In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on support for students transitioning into the workplace by universities, policymakers and students themselves. However, the students currently at university will be graduating into a complex environment. The COVID-19 pandemic, as well as having significant health impacts, has radically affected…

This collection provides an overview of the opportunities and challenges faced by higher education institutions engaging with China. Among the issues considered are the importance of UK-China scientific research, the recruitment and integration of Chinese students, and self-censorship. The ten different contributors also cover the importance of…

This report explores how the state of postgraduate education in the United Kingdom (UK) has changed over the past decade by drawing on a number of other primary data sources and secondary source analyses by authors such as the Department for Education and the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). UK, 'other European Union (EU)' and 'non-EU'…

The higher education community is catching up with the reality that student housing is a major part of the educational offer. By providing the right learning environment and a stimulating and stable social experience, good quality, affordable and well-managed housing can contribute significantly to students' overall educational experience.…

The HEPI Occasional Paper, "Pressure Vessels," analysed data obtained from Freedom of Information enquiries of 74 higher education institutions (HEIs) in the United Kingdom (UK) which employed more than 2,000 staff. The Freedom of Information requests sought information relating to the number of university employees accessing counselling…

With climate change continuing to be the biggest global threat, this paper argues that universities and colleges should take a leading role in putting the world on a more sustainable footing. Making use of the latest research and powerful case studies, the author makes a series of recommendations for students, staff and policymakers that would…

Decolonisation is rapidly becoming a familiar term in higher education institutions. Students and activist groups have helped decolonisation move onto the national agenda, backed by recent worldwide events surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement. Despite its newfound popularity, there is still substantial disagreement and misunderstanding…

This report is the latest in a series of HEPI reports on future demand for higher education, looking at demographics and participation rates to develop projections of demand for higher education to 2035. By looking across the UK, the report shows how patterns of demand could change over the next fifteen years in England, Scotland and Northern…

This report looks at the scale of the gender pay gap between male and female graduates and the factors that may influence this. It finds the overall graduate gender pay gap is not wholly accounted for by subject of study, type of university attended, prior attainment, social background or ethnicity. It also explores differences in approaches and…

Much more is known about COVID-19 and its impact on the student experience than in the previous rounds of the HEPI/YouthSight Monitor. When students were first polled on the impact of the pandemic back in March 2020, it was not clear how long the pandemic or measures to prevent the virus spreading would last. When the second round of polling was…

This short report looks more deeply into the question of whether student voters make a difference to UK election results by: (1) taking the 25 constituencies with the highest proportion of full-time students -- those where they are thought to make up more than 17.5 per cent of the electorate; (2) considering the results in these seats for the last…

Higher education regularly experiences cyber attacks. Organisations that do not adequately protect themselves risk the loss or exposure of personal student and staff data and also commercial, institutional and research data that are valuable to cyber criminals operating domestically and internationally. This paper discusses: (1) the current…

In this report, Corey Stoughton, the Advocacy Director of the human rights organisation Liberty, looks at the issue through history, international experience and recent legal changes. She notes that asking disempowered people to accept a total right to free speech is expecting them to put down a tool of resistance. She also claims the biggest…

The Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) was founded in 1975, when it replaced an outdated set of pension arrangements for university staff. The USS was stable for nearly four decades but, in recent years, it has undergone considerable turbulence. The causes include tighter pension regulations, growing life expectancy and lower financial…

It has been clear for some time that the higher education student body has experienced a decline in mental health. More recently, there have been claims that the mental health of staff is also at risk. This report will present new findings that show how staff employed at higher education institutions are accessing counselling and occupational…