

The Wonkhe Show
Mark Leach
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 16, 2024 • 35min
Graduate route, sector finances
This week on the podcast the Migration Advisory Committee’s review of the Graduate route is here - how will the government respond? Plus we take a trip back to the sixties to look at manifesto mentions from six decades ago, and OfS says that 40 per cent of institutions expect to be in deficit this year.With Eve Alcock, Director of Public Affairs at QAA, Jonathan Simons, Partner and Head of the Education Practice at Public First, James Coe, Associate Editor at Wonkhe and presented by Mark Leach, Editor-in-Chief at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 9, 2024 • 46min
Campus protest, student income, academic freedom
This week on the podcast a group of vice chancellors have been called into see Rishi Sunak in a bid to clamp down on student protest. Where does that fit with new Free Speech duties? Plus HEPI has a new study out on students’ standard of living, and UCU has a new report out on academic freedom.With Anne-Marie Canning, Chief Executive Officer at the Brilliant Club, Ben Vulliamy, Chief Executive at University of York Students’ Union and incoming ED at AHUA, Livia Scott, Partnerships Coordinator at Wonkhe, Debbie McVitty, Editor at Wonkhe and presented by Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 26, 2024 • 51min
Franchising, Labour, misogyny, dropping out
This week on the podcast a parliamentary report calls for changes to regulation on franchising – does it go far enough?Plus the think tanks are circling as Labour keeps shtum on HE policy, Jim is in Austria chatting dropping out and study speed, and creepy behaviour towards female academics is under fire.With Julian Gravatt, Deputy Chief Executive at the Association for Colleges, Sally Burtonshaw, Associate Director (Education) at Public First, Michael Salmon, News Editor at Wonkhe, Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor at Wonkhe, Maja Höggerl, 1st deputy chairwoman at ÖH Uni Graz, and presented by Mark Leach, Editor-in-Chief at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 18, 2024 • 41min
First in family, NUS, hybrid grads
This week on the podcast there’s a new campaign to highlight first-in-family students. Will it shift the dial on public (and political) attitudes to HE?Plus NUS attempts to bounce back at its annual conference in Blackpool, and new data on graduates’ experiences in the labour market suggests a lot of focus on hybrid working.With Smita Jamdar, Partner and Head of Education at Shakespeare Martineau, Johnny Rich, Chief Executive at the Engineering Professors' Council and Push, Debbie McVitty, Editor at Wonkhe and presented by Mark Leach, Editor-in-Chief at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 11, 2024 • 45min
Funding, disabled students, nursing
This week on the podcast the Department for Education has published its annual funding letter – we work out the size and shape of the cuts. Plus there’s a call for evidence on abolishing part of the Disabled Students Allowance, and there’s a problem for providers in post-pandemic nursing.With Selena Bolingbroke, Principal at the Building Crafts College, Pete Quinn, HE inclusion consultant, James Coe, Associate Editor at Wonkhe and presented by Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 21, 2024 • 37min
Graduate route, pensions, graduate mobility
This week on the podcast the Home Office has commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee to review the Graduate route visa - what could be on the cards come its conclusions in May? Plus UUK and UCEA are trying to pull out of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS), and there’s a new tool from ONS that lets us see towns and cities’ ability to retain, attract or lose their graduates.With Mary Curnock Cook, Chair at the Dyson Institute and Pearson UK, Omar Khan, Chief Executive at TASO, Michael Salmon, News Editor at Wonkhe, and presented by Mark Leach, Editor in Chief at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 12, 2024 • 49min
Loneliness, culture wars, HE on TV
This week on the podcast, live from our Secret Life of Students event in London, we've published new stats and analysis on student loneliness - what can universities (and their SUs) do about this seemingly intractable problem? Plus we have highlights from our session on the campus culture wars, and we ask whether TV coverage of universities is fair and balanced in the wake of Geoff Norcott's Is University Really Worth It documentary.With Rebecca Freeman, Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) at University of Warwick, David Gilani, Head of Student Engagement and Advocacy at Middlesex University, Mark Leach, Editor-in-Chief at Wonkhe, Kirsty Sedgman, author of On Being Unreasonable, Smita Jamdar, Partner and Head of Education at Shakespeare Martineau, Andy Winter, Director of Student Support Services at the University of Sheffield and presented by Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 7, 2024 • 32min
Donelan, disconnect, budget
This week on the podcast Science Secretary Michelle Donelan has paid damages to two academics that she falsely accused of supporting Hamas. What next for the campus culture wars?Plus a new report finds a “growing disconnect” between students and their university experience, and there’s been an HE-free budget.With Shân Wareing, Deputy Vice Chancellor at University of Northampton, Ben Elger, Chief Executive at the Office of the Independent Adjudicator, David Kernohan, Deputy Editor at Wonkhe and presented by Mark Leach, Editor in Chief at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 29, 2024 • 47min
Cost of living, Australia, international
This week on the podcast only three per cent of students say they feel they have enough money. Do students need to change their expectations?Plus Australia has a new Universities Accord, there’s all sorts of international numbers floating around, and MPs debate franchising.With Paul Ashwin, Professor of Higher Education at Lancaster University, Hannah Malone, Vice President at Arts University Bournemouth Students’ Union, Debbie McVitty, Editor at Wonkhe and presented by Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 22, 2024 • 41min
Culture wars, Covid compensation, student votes
This week on the podcast the government is planning to introduce a “quality seal” for universities evidencing standards in dealing with antisemitism. But does its free speech legislation put that in jeopardy? Plus students are off to court over their Covid consumer claim, and a “welcome week” election could present headaches.With Mary Stuart, Director of Leadership Development at Minerva, Anne-Marie Canning, Chief Executive Officer at The Brilliant Club, Livia Scott, Community and Policy Officer at Wonkhe, and presented by Mark Leach, Editor-in-Chief at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.