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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].

  • Mixed messaging: Why are universities under fire for their response to T-Level students?

    24 October 2022 by Nick Hillman

    As some of the first cohort of T-Level students recently started higher education, HEPI Director, Nick Hillman, takes a look at how universities have responded to the new qualification. Universities are often accused of dragging their feet on T-Levels. One recent headline reads: ‘Confused and frustrated: Most universities reject first…

  • Fair Access and Participation: Sector-wide challenges need sector-wide collaboration

    21 October 2022 by Antony Moss

    This blog was contributed by Professor Antony Moss, Associate Pro Vice Chancellor, Education and Student Experience, London South Bank University, and Chair, London Uni Connect. In the summer, all universities with an approved Access and Participation Plan (APP) were asked by our regulator, the Office for Students (OfS), to submit…

  • The evolving roles and constant challenges for a higher education leader

    20 October 2022 by James Ransom

    This blog was kindly contributed by Professor James Ransom, Head of Research at the National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education (NCEE). This blog is the fifth in our series on leadership in partnership with NCEE. A dig through academic archives can give us insights into how our understanding of higher education leadership has changed over…

  • What works for leadership in higher education? Let’s find out …

    20 October 2022 by Alison Johns

    Alison Johns, Chief Executive, Advance HE, urges all leaders in higher education and related organisations to complete the inaugural Global Leadership Survey for Higher Education and be part of this global conversation. It is a chance to have your say and shape the future of higher education leadership. There has…

  • Cardiff Metropolitan University becomes first UK higher education institution to pledge no investments in border violence

    19 October 2022 by Eva Spiekermann

    This blog was contributed by Eva Spiekermann, Co-Director of the Migration Campaign and Movement Building at People & Planet. Today, Cardiff Metropolitan University made a landmark announcement in support of migrants’ rights by approving a policy to never invest in companies complicit in violence against people migrating and seeking sanctuary. An unprecedented act in UK…

  • How universities can step up to support the technical workforce

    19 October 2022 by Jane Hubble

    Midlands Innovation is a strategic research partnership of eight research intensive universities in the Midlands. Funding was awarded by Research England in 2020 for ‘TALENT’ – a transformation programme to advance status and opportunity for technical skills, roles and careers. The TALENT Commission report was published in 2022.  HEPI is running a…

  • How should universities support staff during the pandemic?

    18 October 2022 by Rasha Kassem

    This blog was kindly contributed by Dr Rasha Kassem, research project team lead for ‘Impact of COVID-19 on Staff in UK Higher Education – A Comparative Analysis across the Four UK Nations’ at the Open University. See Rasha’s previous HEPI blog, ‘How did COVID-19 impact staff in UK higher education?’ Undeniably, the…

  • Representation Matters: Reflections on Academia’s ‘Leaky Pipeline’

    17 October 2022 by Blessing Marandure

    HEPI is running a series of blogs on the changing faces of academia in collaboration with the British Academy. This post was kindly contributed by Dr Blessing Marandure, Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Fair Outcomes Champion on the Decolonising DMU Project at De Montfort University. ‘Who did you say sent you?’…

  • New research study: Flexible working arrangements and presenteeism in UK higher education during and post-COVID

    14 October 2022 by Fotios Mitsakis

    This blog was written by Dr Fotios Mitsakis, Senior Lecturer at Nottingham Trent Business School. Fotios is the PI of ‘Flexible working arrangements and presenteeism in the UK Higher Education Sector during and post the COVID-19 Pandemic’, a collaborative project between Nottingham Business School – Nottingham Trent University, Strathclyde Business School – University…