This week on the podcast we discuss the financial crisis at the University of Dundee, as a revised recovery plan reduces proposed job cuts while requesting additional funding. Is this a sustainable solution for institutions facing similar challenges?Plus we look at concerning new Wonkhe and Cibyl polling on student health, and we examine how international student policies have become political battlegrounds in global elections.With Chris Shelley, Director of Student Experience at Queen Mary University of London, Rachel MacSween, Director of Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement (UK and Europe) at IDP, Michael Salmon, News Editor at Wonkhe and presented by Mark Leach, Editor-in-Chief at Wonkhe.Dundee: An alternative pathway to financial recovery, Scottish Government statementLatest from Belong – students’ health is not OK, and that’s not OKCanada: The Deeper Meaning of Election 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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41:59
Portugal special
This week on the podcast the SUs team has been on a study tour to universities in Lisbon in Portugal, and have reflections on everything from space to food, from interdisciplinarity to curriculum design and from Praxe to ribbon burning.With Khadiza Hossein, VP Education at UWE SU, Emillia Zirker, Student Representation Officer at Lincoln SU, Gary Hughes, CEO at Durham SU, Mack Marshall, Community and Policy Officer at Wonkhe and hosted by Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor at Wonkhe.Those who fight don’t always win, but those who don’t fight always loseStudents should be co-authors of their education Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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47:30
Easter special
This week on the podcast it’s our Easter special – and we’re diving into the highlights from The Secret Life of Students, our event that looked at a new vision for the student experience.We hear from student officers, sector experts, and campaigners on everything from the myth of the full-time model, to the pressures of placements, to the problems faced by international students. There’s testimony from nursing students, fire from SU officers challenging tokenistic consultation, and reflections on race, identity, and institutional indifference. Plus we zoom out to explore commuter challenges, disabled students, student cities and the global call for student solidarity.Hosted by Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor at Wonkhe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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43:36
Regret, provider collapse, WP
This week on the podcast we discuss new research on student regret, as a report from the University of Bristol reveals that while two-thirds of current undergraduates are happy with their choice of degree, it drops to less than half among recent graduates. Are improved advice and guidance really the answer?Plus we look at the collapse of the Advanced Business Academy (ABA) and its aftermath, as an Office for Students (OfS) investigation uncovers serious concerns about student placements and course delivery. And we examine new research on widening participation “cold spots” and the stark disparities in teachers’ expectations for students based on geography and school ratings.With Mary Curnock Cook, non-executive in education and edtech, Pete Quinn, inclusion consultant, Mack Marshall, 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.
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47:33
Sussex fine, franchising
This week on the podcast we're discussing the Office for Students fine of £585,000 levied against the University of Sussex for breaches of free speech conditions, as vice chancellor Sasha Roseneil calls the process "Kafka-esque" and plans a legal challenge.Plus we examine what Bridget Phillipson has called "one of the biggest financial scandals universities have faced" – franchising. Does the affair point signal a shift towards a more “planned” system?With Vivienne Stern, Chief Executive at Universities UK, Jonathan Simons, Partner and Head of the Education Practice at Public First, Debbie McVitty, Editor at Wonkhe and presented by Mark Leach, Editor-in-Chief at Wonkhe.Sussex fined almost £600k over free speech\So are universities allowed to chill misogyny or not?The franchise problem may not have a quick answerWelcome to the walk-in degreeWhat is the franchising boom doing to drop-out? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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.
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