions must address the impact of child poverty on both current and future students, while also improving employment practices to help reduce poverty among their staff and their families.
A new Labour Government must engage in a candid conversation about the future of higher education, recognising the need for proper investment and clarity on the sector's direction to maintain quality.
Facing a funding crisis and demographic challenges, higher education in the UK must consider pragmatic reforms, from index-linking tuition fees to reintroducing student number caps, to ensure its survival and sustainability.
Universities should prioritise student-led sustainability initiatives, empowering students to tackle the climate crisis while developing essential skills for their future careers and contributing to institutional sustainability goals.
As financial pressures on UK higher education intensify, universities face increasing uncertainty, while the political response remains muted, partly due to reforms that have eroded the sector's perceived public role and financial stability.