Earlier today Sir Martyn Oliver told ⁦BBC Breakfast⁩ he accepted the criticism & was working to make changes for schools and parents. Amanda Spielman refused a BBC request for an interview or to comment on the issues raised by the review bbc.com/news/articles/…

I'm Universities UK conference today listening to the speeches and discussions - it's a critical time particularly for institutions in England facing frozen tuition fees and a 16% fall ( worse for some ) in international recruitment

In a recorded address Bridget Phillipson says the government is looking at "all the options" for the future stability of universities in England - adding that it is complex - and the govt hopes to come forward with proposals. ( no timeline on that)

Prof Dame Sally Mapstone says there is a fork in the road, and universities risk a "slide into decline" if decisions aren't made about the long term funding of the sector.

the @universitiesuk conference brings together what is an extremely broad church of different institutions with quite distinct challenges - from the cost of living pressures on students, commuter students especially juggling work and study, and international recruitment

Professor Dame Sally Mapstone tells @universitiesuk conference universities are fundamentally about people, and providing opportunities to learn across a lifetime.

Looking at the latest UCAS data for the academic year ahead there is not much solidarity in evidence - high tariff universities including Russell Group and others have so far recruited 13% more UK 18 year olds than last year - reducing the confirmed students elsewhere

Across the UK - different funding models, different levels of living cost support for students, different scenarios are playing out - with the greatest instability evident in England where there are no limits on the numbers of students universities can recruit to most courses

At the conference Professor Dame Sally Mapstone refers to research commissioned on the economic value generated by universities - in some regions a proportionately bigger contribution. Part of the case universities in England are making for a new funding deal

Professor Dame Sally Mapstone Universities UK points to the massive shift of more and more of the burden of cost of a degree onto graduates in England - where the government now meets just 16% of the cost compared with closer to 50/50 in Wales and NIreland London Economics, LE work

We have to talk about the "magnitude and urgency" of the funding pressures Professor Dame Sally Mapstone tells Universities UK conference in Reading

A bit of a reality check from David Willets - he says there should not be another big review. Instead he thinks there should be index+ and universities shouldn't be shy about advocating for it. Also laments the scrapping of maintenance grants Universities UK conference

there has to be a better deal for students says David Willetts - talking about quality of teaching. And a clear commitment to meeting the gaps in the UK workforce in shortage occupations. He says this would enable ministers to make the case for a deal for universities

Now is the moment says David Willetts - these things do not get easier they get harder - calling for action now on university funding and suggesting that a political case can be made in return for universities stepping up in several respects

This is essentially a debate about tactics for universities on how to make the case to government - what should they and realistically given the politics can they ask for as the future of university funding in England is considered

Really interesting- the stakes are high in areas where selection plays a part with parents moving house & paying for tutoring- and now it seems paying for access to insight via mock papers via Schools Week 👇🏻

And - as Schools Week is celebrating a big birthday this week another interesting read 👇🏻. This interview was given before Christine Gilbert’s highly critical report published on Tuesday - worth reading in tandem