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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].

  • Entrepreneurship as a driver of civic value in universities

    29 September 2022 by Kevin Kerrigan

    This blog was kindly contributed by Professor Kevin Kerrigan, Pro Vice-Chancellor Business and Enterprise, Sheffield Hallam University. It is the second in our series of blogs on leadership in partnership with the National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education (NCEE). We live in interesting times  While the terror of the ‘demographic dip’ may have…

  • ‘Just a technician?’ Not any more! Why it’s a great time to be a technician in higher education and research

    28 September 2022 by Jiteen Ahmed

    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. Jiteen Ahmed, Head of Technical…

  • Completing the jigsaw: the key role of smaller and specialist universities in local, national and international economies

    27 September 2022 by Anthony McClaran

    This blog was kindly contributed by Anthony McClaran, GuildHE Chair and Vice-Chancellor of St Mary’s University, Twickenham. Small and specialist universities have long been anchors within their communities and specific sectors in the economy. Frequently located in smaller towns, on the edge of cities, or in rural or coastal locations,…

  • How can the Government leverage the power of universities to stimulate growth?

    26 September 2022 by Susanna Kalitowski

    This blog was kindly contributed by Susanna Kalitowski, Head of Policy at University Alliance. After a sweltering summer that ended abruptly with a new Prime Minister and the death of a monarch, we find ourselves in uncharted territory. With a recession looming and millions on the brink of poverty due to rocketing…

  • Permeable Leadership: The route to innovation in university practice

    22 September 2022 by Mary Stuart

    Over the next 10 weeks, HEPI will be running a series of leadership blogs in partnership with the National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education (NCEE). For more than 10 years, NCEE have run leadership development programmes for higher education to support creativity, innovation and the management of change. The first blog…

  • Championing the Role of Technicians

    21 September 2022 by Helen Turner

    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. Here, Dr Helen Turner, Director…

  • Don’t lose sight of the future – a challenge for the new PM

    20 September 2022 by Tim Bradshaw

    This blog was kindly contributed by Dr Tim Bradshaw, Chief Executive of the Russell Group. The immediate challenge for the new Prime Minister will rightly be the cost-of-living crisis, closely followed by the related – and looming – energy crisis. But the new PM mustn’t lose sight of the bigger…