The latest post in our regular series, "What's in a Word?" is out now - writer and academic @DougFCole SFHEA discusses the definition of the word employability in 'Lost in translation: Why employability divides us' Read more: www.edge.co.uk/research/wha...

New at @hepi-news.bsky.social blog: As England apparently turns to a tertiary model, what actually drives collaboration between HE and FE? In research with @edgeuk.bsky.social, I argue that under resource scarcity, collaboration and competition are interwoven. www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/10/29/t...

@edgeuk.bsky.social's What's in a Word? is BACK: scrutinising purposes and politics our choices of language serve. Highly presciently given their prominence in Starmers' address this week, Jennifer Coupland considers: 'Apprenticeships', the state, and massification: www.edge.co.uk/research/wha...

New from me: Tertiary pathways in practice: Institutions’ views of partnerships between HE and FE in Scotland and England Collaboration in competitive systems driven by resource scarcity rather than alignment to regional/national agendas. Full report: www.edge.co.uk/research/pro...

Launched a personal website recently: so while I have space/ideas, thoughts on Greenwich-Kent merger news from yesterday: 1. how much is this a rerun of older federal universities? 2. what's happened to the poly/uni divide here? 3. nobody mentioned Crosland joshsdpatel.wixsite.com/joshpatel/po...

JVET ECR + Edge ERN Joint Session: Bridging research and policy: tips for early careers Registration: lnkd.in/dRVP4JMa Date & Time: 11:00 am (UK time), 25 September 2025 Duration: 90 mins Geng Wang, Josh Patel, The EDGE Foundation, Paulina Bravo Contreras hashtag#JVET hashtag#JVETECR

Wikipedia editors trying to fend off the onslaught of AI crap have crowdsourced some telltale signs of LLM-generated writing; it might be handy for editors and proofreaders generally. Thanks to @ellenrykers.com for pointing me to it. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikiped...

Very exciting news!! My first book, 'Universities and the Purpose of Higher Education Expansion and Development in Post-War Britain' has appeared on the Routledge website! 📖 Currently anticipating a January 2026 launch! www.routledge.com/Universities...

The University of Warwick has paid a lot of money, I'm guessing, for their internet banner ads on the Guardian and elsewhere. But they can't spell "curiosity". This isn't a US-UK variant. They just, genuinely, have a massive spelling error in their banner ads.

Opinion: “A career is meant to be something you grow into – layered with experience, trust and time – but in academia these days, you’re uprooted before anything can truly take hold.” A mid-career academic scientist writes #highered #AcademicSky

On universities the white paper only reduces the graduate visa from two years to 18 months (which is a win for the DfE). The bigger thing universities will be worrying about is this little timebomb.

Delighted to be speaking on my research with @edgeuk.bsky.social on 'Four Nations’ approaches to tertiary collaboration and tertiary journeys' at @qaa.ac.uk Scotland's event: 'Understanding and Supporting Student Transitions in Scotland', in Dundee, 29 May: www.qaa.ac.uk/scotland/new...

‘Baroness Smith, the universities minister, said many institutions were failing to rein in spending despite demanding financial support from the government.’ Which institutions are these? We’ve seen absolute carnage in redundancies across the sector, so I’m curious which she is thinking of

Just finished'Hayek's Bastards: The Neoliberal Roots of the Populist Right' new from @quinnslobodian.com and it’s very good. Finally bringing some clarity to the assault of contradictions of the rise of global fascism. Some takeaways from me:

🤝 Employer-led education—what does real employer involvement look like? This month in the second part of our new series, What’s in a Word? we investigate what role employers can really play. @joshpatel.bsky.social www.edge.co.uk/research/wha...

📢 Edge launch a new monthly series today - "What’s in a Word?" We explore the language of education—how words shape policy, practice, and perception. It all gets underway with an introduction and our first entry… www.edge.co.uk/research/wha...

A friend included this anti-acknowledgement section on her PhD thesis. She also added the proposition: “Systematic bullying and undermining of girls and women in STEM starts early on and is the reason why they do not stay in science and related fields.” Absurd we still need to go through this 🧪👩‍🔬

Hello education/history Bluesky: does anyone know of any recent material on the Manpower Services Commission (1974-1988) in the UK? Aware of material from the 90s by Patrick Ainley and Brendan Evans: but aware there might be more recent material my survey of literature didn't capture. Thanks!!

When people talk of challenger institutions of HE, they rarely talk of the for-profit business management providers in converted office blocks. Martin Williams is right that DfE & OfS should check whether this was intended consequence of market de-regulation. www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/02/25/f...

Our 2025 Skills Shortages bulletin summary is out now. Skills Shortages across the UK are growing. Without urgent investment in skills and training, national priorities like net zero and economic growth are at risk. 🧵 bit.ly/3EC4M3G

Edge Director of Research Andrea Laczik presents a comprehensive overview of the future of Degree Apprenticeships in FE News. feweek.co.uk/cost-and-com...

Degree Apprenticeship piece number two for @hepi-news.bsky.social - emphasising our recommendations to government on Degree Apprenticeship policy www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/01/30/d...

Our new report on Degree Apprenticeships is finally out! We'll be talking about the findings and recommendations over the next few days: first, an overview on WonkHE wonkhe.com/blogs/degree...

Edge publish a new research report today, "Degree Apprenticeships in England: What can we learn from the experiences of apprentices, employers and education and training providers?" Read the report here: www.edge.co.uk/research/pro...

Edge published their latest report today. "Student Voices: What Are Students Saying About Their Experiences of T Levels?" The report was written with Professor Kevin Orr. Our Education and Policy Senior Researcher, @dana_dabbous takes a look... www.edge.co.uk/news-and-eve...

I'm still looking for participants for a research study into student experiences co-designed and co-delivered FE-HE pathways - please share/drop me a message if you are interested in the findings or can help with contacts! More about the research: www.edge.co.uk/research/cur...

Skills England can be a gamechanger, but only with the right powers. That is why we supported Lord Lucas with his amendment to introduce a Chief Skills Advisor, making skills a cross-departmental priority. www.ft.com/content/6cb3...

England's graduates face a starting tax rate on their earnings of... 37%. Thirty. Seven. A starting rate! Yeah, that economy's gonna succeed. Oh wait, it won't. 🤯

So good to hear this morning about the work and growth of the Journal of PGR Pedagogic Practice this year - now in its fourth issue and launched today! Amazing to hear the new GTA editorial team's work and the international reach the journal is developing doi.org/10.31273/jpp...

New today: Edge's fifteenth Skills Shortage Bulletin explores possibility of reform and action to address Skills Shortages with the coming of a new government – but the scale of the challenges we face remains hard to ignore. Contributions from AoC, NFER, and others: www.edge.co.uk/research/ski...

Hi everyone! Edge have been working three projects on Degree Apprenticeships, on experiences of stakeholders, what makes a good work-based mentor, and social mobility - and to be published over the next two months! Read our blog for SRHE srheblog.com/2024/09/11/i...