New Post: Transforming higher education learning, assessment and engagement in the AI revolution: the how www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/07/14/t...

And that's a wrap! After two years as Policy Manager, I've worked my very last hour on @hepi-news.bsky.social dime. Off to the Office for Students - but not before a much-needed rest!

New Post: Beyond Hype and Fluff: Lessons for AI from 25 Years of EdTech www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/07/10/b...

New Post: WEEKEND READING: Should the seminal Robbins report inform the forthcoming post-16 strategy? www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/07/05/w...

The #PartyConference Season is approaching, so @josh-freeman.bsky.social & I have created our annual crowd-sourced listings page for all the fringe events that #HigherEd #policy #wonks won't want to miss. Please add events to the listings, share the link, and repost: bit.ly/HEPartyConfs25

The HE sector should be following this closely, as in many ways the issue is magnified in HE (students are more experienced, have more independent time to try out tools, and a higher proportion of assessment is coursework based).

Brilliant to see my recent report on how universities can contribute to local social mobility top the @smartthinking.bsky.social leaderboard for most read think tank report in June - & great to see @smfthinktank.bsky.social take first place for most searched think tank! www.smf.co.uk/publications...

I'll be leaving @hepi-news.bsky.social in July to pursue a new challenge. That means HEPI needs a new Policy Manager. If you're even thinking of applying, you should: HEPI is one of the best organisations in HE, with a furiously hard-working team and access to a great network. Apply below ⤵️

New Post: ResearchPlus: a manifesto for a new collaborative of universities www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/06/26/r...

To explain why the photo’s ‘for me’, I once suggested to @josh-freeman.bsky.social that engineering shouldn’t always be depicted with stock pics of people in hard hats. It’s a narrow and inaccurate image. So I applaud his choice, especially as this excellent piece is about design engineering. #INWED

It's International Women in Engineering Day, and we've got an important blog up on @hepi-news.bsky.social - photo just for @johnnyrich.com

HEPI Chair Professor Dame Sally Mapstone opens #HEPIAC25 by noting the transformation in the 'traditional student experience' - and highlights the importance of UUK's Efficiency Taskforce

The stage is set, the Student Academic Experience Survey has been drafted and the AC is on - see you soon for #HEPIAC25!

Very interesting reflections from Paul Temple extending the debate on my report into student protests from February. 'What explains the concentration of encampments at “old” universities, with a particular focus on the high-tariff Russell Group ones?' srheblog.com

#HEPIAC25 Our countdown to the HEPI Annual Conference 2025 has officially started! This year's conference will be on ‘Before, During, After: The route through higher education in changing times’. Amazing speakers lined up!

Very thoughtful piece on by George Bass on @timeshighered.bsky.social this morning. It does a good job of showing the human side of sector cuts - from how teams function in difficult times to setting up future jobs in case of redundancy. www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/no-one-...

New Post: Securing the Future: The case for Pension Reform in Post-92 Institutions www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/06/02/s...

Universities UK reckons policy changes will cost sector £1.4bn this year Is govt shooting itself in the foot? "There’s already a 14.5% surge in applications to engineering—a sector with massive skills shortages—but universities can’t expand to admit more engineering students" says @johnnyrich.com

New Post: UK International Education Strategy – how it began and what should come next www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/05/30/u...

New Post: Everything Must Change So Everything Can Stay the Same: Internationalisation at a Crossroads www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/05/28/e...

New Post: Only connect: why investing in relational infrastructure is critical for universities www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/05/23/o...

Delighted to have been involved in this with the wonderful Tessa Harrison from GatenbySanderson. Key stats: ➡️Half of vice-chancellors were recruited since 2022 ➡️Most already held a senior role at a HE institution ➡️But those with backgrounds OUTSIDE HE perform best in league tables Read it below:

New Post: English language requirements under the microscope: Do you have what it takes to meet your university’s English language entry requirements for international students? www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/05/22/e...

New Post: How prize named in honour of Tracey Bretag shows academic integrity is changing www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/05/21/h...

Starmer doesn't seem to realise that, if you consistently accept the way your opponents frame a question, you'll find it hard to reject the answers that they give. If you keep telling voters that Farage is right in his analysis, it will be hard to persuade them that he's wrong in his prescriptions.

New Post: New Government, familiar problems – By Chris Husbands www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/05/12/n...

New Post: Ripple effects of US DEI backlash: What should UK universities do? www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/05/08/r...

Delighted to see my piece in @hepi-news.bsky.social blog this morning, exploring the impact of HE financial issues for prospective students. Always grateful to HEPI and @josh-freeman.bsky.social for their support! www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/04/29/a...

I’m honoured to be speaking at tomorrow’s inaugural hearing of the Commission on Students in Higher Education which will be considering maintenance funding. This is an excellent proactive initiative by the APPG on Students and NUS. www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/04/22/l...

New Post: In memoriam: Professor Claire Callender OBE www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/04/18/i...

New blog with Julia Snell @snelljulia.bsky.social published by the Higher Education Policy Institute @hepi-news.bsky.social 💡We encourage Higher Education senior leaders to take proactive steps to tackle accent bias to foster a more inclusive and equitable Higher Education system.

. @omaromalleykhan.bsky.social gets to the heart of the matter: how progress on widening access, equality of opportunity and social mobility is at risk with the retrenchment that comes with cuts across HE

Great to be at BBC Broadcasting House this afternoon to talk to BBC South East about the financial situation of universities - report to air next week.

Having lots of fun trying out ChatGPT's improved image generator. This comic strip captures a couple of points from our instructions for @hepi-news.bsky.social authors: (Available at www.hepi.ac.uk/about-us/wor...)

Punchy blog on the @hepi-news.bsky.social website today by Sussex VC Sasha Roseneil on the Office for Students judgement. Sussex has this morning published its pre-action protocol letter in advance of its appeal against the judgement: www.sussex.ac.uk/news/focus/f...

Delighted and grateful to have had this response posted by @hepi-news.bsky.social. One Step Beyond raises important issues about student preparedness for HE, an area I am passionate about. www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/04/07/o...

Delighted to be speaking at this on 8th May off the back of the HEPI / Technology1 / CRSP Student Minimum Income Standard. Join us if you want to learn more about how European countries are measuring student minimum needs. Register: t.co/HA8c7TJj4w Read our report: www.hepi.ac.uk/2024/05/09/a...

Reflections on free speech - an international student perspective: www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/04/03/f...

I always enjoy @nickhillman.bsky.social book reviews and this one is great in thinking about AI @hepi-news.bsky.social bit.ly/3FRghVu

Last call for TODAY’S FREE webinar at 12.30pm with Leora Cruddas, Peter Mandler, Josh Freeman and Jackie Potter, chaired by Nick Hillman: 'How the school and college curriculum in England can prepare young people for higher education' www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/02/05/h...

“Exams which are easy for someone to achieve a high grade in if they have good AI skills, but without engaging deeply with the course, should be immediately rewritten,” says @josh-freeman.bsky.social www.timeshighereducation.com/news/nine-10...

Lack of information and narrowing of subjects at A level means students potentially being “locked into” university options they are not happy with, says @josh-freeman.bsky.social in @hepi-news.bsky.social report www.timeshighereducation.com/news/poorly-... via @julietterowsell.bsky.social

Superb QX Global event on PBSA at the Shard. Key takeaways: "We are all tech companies now" but also "It has never been more expensive to build new developments". Fantastic to hear from and catch up with @hepi-news.bsky.social partners and to hear HEPI blogs drive the debate.

Sound reflections (as ever) from @chrishusbands.bsky.social on how change and collaboration are necessary in confronting the future of HE, and they should be embraced, not feared. www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/02/01/w...

Great stuff from @hepi-news.bsky.social. A key reflections I have is how students’ unions were key in trying to create thoughtful, considered dialogue with protestors, institutions & local community. Often SU’s are labeled as part of a free speech problem, there are examples to the contrary here.

This is a fantastic report from @josh-freeman.bsky.social @hepi-news.bsky.social telling the story of the encampments and the toll on protestors, SUs, university leaders and students not involved in the protests. Many learnings. www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/01/30/n...

Impressive @hepi-news.bsky.social report from @josh-freeman.bsky.social out today telling the inside story of last summer's Gaza encampments on UK campuses - highlighing how English regulator 'missed an opportunity' to issue clearer free speech guidance www.timeshighereducation.com/news/ofs-mis...

Thank you to our wonderful panellists for a highly stimulating debate Liam Earney, @jisc.bsky.social Sam Sanders, @kpmguk.bsky.social Steph Harris, @universities-uk.bsky.social Chris Husbands, ex-VC at Sheffield Hallam @nickhillman.bsky.social

For Chris Husbands, "There's a lot happening, but not enough." Institutions will be forced into "repeated restructurings" - which is not good for them or the sector. And there is a risk of "dependency" of the sector on single suppliers, handing huge power to private contractors.

Was delighted to be able to talk about HE funding in Scotland as part of @hepi-news.bsky.social / CDBU event this week. www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/01/18/w...