The Wonkhe Show

This week on the podcast we consider the issues presented by the return to campus for students and their universities. There are new reports on digital learning and student activities and employability to get across, and we think through how teacher assessed A level results might impact admissions. With Smita Jamdar, Partner & Head of Education at law firm Shakespeare Martineau, Paul Greatrix, Reg...

This week on the podcast we discuss Gavin Williamson’s proposals on campus free speech and ask “why now” and whether they’ll work. We also review the latest applications data and look at an interesting new report on universities and the media.  With Hillary Gyebi-Ababio, Vice President Higher Education at NUS, Richard Brabner, Director of the UPP Foundation, Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor and pre...

This week on the podcast our guests dissect the latest letter from Gavin Williamson to the Office for Students, and ask if the regulator is becoming unduly politicised. There’s also developments on the student complaints front, essay mills action in Parliament and DK deep dives into HESA’s new widening participation data. With Mary Curnock Cook, higher education expert and serial non-exec director...

This week on the podcast there’s the ups and downs of student recruitment to discuss as the UCAS cycle reports. We’ve also launched new research on the student learning experience, and our guests discuss catch up, new money for student hardship and ongoing work on free speech on campus. With Alistair Jarvis, CEO at Universities UK, Natalie Day, Head of Strategy and Policy Insight at Sheffield Hall...

This week on the podcast there’s new figures on the impact of the pandemic on students to discuss. Did those studying away from home “stay away” as asked? There’s also the skills agenda, grade inflation, the hidden history of student accommodation and our “boarding school” model, a new report on care-experienced students, and DK digs into the University of St Andrews (Degrees in Medicine and Denti...

In a special podcast this week Team Wonkhe attempts to make sense of a big release of policy documents from the Department for Education. There's an interim response to the Augar review of HE fees and funding, news on the TEF, Gavin Williamson's long awaited skills white paper and a teaching funding settlement for 2021/22.  With Debbie McVitty, Wonkhe's Editor, David Kernohan and Jim Dickinson, Wo...

This week on the podcast we consider the fate of Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, and ask what ministers haver to do to get sacked these days. There's also a look at our new Skills to Thrive research, and a delve into the complexities of fair assessment during a pandemic. With Sue Rigby, Vice Chancellor at Bath Spa University; Jonathan Simons Director at Public First; Debbie McVitty, Wonkhe's...

To kick the term off Wonkhe's editorial team gathers to discuss the year ahead - taking in everything from the delayed and constrained "staggered" return, to quality and standards, student accommodation, calls for "no detriment" policies and the team's things to watch out out for in the year ahead. With Debbie McVitty, Wonkhe Editor; David Kernohan, Associate Editor; Jim Dickinson, Associate Edito...

It’s the end of term at Wonkhe towers but the policy train is still trundling along, and so on the podcast we’re discussing everything from Brexit, to a glut of paperwork from the Office for Students, UCAS figures and the dramatic return of the Free Speech University Rankings. Plus not one but two special musical interludes. With ​​Vivienne Stern, Director of Universities UK International, Jonatha...

This week on the podcast there are new figures from the Office for Students on student transfer to understand. There’s also some striking survey data out from the ONS, a new paper on universities and climate change from HEPI, and the small issue of Brexit and its impact on higher education. With Claire Taylor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Wrexham Glyndwr University, Johnny Rich, Chief Executive of th...

This week on the podcast there’s guidance for England for the return to campus in the new year to get across. We also discuss the skills graduates need and whether higher education can deliver them, and new polling form HEPI on the full time undergraduate experience this term. Presented by Mark Leach, Editor in Chief at Wonkhe, guests Tim Blackman, Vice Chancellor at the Open University, Jess Mood...

This week there's the Chancellor's spending review to get across and a new report from Universities UK on tackling racial harassment. There's also work out from Jisc on staff and digital, and a batch of complaints from the first part of the pandemic to learn lessons from published by OIA. With Helen O'Sullivan, Pro VC Education at Keele University and Amatey Doku, Consultant at Nous. Hosted on Aca...

This week on the podcast the panel evaluates proposals on quality, standards and so-called “Mickey Mouse” courses. We also think through the great “reset” at No.10 and potential implications for higher education, international recruitment, and protections for students in the event of course, campus or whole provider closure. With Selena Bolingbroke, Consulting Fellow at the Halpin Partnership, Pau...

This week on the show we discuss admissions reform and what's looking like an impending shift towards post qualifications offers. There's also a look back at the big student demo of 2010 and a look forward to both Christmas and what we could be faced with in the new year.  With Helen Higson, Provost and Deputy Vice Chancellor at Aston University and Chris Shelley, Director of Student and Academic...

This week on the podcast the panel looks at Wonkhe's new research on non-continuation. We also think through the implications of the month long lockdown in England, and look at a couple of new reports on the skills agenda and levelling up. With Diana Beech, CEO at London Higher; Adam Tickell, Vice Chancellor at Sussex University; and Wonkhe's Editor in Chief Mark Leach. Hosted on Acast. See acast....

Our usual discussion format is on its half term break, so ahead of our Wonkhe @ Home event on retention on November 4th we’ve got a recording of our session on the subject from our Secret Life of Students event back in September.  This term students need more help than usual to thrive, especially when face to face contact, extracurricular activity and part-time work is severely constrained. In thi...

This week on the podcast we discuss demand for higher education and new reports on the future of the sector. We also consider the phenomenon of the "boomerang" generation, confidence in democracy, reforms to the REF and some good news on funding for students impacted by the pandemic. With In Paul Ashwin, Professor of Higher Education at Lancaster University and Deputy Director of the Centre for Gl...

This week on the podcast we discuss the proposed student lockdown for Christmas and the latest salvos in the sector's slice of the culture wars. We also review what's happening on the ground in universities and consider a new report on student outcomes. With Emmanuel Adukwu, UWE; Rachel Hewitt, HEPI and Mark Leach, Wonkhe's CEO. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the podcast the panel reflects on a new report on the experience of disabled students in higher education. There is also discussion on the HE "market" and new providers, the diversity of HE governing bodies and Conservative party conference. With Ian Dunn, Provost at Coventry University and Anne-Marie Canning, CEO at the Brilliant Club. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...

This week on the show we check in on the return to campus and the fallout from student self-isolation that’s been dominating all the press coverage. We also discuss the government’s partial response to the Augar review, the start of Black History Month and there’s a look at student discipline on Hidden History. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the podcast we discuss the impending review of the National Student Survey and what’s going on with the great return to campus. We also consider the latest student numbers figures from UCAS, look at a report on students’ unions and ask why students might be “leaning left”. With Jenny Shaw, Student Experience Director at Unite Students; and Nick Hillman, Director of the Higher Educatio...

In this week’s special edition of the podcast we’ve got a grab bag of highlights from our Secret Life of Students event - covering everything from the future of the NSS, to how students understand the “value” of higher education, through to building community, student safety and fairness. With Alison Johns, CEO Advance HE; Nicola Dandridge, CEO Office for Students; Libby Farrier-Williams, St Mary’...

In our first episode of the autumn term we consider the issues surrounding higher education's return to campus and the latest Covid guidance from government. We also look at the summer results crisis and consider its long term impacts, and discuss two big speeches from Gavin Williamson and Michelle Donelan. With Mary Curnock Cook, independent higher education expert; Andy Westwood, Professor of Go...

The podcast is back off its hols for a week with a clearing and admissions special. We wrap up the news from the controversial Scottish Highers results, look ahead to the rest of the UK’s results, and consider how students are making decisions in the context of Covid-19. There’s also discussion on admissions reform, and where widening access fits into the picture. With Clare Marchant, CEO at UCAS;...

In our end of term podcast , we dive into Wonkhe/Pearson research on student expectations around September and consider how universities should respond. Wales has a new tertiary education bill, Michelle Donelan has been at the Commons Education Committee, there are some reforms to higher technical education and DK has all the highlights (and correlations) we need from NSSmas day. After the main re...