Sector News Digest

Author

Alec Charles

Press, PR & Comms Officer, QAA

Our regular round-up of the past week's media coverage of higher education highlights the impacts of AI on the graduate job market, the publication of a report on student migration, and a Wonkhe veteran experiencing the joys of open days.

Student life

27 June: Wonkhe's Jim Dickinson supposes that the government doesn't know how many students will be impacted by its own proposed welfare reforms.

28 June: Blogging for Wonkhe, Public First's Will Yates considers a new UPP report and finds that "some [students] get to realise all the social fulfilment and enjoyment of traditional university life, while others cling on by their fingertips". THE also covers the publication of the report: "Financial pressures leave students increasingly viewing higher education in transactional terms, with the focus on securing graduate employment."

30 June: Wonkhe's Jim Dickinson and Mack Marshall present their analysis of this year's crop of SU election manifestos and find that "universities seem to be systematically failing to deliver fundamental aspects of the educational experience" – as "the manifestos reveal students demanding things that ought to be standard – lecture materials uploaded in advance, breaks in long teaching sessions, consistent feedback". They also observe that "manifestos reveal students stretched impossibly thin between work, commuting, and study, making traditional university schedules completely unworkable" – and that "cost-of-living concerns have invaded every aspect of university life because the student finance system has fundamentally failed to cover basic living expenses".

4 July: PLMR's Myles Hanlon tells Wonkhe "Labour is losing the student vote" – with "over a third of top student constituencies poised to abandon the party" – and argues that the government "must become aware of the challenges facing student voters if it wants to… secure a second term in office".

Graduate Outcomes

2 July: China-Britain Business Focus promotes a series of network events being hosted in China for British universities to enhance the job prospects of their Chinese graduates.

3 July: THE asks whether universities are "overselling" data on graduate salaries – observing that "the overhauling of two major graduate earnings surveys has highlighted that existing figures are an uncertain measure of a degree's value even in narrow economic terms" – and wondering whether the sector's emphasis on the graduate premium may prove to be counterproductive.

Artificial Intelligence

30 June: The Telegraph declares that "Britain's young would be better off doing manual labour than going to university" after "research reveals a fall of 31.9 per cent in entry-level white-collar positions since the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022". The story is also covered by The Guardian and The Independent. On 2 July, a Guardian editorial follows up on this news: "Innovations such as ChatGPT have become embedded in everyday life at vertiginous speed. But their benefits must not come at the expense of the young talent that will be crucial to shaping our future."

30 June: RPN covers the publication of new guidance from the UK Research Integrity Office which warns that the use of AI should be declared in early stages of research and could cause "irreversible harm". The following day, Wonkhe's James Coe considers the growth of metascience, and its consideration of (among other things) the uses of AI in research (1 July).

1 July: The London School of Innovation's Somayeh Aghnia tells HEPI that in the age of AI "the role of a university shifts from delivering knowledge or developing skills to curating learning experiences focusing on developing humans' adaptability, and preparing students, and society, for uncertainty" – adding that this means "the university of the future must focus less on scale, tradition, and prestige, and more on relevance, adaptability, and ethical leadership".

2 July: THE covers the publication of research which has found that ChatGPT has led to the growth of "flowery" language in academic writing.

4 July: The University of Leeds's Lorna Waddington and Richard de Blaquiere-Clarkson tell THE that the humanities should have a role in the oversight of the censorship and bias which AI imposes. Meanwhile, the University of Portsmouth's Professor Alejandro Armellini tells HEPI: "How universities wield [AI] will determine whether it leads to genuine transformation or a series of expensive (and reputationally risky) missteps. The challenge… is to stay in control, keep the focus on successful learning experiences in their multiple manifestations, and never let AI run the show alone. After all, no algorithm has yet mastered the art of handling a seminar full of students who haven't done the reading."

Data

4 July: UHR's Sophie Crouchman and Strive Higher's Laura Jackson tell Wonkhe about their programme to help professional services staff "get confident with data".

Lifelong learning

3 July: Arguing the case for a greater recognition of exit awards, Queen Margaret University's Vivek Pundir tells THE that "instead of treating certificates and diplomas as afterthoughts, most universities could offer and market them as stand-alone achievements" – noting that "research from the Quality Assurance Agency demonstrates that modular and microcredential approaches can enhance access and progression, particularly for learners from non-traditional backgrounds or those seeking to upskill or reskill".

Apprenticeships

1 July: Derby PVC Dr Denise Baker tells Wonkhe that "defunding level 7 apprenticeships in health and care may backfire on lower levels".

First class

30 June: BBC News covers the graduation of the first cohort of medical students at Ulster University.

Institutional collaboration

2 July: University of London DVC Professor David Latchman tells THE that "university collaboration is vital for cost cutting, but it must be flexible" – arguing that "the future financial health of the sector demands new thinking and radical approaches, rather than directly replicating existing models of collaboration".

Industrial Strategy

30 June: Wonkhe's James Coe urges universities to take a leading role in the government's industrial strategy: "The opportunity is for universities to shape the settlement they want through being proactive in shaping their regions... Anything short of this risks an economic agenda which is done to universities rather than with them."

3 July: Henham Strategy's Iona Clark tells Wonkhe that "as anchor institutions located in the heart of communities, universities are physically well-placed to address causes of economic decline" – suggesting that such work might help the higher education sector build some much-needed goodwill with the press, public and politicians.

International relations

30 June: DMU VC Professor Katie Normington tells THE why TNE is now "more vital than ever". Meanwhile, Ed Tech Innovation Hub reports that Coventry celebrated the graduation of the first cohort of students at its joint institution with the Communication University of China. And Coventry also announces a research collaboration on hydrogen fuel technologies with two institutions in India.

30 June: Manchester VC Professor Duncan Ivison tells HEPI that the international student levy could represent "the tipping point for a fragile sector".

2 July: Covering the publication of a Policy Exchange report, THE highlights the argument that "a £1,000 flat fee should be charged to all international students at UK universities for each year of their study to avoid 'unfairly' penalising top universities with a fee-based levy" – and its warning against reintroducing domestic fees for EU students. The Times says that "overseas students are exploiting the system" to use universities as a "migration backdoor" and stresses the message that the government should "tighten visa rules further". The Mail emphasises claims that "migrants are studying at 'low-ranking universities' to enter the country before finding a way to settle long-term" and calls for graduate visas to be "axed". RPN notes the think tank supposes that "the value of cross-subsidy from international student fees for research and teaching has been 'overstated' by universities". Wonkhe's Michael Salmon supposes that the report "goes over past battles while pointing the way to future ones". Meanwhile, THE carries claims from shadow education minister Neil O'Brien that the government's plans to reduce the length of graduate visa will have minimal impacts on net migration. And The PIE covers Duolingo's plans to divert international students, deterred by American visa issues, towards the UK.

2 July: FE News carries Jisc's announcement of the publication of its new report on 'Global education and technology: digital challenges associated with the effective delivery of transnational education' – produced in partnership with UUKi, the British Council and QAA. Meanwhile, University World News reports from UNESCO's Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education, held in Paris last week, noting its adoption of an "ambitious work plan to develop tools over the next two years in the form of globally negotiated and agreed guidelines to support… quality assurance in higher education, including transnational education".

4 July: LSE VC Professor Larry Kramer tells THE that, if a six per cent levy on international student fees is implemented, a third of the cost would be added to those fees, a third saved in efficiencies, and a third made through increased recruitment of international students.

4 July: The president of SP Jain School of Global Management tells THE that new technology has now made it unnecessary for his institution to continue opening overseas campuses. He adds that his organisation, before launching its own site in London two years ago, had considered "buying an existing university" there but found "only the bad universities were for sale".

Leadership

27 June: Brunel VC Professor Andrew Jones tells RPN that the new ResearchPlus group of universities will look to shares resources and explore research collaborations.

30 June: THE reports that PwC's Paul Kett has been appointed as London South Bank University's next VC.

30 June: FE Week reports that James Cleverly will replace suspended Conservative Patrick Spencer on the Education Committee.

3 July: Wonkhe's daily briefing reports that KCL VC Professor Shitij Kapur will be the next chair of London Higher. And the Scottish Government announces that Professor Cara Aitchison has been appointed Chair of the Scottish Funding Council Board.

3 July: Leadership coach Caroline Dunne and Higher Futures' Janice Kay tell HEPI that investing in personal branding isn't a luxury or an ego trip for VCs but can promote "clarity, authenticity, and trust" – insisting that "it's your strategic asset made up of your values, your story, your impact on others and ultimately your legacy".

Open days

28 June: Reflecting on his recent experience of university open days, Wonkhe's David Kernohan notes: "The awards and the league table placings really come across as noise – I didn't see any applicant looking remotely impressed, although some were interested in graduate destinations and links to employers."

Happy birthday Birmingham!

2 July: The University of Birmingham reports that more than 9,000 people took part in its recent celebration of its 125th anniversary, as "Brummies from across the city came to campus for a wonderful day of learning, music and fun" – which included face-painting, drag, jazz, wheelchair basketball, Birmingham BabyLab, This Morning's Ben Shephard and a robot dog.

With thanks to all our friends and colleagues who report on higher education across the UK.

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27 June 2025
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