
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

Feb 1, 2024 • 46min
International students, mental health, students and politics
This week on the podcast international students have been in the news - but how much of the coverage was unfair, and does the sector have a case to answer on admissions? Plus DfE has a mental health taskforce report out, Scotland's Commissioner for Fair Access has reported and we look at new polling and data on students' views and the role that gender can play in politics.With Helen O'Sullivan, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Chester, Smita Jamdar, Partner and Head of Education at Shakespeare Martineau, Sunday Blake, Associate Editor at Wonkhe, David Kernohan, Deputy Editor at Wonkhe and presented by Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 25, 2024 • 47min
Inspections, Jo Phoenix tribunal, governance
This week on the podcast OfS has published more inspection reports into Business and Management provision in universities. Is the process and focus right? Plus we discuss the implications of Jo Phonenix's win at tribunal against the OU, and look in detail at a report on university governance. With Jonathan Simons, Partner and Head of the Education Practice at Public First, Steph Harris, Director of Strategy, Insight and Member Engagement at Universities UK, David Kernohan, Deputy Editor at Wonkhe and presented by Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 18, 2024 • 51min
Fraud, market exit, applications, living wage
This week on the podcast the National Audit Office reports on organised crime and fraud in franchise agreements - is the regulation right and are the incentives appropriate? Plus we discuss the prospect of a university going under, there’s new UCAS figures out and who’s paying the Real Living Wage?With Nicola Dandridge, Professor of Practice in Higher Education Policy at University of Bristol, Jonathan Grant, Director at Different Angles, Debbie McVitty, Editor at Wonkhe, and presented by Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 11, 2024 • 1h 3min
Baltics and Finland special
This week on the podcast we’re in Helsinki on the Wonkhe SUs study tour where SU officers and staff from around the UK have been to Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Finland to learn about student representation, political advocacy and belonging on a budget. Jim and guests from the bus trip discuss students and sleep, the HE policy year ahead, and what the sector might learn from the frozen north - while Livia catches up with some student leaders from across the countries.With Lily Byrne, President at Sheffield SU, Hannah Clarke, VP Activities at Lincoln SU, Gary Hughes, CEO at Durham SU, Livia Scott, Community and Policy Officer at Wonkhe and presented by Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 7, 2023 • 50min
International, REF delay, stagnation
In our final festive episode of the year we survey the political turmoil over immigration, and consider the impact on university finances.There's also a big delay to the REF to understand, a new report that calls for more graduates and some festive cheer from DK.With Andy Westwood, Professor of Government Practice at the University of Manchester, Justine Andrew, Head of Education and Head of University Partnership Office at KPMG UK, Michael Salmon, News Editor at Wonkhe, David Kernohan, Deputy Editor at Wonkhe and presented by Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 30, 2023 • 39min
Minimum service levels, PTES, graduates and politics, apprenticeships
This week on the podcast the government is consulting on minimum service levels in education - what could that mean for industrial action in the sector? Plus there’s a growing “education divide” in UK politics, Advance HE’s 2023 PTES is out, and we’re asking if universities need to “go hard or go home” on degree apprenticeships. With Diana Beech, CEO at London Higher, Mark Bennett, Director (Audience & Editorial) at Find a University, Sunday Blake, Associate Editor at Wonkhe and presented by Mark Leach, Editor in Chief at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 23, 2023 • 41min
Immigration, Autumn Statement, PGRs
This week on the podcast - recorded at Advance HE's Governance Conference in London - new immigration figures are out, and we reflect on what they mean both for the new Home Secretary and for university finances. Plus there's the Chancellor's Autumn Statement to digest, and this year's Postgraduate Research Experience Survey results are out.With Roberta Blackman-Woods, Board Chair at Northumbria University, Andy Westwood, Professor of Government Practice at the University of Manchester, Dan Tinkler, Governance Development Manager at Advance HE and presented by Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 16, 2023 • 44min
Reshuffle, inspections, money, data futures
This week on the podcast there's been a Westminster government reshuffle - but does any of it matter to higher education? Plus OfS has been inspecting business courses, sector finances are in the news and Data Futures has been pushed further into the future.With Chris Shelley, Director of Student Experience at Queen Mary University of London, Jess Lister, Associate Director (Education) 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.

Nov 8, 2023 • 41min
King's speech, food, graduate skills
This week on the podcast, recorded live at Wonkhe's Festival of HE in London, we discuss the King's speech and politics for higher education in the run up to a general election. Plus there's new polling data on students and food, we get as across a new report on graduate skills in an age of AI, and hidden history traces how women got into universities.With Alistair Jarvis, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Partnerships and Governance) at University of London, Eve Alcock, Director of Public Affairs at the Quality Assurance Agency, Debbie McVitty, Editor at Wonkhe, Mike Ratcliffe, Academic Registrar at City, University of London and presented by Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 2, 2023 • 49min
Free speech, franchising, NHS training
This week on the podcast Michelle Donelan’s letter to UKRI expressing outrage over “extremism” has been in the news, and Gillian Keegan is bearing down on antisemitism on campus - we discuss and assess the fallout. Plus OfS is set to get digging around into franchised provision, and we try to work out if the student training needs in England’s long-term NHS plan are deliverable.With Sally Mapstone, Principal and Vice Chancellor at the University of St Andrews, Paul Greatrix, Registrar at the University of Nottingham, David Kernohan, Deputy Editor at Wonkhe, Mike Ratcliffe, Academic Registrar at City, University of London and presented by Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.