Occured that you could probably visit Wales' nine universities in a single working day. It'd be a slog, but it would be 7h25 according to bing maps. www.bing.com/maps/directi...

NEW on Wonkhe: Media literacy is changing – again. And this time the answers are not clear wonkhe.com/wonk-corner/...

Classic Jim.

NEW on Wonkhe: The Canterbury meningitis response and its assumptions about student life buff.ly/9HSe78y

NEW on Wonkhe: Can judicial review force OfS to regulate bible colleges? buff.ly/jComiyT

Anything to avoid dealing with the wider questions of university finance.

NEW on Wonkhe: Johnny Rich argues that low graduate salaries in the arts aren't a sign of poor courses – they're a sign of an industry that profits from exploiting its workforce buff.ly/FFKK9nM

A very considered and in depth write up of our @taso.org.uk reports published and launched at our conference today. We need better support for those most at risk of poor wellbeing, students who as the write up concludes are being effectively reached

This is a @brookmyre.bsky.social book, no? inews.co.uk/news/jeffrey...

NEW on Wonkhe: Jim Dickinson compares OfS approach to students against other UK regulators – and finds a regulator that lacks the mechanisms, the rigour, and the will to act on what students are telling it buff.ly/4aIFBlX

This is very good by @dkernohan.bsky.social. There has always been something obscure about the OfS approach to enforcement and now access to funding streams (eg LLE gateway or future fee increases) hang on it we definitely need greater transparency. A day 1 issue for a new Chief Exec IMO.

NEW on Wonkhe: Student visa restrictions for four countries buff.ly/pR3uIgr

Buckets, innit.

You'll never believe(*) where I found that secret LEO salary data that "looking for growth" keep banging on about! wonkhe.com/wonk-corner/... * you will, in fact, probably not be that shocked.

NEW on Wonkhe: Plaid Cymru would launch an HE review in its first 100 days bit.ly/4aSOIHm

An excellent analysis of immigration and the UK HE system by @wonkhe.bsky.social wonkhe.com/blogs/immigr...

NEW on Wonkhe: AI has yet to have a meaningful impact on the flourishing world of the open mic night. David Kernohan argues that this tells us a lot about learning, community, and finding joy buff.ly/Jna0rek

📣 Competence standards klaxon! 📣 I do really like the approach this article is talking about (we have something similar on some modules here). But we HAVE to talk about speaking and presenting skills in the legal context of competence standards wonkhe.com/blogs/stop-l...

The LLE remains as popular as ever: wonkhe.com/wonk-corner/...

This would count as evidence of impact in REF, I think?

The number of academic staff in UK HE declines for the first time in a decade. But the number of full time academics is the highest on record: wonkhe.com/blogs/hesa-s...

🧵/ With tactical voting ever more common, who do voters back when only two parties have a chance in their seat? Con 31% v Ref 24% Lab 35% v Ref 31% Lab 29% v Con 28% LD 41% v Ref 29% LD 34% v Con 26% LD 29% v Lab 21% LD 26% v Grn 25% Grn 42% v Ref 27% Grn 37% v Con 29% Grn 30% v Lab 20%

NEW on Wonkhe: Updated financial data, 2024-25 buff.ly/ZICwwyA

NEW on Wonkhe: An out of court settlement brings legal action at UCL over pandemic and strike disruption to a close. Jim Dickinson explores why questions about variation, acts of god and liability remain unanswered. buff.ly/DtJFIzL

Excellent from @jesslister.bsky.social today wonkhe.com/blogs/univer...

The missing line on this chart is the growing value of the national minimum wage. Sustained policy action means that very low pay is now illegal, and that has an impact on the aggregate graduate premium.

NEW on Wonkhe: David Kernohan tracks the changes in the subject and provider spread of student numbers over ten eventful years in UK higher education buff.ly/tt4GQhk

NEW on Wonkhe: A new consultation from UCAS offers the chance to comment on application limits, insurance acceptances, and the use of deadlines. David Kernohan is ready to fill the form in. buff.ly/2HUKZb4

Timely on a day where universities are asked to sign up to an MOD-backed organisation that doesn't appear to officially exist in order to access additional OfS funding...

Apropos of nothing I thought I would look up what the Oxon University Reform Society had scheduled this term. A Reform councillor, a Reform mayoral candidate, an anti-immigration campaigner, and a "critical friend" of Reform. You can almost taste the diverse opinions. issuu.com/oxunireform....

Nothing is new about the free speech stuff wonkhe.com/wonk-corner/...

Reform seems to reckon that some bits of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act that haven't been commenced apply to a university in Wales. And then threaten to put themselves in breach of Welsh statutes on institutional autonomy and academic freedom. wonkhe.com/wonk-corner/...

A piece that I respectfully submit will make you drop your toast at least three times.

NEW on Wonkhe: David Kernohan pulls out the key points from the Office for Students response to the judicial review of the processes that led to the decision to fine the University of Sussex buff.ly/CftQpvL

NEW on Wonkhe: Just visiting? bit.ly/4q8OKjP

A bunch of (audited, published) data points on provider finance as it was at the end of last August. Fresh out today - but do seek out actual financial statements/annual reports as well.

I wrote about this 3 years ago when Biden was writing off loans - the political power of the younger adult cohort regardless of the theoretical policy merits of the case (and it’s not like other groups haven’t used their political power for some boondoggles before now) wonkhe.com/blogs/the-po...

NEW on Wonkhe: Jim Dickinson compares fifteen countries' approaches to international education and finds the UK lacks the frameworks, data, and infrastructure that competitors have developed buff.ly/9OeG1Z0

NEW on Wonkhe: The CMA publishes guidance on higher education collaborations buff.ly/RMZFMll

Some more data.

Some data.

NEW on Wonkhe: Three years on, TPS pensions are still very expensive for higher education bit.ly/4pLA5uU

It is my happy duty to tell you that "Shooting the Past", possibly the greatest ever drama about an independent business school being set up in London, is currently on iPlayer.

Quick thread on the impact of the National Student Survey (NSS) on grade inflation. Students usually complete the NSS in their final year of study (between 7 Jan and 30 April this year). Students get their degree classification at the end of the summer term (May/June).

This piece is predictably excellent, but still leaves one wondering why the OfSt is devoting considerable resources to this, especially when they know full well how it will be reported, and what damage that can do to the sector’s reputation. 4/4 wonkhe.com/blogs/the-gr...

NEW on Wonkhe: Grade inflation is falling, but OfS still thinks too many are getting good degrees. David Kernohan asks what it would take to know what is really going on buff.ly/TaEnE8y

NEW on Wonkhe: Debbie McVitty thinks through the various options for responding to lines of questioning that question the legitimacy of particular HE courses buff.ly/armyJT0