(It’s) Hard Labour?

Labour’s 2015 position on higher education policy – of all the three main political parties – is still probably the hardest to predict. But this is not necessarily because of the affordability of a £6k or even a £5k fee (the IPPR costed it at nearly £2billion up front...

Whither (or wither) the Lib Dems?

The Liberal Democrats kick off the party conference season in Glasgow next week. Will they develop a firm (and different?) position on higher education as the 2015 General Election approaches? Even after a policy review headed up by Baroness Brinton and a business...
IPPR (and Labour’s) Critical Path to 2015

IPPR (and Labour’s) Critical Path to 2015

Why is there such a fuss about today’s IPPR Report? Largely for two reasons – firstly some interesting HE figures have been involved from Nigel Thrift and Janet Beer to Steve Smith and John Sexton. Second is its – and the IPPR’s –...

Politics, Philosophy and Economics

Politics, Philosophy and Economics – Or what does sector ownership mean and does it matter? What is the value of ‘sector ownership’ – the philosophy that within the higher education sector (with the knowledge and support of peers and peer...