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The UK's only independent think tank devoted to higher education.

Blog

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].

  • Why degree apprenticeships deserve your attention

    5 February 2024 by Ellie Russell

    Degree apprenticeships. They’re Skills Minister Robert Halfon’s “two favourite words in the English language” and we’re at the beginning of a whole week dedicated to raising awareness and celebrating the many benefits of apprenticeships at all levels (yes this year’s National Apprenticeships Week does clash with World Nutella Day, but…

  • Online learning as a response to global shifts in higher education

    2 February 2024 by Nicola McCullough and Joel Roberts

    UK higher education has had a strong international reputation for many years. However, increasing competition for international students and recent reputational challenges may hinder UK institutions’ ability to support global higher education growth, and the growing need for upskilling and reskilling. Whilst there are challenges, UK higher education remains in…

  • General election 2024: Higher education fees and funding

    1 February 2024 by Nick Hillman

    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…

  • UCAS Deadline Day 2024: Getting the ‘best fit’ for student choice

    31 January 2024 by Sarra Jenkins

    I was delivering training to teaching staff this week about the perils and pitfalls of predicted grades. When I gave a statistic about the number of our students that were placed at first or insurance choice university despite missing grades, a colleague thoughtfully asked, ‘but are they happy and succeeding…

  • Students and the Renters (Reform) Bill: the government has listened but it needs to listen some more, part I

    29 January 2024 by Martin Blakey

    HEPI has previously published two blogs outlining how this Bill might affect student accommodation (here and here).  This two-part blog analyses recent developments and suggests that the current proposals will actually reduce rather than enhance housing rights for students. Background Whilst fixed-term tenancy arrangements will remain the norm for purpose-built…

  • The Value of Higher Education in Developed Economies

    25 January 2024 by Vivienne Stern

    Just over a month ago, our Prime Minister, Rt Hon Rishi Sunak, made a statement in his speech to the Conservative party conference. He said that: “The false dream of 50 per cent of children going to university […] was one of the great mistakes of the last 30 years.”…

  • Is technology the ticket to bridging the £17bn gap in university income?

    24 January 2024 by Leo Hanna

    UK universities are set to lose more than £17bn in real income over the next four years as persistent inflation erodes the value of tuition fees, according to newly released research. Higher education software provider TechnologyOne modelled the total amount universities will lose to inflation each year up until 2026-27,…