The Wonkhe Show

This week on the podcast Rishi Sunak has delivered his spring statement, and we get across the politics, the policies and the implications for universities and students. Plus UKRI has a new strategy out, and HEPI has published a new version of a social mobility index for universities. With Andy Westwood, Professor of Government Practice and Vice Dean for Social Responsibility in the Faculty of Hum...

This week on the podcast the Office for Students’ consultations on quality have closed - what has the sector been saying? We’ve been kicking off a debate about meeting demand for HE in the next decade and whether student number controls are part of the answer. Plus OfS has launched a review into blended learning, and there’s two new reports on disabled students. With Nick Hillman, Director of HEPI...

This week on the podcast we discuss the crisis in Ukraine and what universities can do,  and would like to do if only the home office allowed it. There's also Phillip Augar on the government's response to his review, a new admissions code, a look at university finances via the National Audit Office and DK's been to digifest.  With Paul Greatrix, Registrar at the University of Nottingham; Laura Tam...

This week on the podcast the Office for Students has new conditions on quality and standards - but what does it all mean? Universities UK has published new guidance on staff-to-student sexual misconduct - does it go far enough? There’s also a look at our research with Pearson on belonging, and a new HEPI report on drugs. With Michelle Morgan, Dean of Students at the University of East London, Andr...

This week on the podcast it’s a special edition as the government publishes its response to Phillip Augar’s Post-18 review of fees and funding. We dive into what has been (and hasn’t been) announced, think through some of the implications for universities and students, and consider the politics of everything from the Lifelong Loan Entitlement to freezing fees. And there’s also an interesting annou...

This week on the podcast there’s a bunch of highlights from our student experience conference in London. We hear results from the Student Futures Commission and research on belonging, examples of student and SU led-projects on diversity, insights from generational research and reflections from the outgoing CEO of the Office for Students. With Nicola Dandridge, Chief Executive at the Office for Stu...

This week on the podcast there’s a new Director for Fair Access and Participation at OfS, and we’ve published new research on blended learning and careers. Plus the IFS says the government is tightening the screws on students, and UUK is doing work on drugs. With Graeme Atherton, University of West London and NEON, Zuleikha Chikh, SU President at University of Central Lancaster, Debbie McVitty, Ed...

This week on the podcast we go searching for a role for higher education in the levelling up agenda. There’s also interesting new reports out on race and disability ahead of our Secret Life of Students event. With Amatey Doku, Consultant at NOUS, Selena Bolingbroke, Independent Consultant, Sunday Blake, Associate Editor at Wonkhe, and presented by Mark Leach, Editor in Chief at Wonkhe. Hosted on A...

This week on the podcast we’re crunching numbers as HESA spring tells us about the size and shape of the sector in 2020/21, and UCAS end of cycle data gives us a sense of where we are this year. Who’s up, who’s down, and does it matter? We’re also thinking about assessment, considering the plight of third year students, looking at QAA research on blended learning and Dame Shirley Pearce gives Debb...

This week on the podcast we’re discussing the Office for Students’ new proposals on the outcomes that universities will have to deliver for students. Are they the right way to judge quality? Plus OfS has a new design for the Teaching Excellence Framework, and Michelle Donelan is urging universities to outlaw the use of NDAs. With Mary Curnock Cook, Chair of the Student Futures Commission, Ben Arch...

This week on the podcast we’re back after the break being told that there’s “no excuses” for online learning. How is the sector handling Omicron? We’re also reflecting on exhortations from ministers on improving attainment in schools, reading up on UCU’s new report on harassment on campus, and trying to work out what’s going on with the National Student Survey. And DK has an update on the ARIA bil...

This week on our Christmassy podcast, England has moved to plan B - but what does that mean for students and universities? The UCAS end of cycle report is out - what does a bumper year for high tariff providers mean for their local areas and the test of the sector? Plus there’s new reports on staffing in higher education, the idea of a “one nation” university, and Wonkhe’s bid for the Christmas #1...

This week on the podcast industrial action has begun across the sector - how should universities mitigate any impact on students? There’s also a new briefing out on digital delivery from Universities UK, and new figures on student transfers. With Emily McIntosh, Director of Learning, Teaching and Student Experience at the University of Middlesex; Tim Blackman, Vice Chancellor at The Open Universit...

This week on the podcast there’s a new director for fair access and participation at the Office for Students - what will that mean for students and universities? Plus IFS has some fascinating new data out on social mobility, there’s a new report out on what graduates think about student loans and on Hidden History we look at how women came to study in the sector. With Anne-Marie Canning, Chief Exe...

This week on the podcast we consider the future of regulation of universities, and wonder who gets to decide the "student interest". Plus UCU have announced strike dates, Advance HE has published the results of this year's PTES and on Hidden History we look back at student disciplinary procedures from a different age. With Shân Wareing, Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Northampton, Neil...

This week on the podcast OfS chief Nicola Dandridge is stepping down - what next for regulation of higher education? There’s also news from COP, some new stats on the student experience, and concern over antisemitism on campus. With Sue Rigby, vice chancellor at Bath Spa University, Jonathan Grant, Director of Different Angles, Mike Ratcliffe, Academic Registrar at Nottingham Trent and presented b...

This week on the podcast we ask if we’re getting an HE white paper for Christmas , and look at polling on the politics of fees, funding and maintenance. Plus Wales has a new Bill, and there’s new data on PGRs and undergrads - both of which appear to signal an intractable mental health crisis across the sector. What can be done? With Osama Khan, PVC Education at the University of Surrey, Debbie Hol...

This week on the podcast we consider the spate of "student spiking" stories and the student-led campaigns to improve safety in venues. There’s also some new reports on research and development in the run up to the spending review, universities have been making climate commitments in the run up to COP 26 and OfS is consulting on funding for specialist providers. With Rachel Hewitt, Chief Executive...

This week on the podcast we’re tracking the progress of the Skills Bill and keeping an eye on efforts to redefine social mobility. There’s also a new report out on black graduates, OfS has been talking about how it will regulate in the future and we reflect on where you draw the line over free speech. With Smita Jamdar, Partner and Head of Education at Shakespeare Martineau, Johnny Rich, CEO at th...

This week on the podcast we’re reflecting on a few days at Conservative Party conference. Have we found out what levelling up means? Plus OfS launches a report on spelling, essay mills are to be banned in England and we consider whether online diversity training is more hassle than it’s worth. With Selena Bolingbroke, Consulting Fellow with the Halpin Partnership, Amatey Doku,  Consultant at the N...

This week on the podcast we’re looking ahead to the comprehensive spending review and proposals to lower the graduate repayment threshold. We also discuss party conference season, a new index on graduate outcomes and we discover the posters that were on everyone’s walls as a student. With Diana Beech, Chief Executive Officer at London Higher, Aashish Khadia, Director of Planning at the University...

This week on the podcast UCU are balloting for industrial action over pay and pensions - does it signal a bleak midwinter for the sector? Plus HEPI has a new report out on the humanities, there’s new data on LGBT+ applicants and the Free Speech bill completes its committee stage.  With Graham Virgo, Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education at the University of Cambridge, Mary Curnock Cook, serial...

This week on the podcast we have a new Secretary of State and a promotion for the universities minister to discuss. Plus we’ve started a big debate about sector groupings, there’s new research on where graduates end up and Hidden History looks at the rules governing student conduct after the war.  With Hillary Gyebi-Ababio, VP Higher Education at NUS, Andrew Hargreaves, dataHE founder, David Kerno...

We're back for a new season as Gavin Williamson addresses Universities UK conference - did he give anything away about the upcoming spending review? Plus there's UCAS data in an odd year for Clearing, an interim report from the Student Futures Commission, two new reports on international students and Hidden History looks at old student conduct rules that might be just as applicable today. With Pau...

In association with Routledge, we've assembled some special guests from the field of higher education research, pedagogy and leadership to explore how we build student experience back in the year ahead. Hosted by Wonkhe's editor Debbie McVitty, and featuring Wonkhe associate editor Jim Dickinson, co-editor of A handbook for student engagement in higher education Tom Lowe, Internationalisation in H...