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

Publications

In recent years, HEPI has produced over 20 reports a year. They are all available free of charge here on our website and all our longer reports are also available in hard copy from the HEPI office.

The version on the website should be regarded as the version of record.

  • Student Demand to 2035

    24 October 2024

    This report from Bahram Bekhradnia, HEPI’s President, is the latest in a series of HEPI reports on future demand for higher education. It looks at the various factors which may affect participation in higher education by home students in England up to 2035

  • HEPI SOFT-POWER INDEX 2024: The US pulls further away, while the UK stands still and France slips back

    10 October 2024 by Nick Hillman

    The Higher Education Policy Institute has published the results of its eighth annual Soft-Power Index. The Index measures the number of senior serving world leaders – defined as monarchs, presidents and prime ministers – educated at a higher level in countries other than their own. This year’s results show: When the Index began in 2017, higher level institutions…

  • HEPI’s Annual Review for 2023/24

    7 October 2024

    We are delighted to be publishing HEPI’s Annual Review for 2023/24. This document recounts HEPI’s policy work over the previous academic year, including a record number of pieces of research and a record number of events, leading to record levels of engagement. We are, as always, very grateful for the financial support…

  • Undergraduate fees revisited

    26 September 2024 by Tim Leunig

    Tim Leunig lays out the shortcomings of the current higher education funding model in England and proposes a 10-point action plan to fix the system for the benefit of students, institutions and the nation.

  • The characteristics and career pathways of third-space research professionals in universities: Reflections from practice

    8 August 2024 by Dr Jonathan Grant and Dr Tom Kennie

    The third space describes a group of university staff who can neither be described as academic nor non-academic professional staff, such as technology transfer staff, those overseeing specific labs or equipment and people serving external clients who are commissioning research from a university. This report draws on recent work undertaken…

  • Unblocking the Pipeline: Supporting the Retention, Progression and Promotion of Black Early-Career Academics

    1 August 2024 by Dr Becca Franssen, Josh Freeman, Dr Opeoluwa Aiyenitaju, Dr Bola Babajide, Dr Mercy Denedo, Steven Kator Iorfa and Dr Adegboyega Oyedijo

    This report explores the experiences of Black early-career academics (ECAs) in higher education. Based on a survey of nearly 100 Black ECAs and 24 interviews with staff working on initiatives to support them, this report examines the challenges faced by Black ECAs in securing a post and advancing their careers.…

  • Who cares? How postgraduate parents fall through the gap for government childcare grants, and how to fix it

    18 July 2024 by Billy Davis, Dr Sabrina Fairchild, Nichola Purdue and Dr Joanna Jenkinson

    The provision of support to subsidise childcare has been a salient policy topic in recent years. In 2023, the Conservative Government announced an expansion of support for workers, offering 15 free hours a week for two-year-olds. From September 2024, this expands to babies from nine months old, rising to 30…