
The Wonkhe Show
Every week the Wonkhe team and guests from across higher education dissect the week's big policy developments, and we also feature interviews, features and views from around the sector. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Latest episodes

Jan 14, 2021 • 49min
PODCAST: Gavin Williamson, fair assessment, skills
This week on the podcast we consider the fate of Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, and ask what ministers haver to do to get sacked these days. There's also a look at our new Skills to Thrive research, and a delve into the complexities of fair assessment during a pandemic.With Sue Rigby, Vice Chancellor at Bath Spa University; Jonathan Simons Director at Public First; Debbie McVitty, Wonkhe's Editor; and presented by Jim Dickinson, Wonkhe's Associate Editor. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 8, 2021 • 46min
PODCAST: Start of term special
To kick the term off Wonkhe's editorial team gathers to discuss the year ahead - taking in everything from the delayed and constrained "staggered" return, to quality and standards, student accommodation, calls for "no detriment" policies and the team's things to watch out out for in the year ahead.With Debbie McVitty, Wonkhe Editor; David Kernohan, Associate Editor; Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor; and presented by Editor in Chief Mark Leach. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 17, 2020 • 46min
Brexit, OfS reset, UCAS figures, free speech.
It’s the end of term at Wonkhe towers but the policy train is still trundling along, and so on the podcast we’re discussing everything from Brexit, to a glut of paperwork from the Office for Students, UCAS figures and the dramatic return of the Free Speech University Rankings. Plus not one but two special musical interludes.With Vivienne Stern, Director of Universities UK International, Jonathan Simons, Director at Public First and Head of the Education Practice, Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor at Wobnkher and presented by Wonkhe’s Editor in Chief Mark Leach. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 10, 2020 • 46min
Transfers, ONS, climate change, brexit
This week on the podcast there are new figures from the Office for Students on student transfer to understand. There’s also some striking survey data out from the ONS, a new paper on universities and climate change from HEPI, and the small issue of Brexit and its impact on higher education.With Claire Taylor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Wrexham Glyndwr University, Johnny Rich, Chief Executive of the Engineering Professors' Council and presented by Jim Dickinson, Wonkhe’s Associate Editor. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 4, 2020 • 43min
Return to campus, graduate skills, pandemic student experience
This week on the podcast there’s guidance for England for the return to campus in the new year to get across. We also discuss the skills graduates need and whether higher education can deliver them, and new polling form HEPI on the full time undergraduate experience this term.Presented by Mark Leach, Editor in Chief at Wonkhe, guests Tim Blackman, Vice Chancellor at the Open University, Jess Moody, Senior Adviser at Advance HE and Debbie McVitty, Editor at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 26, 2020 • 41min
Spending review, racial harassment, digital, Covid complaints
This week there's the Chancellor's spending review to get across and a new report from Universities UK on tackling racial harassment. There's also work out from Jisc on staff and digital, and a batch of complaints from the first part of the pandemic to learn lessons from published by OIA.With Helen O'Sullivan, Pro VC Education at Keele University and Amatey Doku, Consultant at Nous. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 19, 2020 • 47min
Mickey mouse, international, student protection, Cummings going
This week on the podcast the panel evaluates proposals on quality, standards and so-called “Mickey Mouse” courses. We also think through the great “reset” at No.10 and potential implications for higher education, international recruitment, and protections for students in the event of course, campus or whole provider closure.With Selena Bolingbroke, Consulting Fellow at the Halpin Partnership, Paul Inman, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International) at the University of Reading, Jonathan Simons, Director at Public First and Mark Leach, Editor in Chief at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 13, 2020 • 45min
Admissions reform, Demo 2010, Christmas
This week on the show we discuss admissions reform and what's looking like an impending shift towards post qualifications offers. There's also a look back at the big student demo of 2010 and a look forward to both Christmas and what we could be faced with in the new year. With Helen Higson, Provost and Deputy Vice Chancellor at Aston University and Chris Shelley, Director of Student and Academic Services at the University of Greenwich. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 5, 2020 • 35min
Retention, lockdown two, skills and levelling up
This week on the podcast the panel looks at Wonkhe's new research on non-continuation. We also think through the implications of the month long lockdown in England, and look at a couple of new reports on the skills agenda and levelling up.With Diana Beech, CEO at London Higher; Adam Tickell, Vice Chancellor at Sussex University; and Wonkhe's Editor in Chief Mark Leach. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 29, 2020 • 47min
Half term retention special
Our usual discussion format is on its half term break, so ahead of our Wonkhe @ Home event on retention on November 4th we’ve got a recording of our session on the subject from our Secret Life of Students event back in September. This term students need more help than usual to thrive, especially when face to face contact, extracurricular activity and part-time work is severely constrained. In this discussion, delivered in partnership with Solutionpath, a panel of experts explored how universities can build a picture of student engagement, and explore what can be done to reconnect with students who are at risk of non-continuation.With Richard Gascoigne CEO, Solutionpath; Helen Higson, Provost and Deputy Vice Chancellor, Aston University; Ed Foster, Head of Student Engagement and Analytics, Nottingham Trent University; and Wonkhe’s Editor Debbie McVitty. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.