This report from UK think tank HEPI argues that while the current collegiate model is central to student life, it can create confusion and inequality at the point of entry. A new HEPI Debate Paper argues that admissions to Oxford and Cambridge should be overhauled to make the system fairer, clearer and more consistent for...

This report from UK think tank the Sutton Trust urges schools to review their admissions systems to address inequalities in access. This report sets out a clear case for why fairer school admissions must be central to any serious effort to improve inclusion. Drawing on new analysis, national data and our direct work with over...

This report from UK think tank the Sutton Trust reveals enduring challenges for schools. For a number of years, our annual survey of teachers has provided detailed insights into school funding pressures and how school leaders are spending their budgets. Last year’s release showed a worsening picture for school funding, with more school leaders reporting...

This report from UK think tank the Education Policy Institute provides the first comprehensive national assessment of the EP workforce since the Covid-19 pandemic. 'Educational psychologists in England' provides the first comprehensive national assessment of the EP workforce since the Covid-19 pandemic. Drawing on eight years of administrative data and case studies from six local...

This report from UK think tank HEPI offers an alternative model for student loans, which would be cost-neutral for the Treasury. New research by London Economics has found that following various changes to student loan terms, implemented since early 2022, the Treasury are making a surplus of £679 million for the 2022/23 cohort of undergraduate student entrants in England. The research also found that the Government’s changes have had a greater adverse impact...

This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation investigates the state of digital transformation in universities across the UK. British universities are often seen as leaders in research – but are our universities equipped to maintain this status in an increasingly digital age? This report investigates the state of digital transformation in institutions...

This report from UK think tank HEPI calls for sustained and intensive outreach to tackle persistent higher education access gaps. New HEPI Policy Note calls for sustained and intensive outreach to tackle persistent higher education access gaps. It argues that sustained and intensive outreach programmes are among the most effective tools to widen access to...

This report from UK think tank City-REDI finds that high-level skills mismatches differ significantly by area and that policy responses should reflect local differences in demand. This study maps employer demand for higher-level qualifications (at Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) Level 4 and above), the supply of residents with these qualifications, and the resulting demand-supply gaps...

This report from UK think tank the Sutton Trust examines the interplay of SEND and disadvantage in school admissions. There is widespread acceptance that the SEND (Special Education Needs and Disability) system is in crisis but fierce debate surrounding ways forward. Greater demand is being placed on a system that is complex, notoriously difficult to...

This report from UK think tank the Resolution Foundation explores how childhood disadvantage depresses the earnings of university graduates in England. This briefing note examines how being in deep poverty in childhood – proxied by eligibility to free school meals at age 16 – continues to shape graduates’ earnings long after university. Using the Longitudinal...

This report from UK think tank HEPI encourages universities to engage across the political spectrum, including with parties sceptical of higher education. Prepare for populism: Universities need to rebuild their legitimacy with all major parties and the public as they head into a tougher political era. In Preparing for Populism (HEPI Debate Paper 44), Professor...

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Policy Research makes the case for enhancing evaluation evidence. Fair access and participation have been key elements of national higher education policy in the UK for the last two decades. The aim is to ensure that all young people, regardless of their background, have the opportunity...

This report from UK think tank HEPI advises universities to act now on GenAI - and to put human competency at the centre. A new report from the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), Being indispensable: Capabilities for a human-AI world, the ‘FUTURES’ framework, argues that universities should take more robust approaches to GenAI integration, as...

This report from UK think tank IPPR outlines the pros and cons of various policy options for student loan reform. Millions of graduates are paying more for longer as frozen thresholds and high interest rates bite, leaving ministers with tough choices on how to deliver meaningful, targeted relief. This report outlines the pros and cons...

This report from UK think tank HEPI publishes modelling on proposed higher education funding reforms in the run up to the Senedd elections. The Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) and London Economics have published modelling on proposed reforms for higher education funding in Wales in the run up to the Senedd elections on 7 May...

Universities must find ways to cultivate a sense of belonging amongst students By Alexis Brown (HEPI) It’s no secret that students have had a rough time of it during the pandemic. Those who weren’t in university yet missed out on the standardised tests and schooling that would normally prepare them for higher education, and those...