Wonkhe
Monday, October 12
Ministers dodge the question of candour in universities
Baroness Jones asked which university functions the Hillsborough Law covers. Jim Dickinson finds ministers answered none of her questions
wonkhe.com
Sunday, October 11
During times of transformation emerging leaders need to be inside the leadership tent
Mid-level leaders are carrying a significant weight of change at a tough time for the sector. Alistair Jarvis argues that investing in them, and in a shared leadership culture, will grow our capacity for change now as well as for the future
wonkhe.comBritain likes its universities but not its degrees
Polling suggests the public still values universities but no longer trusts the deal they offer. Jim Dickinson sifts five years of surveys for what’s driving the doubt – and what universities can do about it
wonkhe.com
Saturday, October 10
Who pays the price when universities cancel offers to protect refusal rates?
As visa refusal rates climb, universities are revoking offers and cancelling CAS en masse to stay under the new BCA threshold. Jim Dickinson asks whether that’s lawful – and who ends up paying.
wonkhe.com
Friday, October 9
Erasmus+ is back, but who gets left behind?
As the UK swaps Turing for Erasmus+, Jonathan Disley argues the real risk is universities dismantling the support that got disadvantaged students abroad
wonkhe.com
Thursday, October 8
Procurement is a collaboration question too
James Coe makes the case that procurement can be the start of a new conversation on collaboration
wonkhe.comHigher education postcard: Rajabai Clock Tower, University of Mumbai
This week’s card from Hugh Jones’ postbag crosses the world to Mumbai to find yet another university clock tower
wonkhe.comPodcast: Academic integrity and AI, Conservative conference
This week on the podcast we examine how universities are rethinking academic integrity in the age of AI.
wonkhe.com
Wednesday, October 7
Jo Johnson: “I still believe that student choice must be the main organising principle for higher education”
Ten years on from the white paper that set out the architecture for the current HE system in England, the universities minister who spearheaded it stands by its intent
wonkhe.comWhy universities keep forgetting their anti-racism commitments
Dami Folayan argues that anti-racism pledges fade because universities don’t build them into governance, systems, and budgets
wonkhe.comSupporting students to make their academic footprints
Zoe Torsney makes the case that supporting students to develop their academic voice starts with universities building a truly inclusive culture
wonkhe.com
Tuesday, October 6
Careers support should help students decide, not just compete
Universities help students become employable. Lorenzo Mugnai asks if they help them decide what they actually want
wonkhe.comIf we want social mobility, fund the universities that deliver it
If the funding debate is about value, Sharanya Sivarajah argues that the universities that serve their places deserve more of the conversation
wonkhe.com
Monday, October 5
Unlocking the potential of working with charity and community groups
Working with the voluntary, community, and social enterprise sector can change universities for the better. Fiona Walsh McDonnell argues they should be seen as strategic assets
wonkhe.comUniversities have a bigger role to play in preventing homelessness
Four years after first raising the alarm, Greg Hurst argues student homelessness remains under-researched and poorly understood and sets out what universities could do about it
wonkhe.com
Sunday, October 4
Students just need to know where they stand on AI
As AI use becomes routine, Gracie Otley argues that the real academic integrity challenge is student confidence
wonkhe.comKeeping the learning real in the AI age requires coordination and open communication
Wonkhe and Studiosity’s Keeping the Learning Real project asked what happens when AI rips up the rulebook on academic misconduct. Lisa Abrahams and Debbie McVitty explain why coherence matters to securing academic integrity in the age of AI
wonkhe.com
Saturday, October 3
Autonomy for the people
UK universities are protective over their autonomy. But what is autonomy, why is it so important, and what does it mean in practice? David Kernohan asks the questions.
wonkhe.com
Friday, October 2
One year of leading UKRI
Chief executive Ian Chapman reflects on his first year at the wheel – and what comes next
wonkhe.comPodcast: Hope (again), Mi5
This week on the podcast we examine what Labour Party conference told us about the government’s plans for higher education
wonkhe.com
Thursday, October 1
Navigating the storms of student success
Kate Newby argues that the storms of the student journey aren’t a distraction from learning, they’re where it really happens
wonkhe.comHigher education postcard: The Queen’s Tower, Imperial College
This week’s card from Hugh Jones’ postbag takes us to another university bell tower
wonkhe.comA supplier shouldn’t be able to rewrite who owns students’ essays
Sam Dickinson looks at Turnitin’s paused plan to put student essays to work on AI – and finds that neither anonymisation nor university regulations answer the copyright question
wonkhe.com
Wednesday, September 30
Emeritus, honorary, and visiting professors are an untapped resource
Roger Watson, Kenneth Eaton, and Anne-Maria Brennan argue the sector is missing by not paying attention to its emeritus, honorary and visiting professors
wonkhe.comHE data doesn’t need another taskforce, it needs good governance
Andy Youell asks why the HE data landscape is still so chaotic, and argues that what’s missing is someone actually in charge
wonkhe.com
Tuesday, September 29
Higher education can become more collaborative in course provision – but the onus is on institutions to work out how
Ministers want the sector to move forward with regional collaboration around skills and economic priorities. Poppy Short and Kate Newman explain that it’s possible, but it takes work
wonkhe.com