New Post: Reduced international student numbers are a much bigger problem than you think buff.ly/4e6Rglg

So pleased to see my London Higher colleague George Blake's latest Higher Education Policy Institute blog being so well received in the sector today. Give it a read - it's certainly food for thought as we begin the new academic year...

New Post: Can academics reliably generate original ideas? buff.ly/47f43zV

Certainly worth a read. It's well known how UK HE is so dependant on international students but so to is the wider economy in University towns and cities.

It's official, I have too much information about schools

New Post: Higher Education Funding: The End of Illusion? buff.ly/3AOJZYR

I take enormous pride in our world-class universities/We’re putting you back at the centre of national life/A shared mission/I want to work in partnership with you/I’ve heard the pressures you face and seen the work you’re doing to address those pressures. BP to Universities UK

There’s a packed house to hear Professor Dame Sally Mapstone, President of Universities UK (and Chair of HEPI), to warn that we’re at a fork in the road when it comes to HE policy:

Universities are “irrevocably about people”, students and staff, and university leaders are “the custodians of a precious national asset” says Professor Dame Sally Mapstone:

We currently face a £1,700,000,000 deficit in teaching and a £5,000,000,000 deficit in research, the President of Universities UK tells their Annual Conference:

There have been “some welcome signals” from the new Westminster Government, says Sally Mapstone. They are changing “the mood music”, which is “genuinely appreciated”, as is the Secretary of State’s promise to work on financial sustainability:

We need to go back to 2015/16 fees/funding - c.£12-£13k per student in today’s money - if we are to deliver research-informed teaching. But we might look “out of touch / clueless” if we ask for this. Even indexation is hard to sell and only raises £300,000,000 - Prof Shitij Kapur

In answer to a Q from Jessica Corner at Universities UK Annual Conference, Lord Willetts says there’s a case for more public spending on research. On fees, he says there are lots of misconceptions encouraged by Rob Halfon’s argument that fees can’t rise cos of the cost-of-living:

Big moment for The Brilliant Club! Full page ad in Financial Times today via our supporters SocialBusinessTrust.

“The war on universities finished the day Labour came to office,” says Peter Kyle to Universities UK’s Annual Conference, in a warm and personal set of remarks:

Peter Kyle: DSIT will be the most powerful force for digital transformation. Other Depts will look to DSIT for support and expertise. The machinery of government changes have already gone smoothly. “The war on civil servants is over too”:

Lots of talk at Universities UK conference about what’s going on in Australia - I wrote about exactly this in my latest 'Beech-side News' column for The PIE News including pointing out the similarity of gvt rhetoric on #intled just 2 years ago... 👇

Wow! @UniofLeicester is Daily Mail University of the Year 2025. Thrilled to receive this accolade for our continued commitment to excellence in education and inclusivity. Congratulations to all our staff, students, alumni, and supporters. Daily Mail Online #UniversityOfTheYear