In our latest ‘Innovators’ blog, Dr James Kenworth provides insight into the way Middlesex University is preserving creativity in the higher education sector and in local communities through ‘Pro – localism’ and experience-building opportunities. “The Newham Plays create cultural participation opportunities for young people from diverse backgrounds. The series has become a significant proponent of […]
Hands-on experience is a defining feature of teaching and learning at Alliance universities. In our latest instalment of the Innovators blog series, University of Greenwich’s Dr. Louise Hewitt writes about how the Innocence Project London provides vital experience and a critical perspective of the criminal justice system for her students. Deconstructing claims of innocence from […]
The 2023 TEF submissions have been published but, as Jim Dickinson and David Kernohan observed on WonkHE, “there’s no way any human is going to read all of them”. I have however read the institutional narratives from the 14 English members of University Alliance (16 of the UK’s leading professional and technical universities) and have […]
Pandemic learnings As the public Covid-19 inquiry grinds painfully on, it is appropriate for us in the Higher Education sector to conduct a little reflection of our own. There is much about lockdown life we all want to forget: the grim headlines, the concern for our loved ones and ourselves, the questionable Netflix binges and […]
Employability is an individual matter. It requires each student to embrace their professional development and to access the support and opportunities our universities provide. Unfortunately, many students leave it too late, assuming employability is a set of skills they can acquire at some point before they graduate. However, academics and other staff responsible for employability […]
Universities are faced with rising costs and shrinking margins, and the challenges are many. Student attraction and retention remains a priority, amid an everchanging mix of domestic and international students. There is no doubt the competition for international and other highly sought-after students has been heightened by COVID, and the ability to manage profitability through […]
Since the government consultation response to the new Lifelong Loan Entitlement (LLE) was published in March this year, the higher education sector has had a chance to let the news sink in. Now it’s time to reflect on what the next steps might be. The introduction of the LLE has been long anticipated and was […]
The introduction of a workable approach to lifelong learning has been anticipated by the sector for many years. So, should the sector be rejoicing in the wake of a new bill that promises to increase access and participation for all learners, meet the skills needs of the future, and get people into good jobs? Or […]
This blog was written by: Professor Debra Humphris, Chair of University Alliance and Vice-Chancellor, University of Brighton; Dr John Smith, Chief Executive of Brighton Academies Trust; Ian Dunn, Provost, Coventry University; and Uly Lyons, Chief Executive of the Better Futures Multi Academy Trust. This article first appeared in HEPI. In a speech to the school sector in […]
When Veronica Oprisan decided to change paths from musical theatre to business psychology, she felt nervous about having to reapply for university. But after securing a place at Kingston University through Clearing she is at peace with her choice and, one year later is now working as a hotline operator where she hopes to reassure […]
