International collaboration
Organisations across Europe call for science to be put above politics. UUK has partnered with the Royal Society, Wellcome, EPFL, ETH Zurich, and the ETH Board to launch the Stick to Science campaign, which argues that the UK and Switzerland’s inclusion in the scheme will bring an estimated €18billion in additional funding.
THE reports on negotiations currently under way to open branch campuses of Indian Institutes of Technology in the UK, with insight provided by former universities minister Lord Johnson of Marylebone on his hopes for the opportunities the partnerships could bring.
Levelling up
On Tuesday John Blake, the new OfS Director for Fair Access and Participation, spoke at an OfS event communicating his vision for next steps in access and participation. John also wrote for WonkHE on the subject.
Workforce
AdvanceHE published its third case study collection on Employability representing the culmination of a series of discussions from the annual AdvanceHE Employability Symposium hosted in April 2021. The publication builds on insights from the symposium with examples of how sustainable and innovative pedagogies can be delivered in higher education.
The government launched its new Global Talent website with the aim of attracting research experts to come and innovate in Britain. The site, which is a collaboration between UKRI and several government departments, will provide information on working in and with UK universities, innovation, and business.
This week Universities Minister Michelle Donelan answered written questions on the impact of zero-hours contracts on academic freedom.
Quality
AdvanceHE announced plans to carry out its first review of its Professional Standards Framework since 2011. The review, conducted by a sector-led Steering Group and Project Team, aims to ensure the PSF remains a robust framework for individuals and higher education institutions, supporting good practice and effective leadership of teaching and learning. The revised PSF will be launched in November 2022 and will have a 2-year transition period.
The government amended the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill to include a new clause requiring OfS to publish notice at the conclusion of every investigation, regardless of the outcome, except if the investigation has not been made public.
Finance
The OfS has published guidance for HE providers on the monitoring return for the capital funding allocated in the financial year 2021-22.
Pensions
UCU warn of more potential strike action over disagreements with deductions of pay for staff taking action short of a strike (ASOS) ahead of the next round of industrial action taking place from next week. UCEA Chief Executive Raj Jethwa responded to the warning.
On Thursday, UCU general secretary Jo Grady wrote to the head of UUK Alistair Jarvis calling for a consultation on UCU’s pension proposals to begin following the USS trustee confirming that “there was no impediment to implementation”. USS Employers announced that they have begun the consultation.
Universities Minister Michelle Donelan answered written questions this week on the government acting as USS guarantor for scheme members.
EDI
The Disabled Students Commission has published a report on the use of auto-captioning in universities which found that captioning was often inconsistent, hard to rely on and inappropriately perceived as a substitute for communication support such as British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters. Recommendations include proper support for the editing of transcripts.
Student experience and wellbeing
Wonkhe reported on progress with their research conducted with partners Kortext, on the views of leaders of learning and teaching on the changes they anticipate to learning and teaching over the next five to ten years, and how their priorities and strategies are changing in response.
On Wednesday, UUK announced a new task force, in partnership with Unite Students, GuildHE and Independent HE, to set out a common approach to better understand and address drug-use. UUK reports that this comes as institutions are expressing concern about the impact of student drug use with associated risks of learning and mental health problems, of damage to future job prospects, of addiction and avoidable deaths.
HESA published its 2020-21 HE Student Data on Thursday, with results showing a 9% rise in the total number of students enrolled in higher education for that academic year. The data breaks down five topics; who’s studying in HE, what they are studying, where students are coming from, where they are choosing to study as well as progression rates and qualifications.
Handshake published their new Career 2032 research report on the future of careers support, in partnership with AGCAS, the Institute of Student Employers and Wonkhe. The report shows that 32% of students worry they aren’t good enough or ready for a graduate job, rising to 39% of students from less privileged backgrounds. Additionally, employers are primarily worried about retaining the graduates they hire, with 71% concerned about rising to this challenge in the decade ahead.
With Ofgem announcing a 54% energy price cap rise, WonkHE reflects on the impact it could have on students.
Thursday marked the 100 years of NUS. In celebration of this, the union declared 2022 the Year of the Student with the launch of a new website.
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