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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].

  • Universities and plagiarism: who copied who?

    26 October 2021 by Daniel Sokol

    This blog was kindly contributed by Daniel Sokol is a barrister and founder of Alpha Academic Appeals, where he leads a team of 15 barristers who act for students accused of misconduct. He was formerly a university lecturer. Daniel is on Twitter @DanielSokol9. John and Amy were best friends. They…

  • The UK’s responsibility to Afghan alumni

    25 October 2021 by an anonymous former Chevening Scholar & Ceri Oeppen

    Today’s blog was co-written by a former Chevening Scholar in Afghanistan, who remains anonymous for their own security, and Dr Ceri Oeppen, Co-Director of the Sussex Centre for Migration Research, University of Sussex, UK (@Oeppen). In August 2021 this year’s cohort of Afghan Chevening Scholars were evacuated from Kabul. But…

  • Universities in an Era of Neo-Nationalism

    22 October 2021 by John Aubrey Douglass

    This blog was kindly contributed by John Aubrey Douglass, Senior Research Fellow and Research Professor at University of California, Berkeley. To varying degrees, universities are feeling the brunt of the rise in neo-nationalist movements and governments, usually led by powerful political demagogues. For the purpose of generating populist support and…

  • The rebalancing-act of public research and development

    20 October 2021 by Connor Mckenzie

    This blog was kindly contributed by Connor Mckenzie, Head of Policy and Research at MillionPlus. You can follow them on Twitter @million_plus. The recent cabinet reshuffle has presented the university sector with challenges and opportunities in the run up to the Spending Review—challenges, as the commitments of previous minsters may…

  • Employability and international students: two sabbatical officers reflect

    18 October 2021 by Nana Fredua Agyeman and Kwame Asamoah Kwarteng

    This blog was kindly contributed by Nana Fredua Agyeman and Kwame Asamoah Kwarteng, international students and former sabbatical officers at the University of Manchester Students’ Union. Follow them on Twitter @nanafreduaagyem, @asamoahpeters and @ManchesterSU. The timing of the HEPI Report: ‘Paying more for less?’ could not be better considering how…

  • On the level: what Civic Engagement must now do for London

    15 October 2021 by Frances Corner

    As Goldsmiths launches a Civic University Agreement co-developed with 11 anchor institutions in the London Borough of Lewisham, Warden Professor Frances Corner OBE reflects on what Civic Engagement means for London in the era of levelling up. Frances is on Twitter @FCorner. London is in the firing line these days.…

  • Three important things to remember about the Spending Review

    13 October 2021 by Nick Hillman

    The Spending Review is just a few days away. There’s not much more than can be said about it … except perhaps three things. 1. The question I am most commonly asked at the moment is: ‘What will be in the Spending Review?’ It is interesting to speculate but it…