Forbes’ Post

Political commentary on the Higher Education Accord focuses on “how do we afford it”, classic short-term thinking. It’s more like “we cannot afford to not invest in higher education” because the social and economic impacts show the policy pays for itself over time (and then some). It’s very clear that some people want to preserve education for the wealthy and privledged. It’s clear those who benefited from free university degrees are the loudest voices.

GOT OPINION? Institutions of #highereducation first need to understand what the public thinks before than can manage and shape these perspectives.

"We argue that academically selective schools contradict the principles of inclusive and equitable education which underpin Australia’s school system." ABSTRACT The long-term benefits of academically selective schools have not been thoroughly explored in the Australian context. This research draws on data from a longitudinal study of Australian young people (n = 2933) and utilises Nearest-neighbour matching techniques to explore whether individuals who attend academically selective schools have better outcomes than those who attend non-selective schools. This research explores a range of post-school outcomes, including engagement in education or employment, years of education and life satisfaction. Participants who graduated from academically selective schools reported slightly higher general life satisfaction scores. Limitations around the available data and measures used for identifying selective schools are discussed, but these results indicate that attending an academically selective school is not associated with major benefits for individuals. We argue that academically selective schools contradict the principles of inclusive and equitable education which underpin Australia’s school system. The results speak to policy makers who play a key role in evaluating and regulating selective processes. #learningfuturesnetwork

Recently quoted in the Economist on the state of higher education (it's not good). "As challenges from abroad multiply, America’s elite universities are squandering their support at home. Two trends in particular are widening rifts between town and gown. One is a decades-long expansion in the number of managers and other non-academic staff that universities employ. America’s best 50 colleges now have three times as many administrative and professional staff as faculty, according to a report by Paul Weinstein of the Progressive Policy Institute, a think-tank. Some of the increase responds to genuine need, such as extra work created by growing government regulation. A lot of it looks like bloat. These extra hands may be tying researchers in red tape and have doubtless inflated fees. The total published cost of attending Harvard (now nearly $80,000 annually for an undergraduate) has more than doubled in twenty years." https://lnkd.in/e2PNhRZZ

The Universities Accord interim report proposes ambitious equity and labour-market driven higher education attainment targets. But these would require diverting lower-ATAR young men into higher education rather than vocational education. On current evidence that change would not be in their best interests. Me in the AFR.

The end of August sees the annual tradition of anxious students and their loved ones waiting on the publication of their exam results. This year marks a return to normalcy after pandemic disruptions. However, uncertainty exists regarding outcomes, particularly in terms of top grades. While many seek university admission, financial concerns and job necessity is leading some students to question its value. It’s clear that further education is at a crossroads, inviting scrutiny and debate over its worth amid ongoing challenges. Ipsos UK MD of Public Affairs, Trinh Tu writes in FE News about the views of people towards unversity education from this new Ipsos research: https://lnkd.in/dvC_cWq8 #HigherEducation #Universities #Education

Limited access to high-earning college majors disproportionately affects underrepresented students. This report emphasizes that students from marginalized backgrounds face barriers in pursuing lucrative fields, leading to reduced economic mobility. Read the full report for details on the authors' call for policy changes and institutional support to ensure equitable access to these majors and promote greater inclusivity in higher education. https://ow.ly/w9yj50PMzC7

New polling data from Gallup shows a steep drop in Americans’ confidence in higher education — a shocking loss of trust in institutions that are admired and emulated worldwide, and that remain important contributors to social mobility domestically and soft power globally https://lnkd.in/ek-QNiwE

One speaker at a recent HE event I attended drew attention to issues relating to wider public support for universities. It is interesting to compare data on this subject from the US (here) and collected in the UK in 2022 (see below). Whilst the situation is not chronic, there is still much work to do. It is too easy for academics simply to assume the value of what they do, and expect the rest of the population always to agree. This will not help when economic circumstances force pressure on HE, as is happening. Universities need to be higher up the pecking list of public opinion for politicians to prioritise them. https://lnkd.in/exMu5pe2

Why University Rankings Are Important? Higher education rankings are important for several reasons, impacting various stakeholders including students, educational institutions, employers, and policymakers. #HigherEducation #UniversityRankings #EducationalExcellence #InstitutionalImprovement #HEHigherEDRanking