This week on the podcast the University of Bristol has lost its appeal over a student suicide case - we discuss the implications. Plus the January deadline UCAS figures are out, and we look at the rise in hours that students are spending in paid employment. (CW: Suicide, depression, mental health) With Eve Alcock, Director of Public Affairs at QAA, Ben Whittaker, Chief Executive at LSE Students’ Union, James Coe, Associate Editor at Wonkhe and presented by Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor at Wonk...
Feb 15, 2024•45 min•Season 16Ep. 6
This week on the podcast university funding is back in the news as Wales increases fees and the sector puzzles over fixing funding across the UK. Are fee increases politically palatable, and what are the alternatives? Plus free school meals students face a “postcode lottery” for university entrance, and we’ve been taking a look at universities’ role in the public sector jobs pipeline. With Gavan Conlon, Partner at London Economics, Jess Lister, Associate Director (Education) at Public First, Mic...
Feb 08, 2024•41 min•Season 16Ep. 5
This week on the podcast international students have been in the news - but how much of the coverage was unfair, and does the sector have a case to answer on admissions? Plus DfE has a mental health taskforce report out, Scotland's Commissioner for Fair Access has reported and we look at new polling and data on students' views and the role that gender can play in politics. With Helen O'Sullivan, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Chester, Smita Jamdar, Partner and Head of Ed...
Feb 01, 2024•46 min•Season 16Ep. 4
This week on the podcast OfS has published more inspection reports into Business and Management provision in universities. Is the process and focus right? Plus we discuss the implications of Jo Phonenix's win at tribunal against the OU, and look in detail at a report on university governance. With Jonathan Simons, Partner and Head of the Education Practice at Public First, Steph Harris, Director of Strategy, Insight and Member Engagement at Universities UK, David Kernohan, Deputy Editor at Wonkh...
Jan 25, 2024•47 min•Season 16Ep. 3
This week on the podcast the National Audit Office reports on organised crime and fraud in franchise agreements - is the regulation right and are the incentives appropriate? Plus we discuss the prospect of a university going under, there’s new UCAS figures out and who’s paying the Real Living Wage? With Nicola Dandridge, Professor of Practice in Higher Education Policy at University of Bristol, Jonathan Grant, Director at Different Angles, Debbie McVitty, Editor at Wonkhe, and presented by Jim D...
Jan 18, 2024•51 min•Season 16Ep. 2
This week on the podcast we’re in Helsinki on the Wonkhe SUs study tour where SU officers and staff from around the UK have been to Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Finland to learn about student representation, political advocacy and belonging on a budget. Jim and guests from the bus trip discuss students and sleep, the HE policy year ahead, and what the sector might learn from the frozen north - while Livia catches up with some student leaders from across the countries. With Lily Byrne, Presiden...
Jan 11, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 16Ep. 1
In our final festive episode of the year we survey the political turmoil over immigration, and consider the impact on university finances. There's also a big delay to the REF to understand, a new report that calls for more graduates and some festive cheer from DK. With Andy Westwood, Professor of Government Practice at the University of Manchester, Justine Andrew, Head of Education and Head of University Partnership Office at KPMG UK, Michael Salmon, News Editor at Wonkhe, David Kernohan, Deputy...
Dec 07, 2023•50 min•Season 15Ep. 14
This week on the podcast the government is consulting on minimum service levels in education - what could that mean for industrial action in the sector? Plus there’s a growing “education divide” in UK politics, Advance HE’s 2023 PTES is out, and we’re asking if universities need to “go hard or go home” on degree apprenticeships. With Diana Beech, CEO at London Higher, Mark Bennett, Director (Audience & Editorial) at Find a University, Sunday Blake, Associate Editor at Wonkhe and presented by...
Nov 30, 2023•39 min•Season 15Ep. 13
This week on the podcast - recorded at Advance HE's Governance Conference in London - new immigration figures are out, and we reflect on what they mean both for the new Home Secretary and for university finances. Plus there's the Chancellor's Autumn Statement to digest, and this year's Postgraduate Research Experience Survey results are out. With Roberta Blackman-Woods, Board Chair at Northumbria University, Andy Westwood, Professor of Government Practice at the University of Manchester, Dan Tin...
Nov 23, 2023•41 min•Season 15Ep. 12
This week on the podcast there's been a Westminster government reshuffle - but does any of it matter to higher education? Plus OfS has been inspecting business courses, sector finances are in the news and Data Futures has been pushed further into the future. With Chris Shelley, Director of Student Experience at Queen Mary University of London, Jess Lister, Associate Director (Education) at Public First, James Coe, Associate Editor at Wonkhe and presented by Mark Leach, Editor-in-Chief at Wonkhe....
Nov 16, 2023•44 min•Season 15Ep. 11
This week on the podcast, recorded live at Wonkhe's Festival of HE in London, we discuss the King's speech and politics for higher education in the run up to a general election. Plus there's new polling data on students and food, we get as across a new report on graduate skills in an age of AI, and hidden history traces how women got into universities. With Alistair Jarvis, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Partnerships and Governance) at University of London, Eve Alcock, Director of Public Affairs at the Qu...
Nov 08, 2023•41 min•Season 15Ep. 10
This week on the podcast Michelle Donelan’s letter to UKRI expressing outrage over “extremism” has been in the news, and Gillian Keegan is bearing down on antisemitism on campus - we discuss and assess the fallout. Plus OfS is set to get digging around into franchised provision, and we try to work out if the student training needs in England’s long-term NHS plan are deliverable. With Sally Mapstone, Principal and Vice Chancellor at the University of St Andrews, Paul Greatrix, Registrar at the Un...
Nov 02, 2023•49 min•Season 15Ep. 9
This week on the podcast the Renter’s (Reform) Bill has been in Parliament, and there’s a new report on soaring student rents. Should the sector reduce demand or lobby for increased supply? Plus there’s a new report on research culture, and a decline in international student experiences. With Nicola Dandridge, Professor of Practice in Higher Education Policy at University of Bristol, Andrew Boggs, University Secretary at Royal Holloway, University of London, Michael Salmon, News Editor at Wonkhe...
Oct 26, 2023•40 min•Season 15Ep. 8
This week on the podcast a fresh debate over controlling student numbers in England’s HE system has kicked off. Would doing so damage access? Plus we’ve new research on belonging and cost of living, we review activity on campus in the wake of the situation in the Middle East, and a new iteration of the Social Mobility Index for universities has emerged. With Rachel Sandby-Thomas, Registrar at University of Warwick, Gary Hughes, Chief Executive at Durham Students' Union, Sunday Blake, Associate ...
Oct 19, 2023•50 min•Season 15Ep. 7
This week on the podcast we’ve been at Labour’s conference in Liverpool - asking what might make it into the manifesto on fees and funding. Plus ministers have written to universities over antisemitism, and we find out what Labour might do on regulating (or not) mental health in universities. With Vivienne Stern, Chief Executive at Universities UK, Gareth Smith, Executive Director of Student Life and Strategy at UA92, Debbie McVitty, Editor at Wonkhe, and presented by Mark Leach, Editor in Chief...
Oct 12, 2023•47 min•Season 15Ep. 6
This week on the podcast the government is to consult on “minimum service levels” during industrial action at universities. What could happen next? Plus Michelle Donelan is kicking “woke ideology” out of science, immigration and international students were the talk of the Conservative Party Conference fringe, and there’s new findings on student views of engagement analytics. With Julian Gravatt, Deputy Chief Executive at Association of Colleges, Elise Page, Postgraduate Officer at University of ...
Oct 05, 2023•41 min•Season 15Ep. 5
This week on the podcast results of the Teaching Excellence Framework are out - but what do they tell us, and how helpful are they for students? Plus there’s a new report on university staff and skills development and a “new deal” for PGRs has arrived. With Jonathan Simons, Partner and Head of Education Practice at Public First, Anne-Marie Canning, Chief Executive Officer at The Brilliant Club, Debbie McVitty, Editor at Wonkhe, Mike Ratcliffe, Academic Registrar at City, University of London and...
Sep 28, 2023•42 min•Season 15Ep. 4
This week on the podcast we discuss the government’s plans to reduce the stigma and increase support for students who are lonely. Plus Gillian Keegan is urging VCs to just stop just stop oil, the Lifelong Loan Entitlement gets a rebrand and HESA’s making measures on meaningful work more meaningful. With Selena Bolingbroke, Principal at the Building Crafts College, Jonathan Woodhead, Policy Adviser at Birkbeck, University of London, Michael Salmon, is News Editor at Wonkhe, Mike Ratcliffe, Academ...
Sep 21, 2023•40 min•Season 15Ep. 3
This week on the podcast a Lords committee says England’s HE regulator is “arbitrary, overly controlling, and unnecessarily combative. What happens next? Plus we look at what we can learn from two new assessment reports into quality of courses, and there’s a new report on care experienced students. With Smita Jamdar, Partner and Head of Education at Shakespeare Martineau, Richard Brabner, Director at UPP Foundation, David Kernohan, Deputy Editor at Wonkhe, Mike Ratcliffe, Academic Registrar at C...
Sep 15, 2023•48 min•Season 15Ep. 2
This week on the podcast we look at three new reports that detail the impact of the cost of living crisis on students. Is there more that universities can do as governments continue to ignore the issue? We also discuss Horizon, research security and foreign policy, and the question of gathering stats on gender-based violence in higher education. Plus hidden history looks at how teacher training troubles impacted where our universities are. With Pete Quinn, HE inclusion consultant, Jess LIster, A...
Sep 07, 2023•47 min•Season 15Ep. 1
This week on our summer break special Level 3 results are out - does the press coverage bear any relation to what's happening in universities? Plus this year's new and "improved" National Student Survey results are out, and the team looks ahead to the new academic year. With Michael Salmon, News Editor at Wonkhe, David Kernohan, Deputy Editor at Wonkhe, Debbie McVitty, Editor at Wonkhe, Mark Leach, Editor in Chief at Wonkhe, Mike Ratcliffe, University Administrator and Sector Historian and prese...
Aug 20, 2023•46 min•Season 14Ep. 12
This week on the podcast there’s new recommendations on campus harassment and sexual misconduct - but is a DfE campaign targeting men the right approach? Plus there’s a new NHS workforce plan to think about, the challenges of AI continue to generate debate, and Richard Brabner pays tribute to Bob Kerslake, who died earlier this week. With Claire Taylor, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive at Plymouth Marjon University, Paul Ashwin, Professor of Higher Education at Lancaster University, Richard B...
Jul 06, 2023•50 min•Season 14Ep. 11
This week on the podcast Labour’s plans to turn the apprenticeship levy into a “Growth and Skills Levy” get more detail - but what will it all mean for HE? Plus David Willetts has been looking back at his “eight great technologies”, and the debate over reforms to the Research Excellence Framework (REF) rumbles on. With Shân Wareing, Deputy Vice Chancellor at University of Northampton, Ashley Storer-Smith, Student Voice Manager at University of Nottingham Students’ Union, Michael Salmon, News Ed...
Jun 29, 2023•36 min•Season 14Ep. 10
This week on the podcast the 2023 Student Academic Experience Survey is out, and it finds that more students are in paid employment than ever before. Does that matter? Plus the marking and assessment boycott is picking up pace, and the Lifelong Loan Entitlement has been in the Lords - we wonder where the demand is. With Carole-Anne Upton, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Global Innovation and Impact, Middlesex University, Ben Vulliamy, Chief Executive at University of York Students’ Union, James Coe, ...
Jun 22, 2023•47 min•Season 14Ep. 9
This week on the podcast the Future Research Assessment Programme (FRAP) has reported - we discuss whether its recommendations will fix the issues that researchers raise. Plus there’s a new report out on awarding gaps, there’s advice on recruiting international students and English studies is in better health than we thought. With Omar Khan, Director at TASO, Sally Burtonshaw, Associate Director Education at Public First, Livia Scott, SUs Community and Policy Officer at Wonkhe and presented by M...
Jun 15, 2023•44 min•Season 14Ep. 8
This week on the podcast duty of care has been discussed in Parliament - and we examine the implications. Plus there’s media interest in UK from across the pond, we’ve been getting all interdisciplinary and there’s revised guidance out on students as consumers. With Jonathan Grant, Director at Different Angles, India Ellis, President at Lancaster University Students’ Union, David Kernohan, Deputy Editor at Wonkhe and presented by Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See ac...
Jun 08, 2023•50 min•Season 14Ep. 7
In this special half term episode of the show, Wonkhe's Editor in Chief Mark Leach chats to Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles. In a wide ranging discussion the pair talk Wales’ new Commission for Tertiary Education and Research, fees funding and finance, the character of regulation and governance in Wales, Miles’ vision for students as citizens and how the new commission will drive progress on widening access. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
May 29, 2023•30 min•Season 14Ep. 6
This week on the podcast net immigration stats are out - will stopping the dependants of PGT students from getting visas be the end of restrictions? Plus reform for renters in England is causing a headache in the student housing market, and OfS is upping its fees by 20 per cent - whatever happened to value for money? With Chris Skidmore, Net Zero Review Chair and MP for Kingswood, Andy Westwood, Professor of Government Practice at The University of Manchester, Debbie McVitty, Editor at Wonkhe an...
May 25, 2023•43 min•Season 14Ep. 5
This week on the podcast student suicides and a duty of care have been discussed in Parliament - but would such a duty help or hinder in efforts to support students? Plus Cabinet wranglings over immigration policy and international students continue, and we discuss whether the sector should wade in or deftly avoid controversies over issues like student drug use. With Sue Rigby, Vice Chancellor at Bath Spa University, Andy Youell, Executive Director Digital and Regulation at University College of...
May 19, 2023•44 min•Season 14Ep. 4
This week on the podcast to mark Eurovision week we have a special episode featuring Bram Van Uden, who’s President of the SU at Twente University in the Netherlands. We chat project-based learning, building belonging and community and what the world’s biggest student case competition on campus says about this fascinating institution. Presented by Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
May 11, 2023•38 min•Season 14Ep. 3
