What Is a Business Case? Why Are They Important to Universities?

Alice Pugh defines and explains why business cases are important for higher education research funders, government department funders, and local policymakers. This blog was first posted by the National Civic Impact Accelerator, based at Sheffield Hallam University. This is the first blog in a series looking at what a business case is and how to … Continue reading “What Is a Business Case? Why Are They Important to Universities?”

International Students in the West Midlands: Economic Impact and the Challenges of Graduate Retention

Summer intern Dimas Almaruf presents the second part of a two-part series of blogs on the economic impact of international students in the UK. Part II discusses the challenges faced by international students upon their graduation from British universities. View part I – International Students in the West Midlands: The Costs, Benefits, and Housing Implications … Continue reading “International Students in the West Midlands: Economic Impact and the Challenges of Graduate Retention”

International Students in the West Midlands: The Costs, Benefits, and Housing Implications

Summer intern Dimas Almaruf presents the first part of a two-part series of blogs on the economic impact of international students in the UK. Part I sets the scene by providing the number of students in the region. Introduction The United Kingdom has long been a favourite destination for international students to pursue their higher … Continue reading “International Students in the West Midlands: The Costs, Benefits, and Housing Implications”

EUniWell Policy Commission: Young People and the Legacy of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Paul Vallance discusses his work with EUniWell and the policy commission he was involved in looking at the education, employment, and mental health of young people across Europe. Since 2020, the University of Birmingham has been a member of EUniWell, an EU-funded alliance of 11 universities across Europe that work together to support the well-being … Continue reading “EUniWell Policy Commission: Young People and the Legacy of the COVID-19 Pandemic”

How Can National and Local Skills Policies Encourage Collaboration Between Universities, Colleges and Employers To Drive Productivity, Innovation and Growth?

In our latest podcast, Chris Millward, Professor of Practice in Education Policy at the School of Education, University of Birmingham talks to Peter Creticos, President and Executive Director, at the Institute for Work and the Economy in Chicago and Ewart Keep, Professor of Education, Training and Skills at the University of Oxford, about skills policy … Continue reading “How Can National and Local Skills Policies Encourage Collaboration Between Universities, Colleges and Employers To Drive Productivity, Innovation and Growth?”

Bridging the Gap: Addressing Ethnic Disparities in Higher Education Dropout Rates

Dr Kostas Kollydas discusses the multifaceted reasons behind higher education dropouts, emphasising the need to confront ethnic discrepancies in academic achievement that result in involuntary withdrawal from studies. Theoretical background The concept of dropout rates refers to the fraction of students who, for whatever reasons, abandon their course before completion. The issue of student dropouts … Continue reading “Bridging the Gap: Addressing Ethnic Disparities in Higher Education Dropout Rates”

My Year as an Apprentice with City-REDI

Ellie Macdonald talks about her experiences as City-REDI’s first apprentice and how it has benefited her career going back into education. I started at City-REDI in January of 2022 and it was one of the best decisions I made going back into education after I graduated in 2021. I learnt new skills in classroom sessions … Continue reading “My Year as an Apprentice with City-REDI”

The Role of Universities in ‘Levelling Up’ the Region Post-Pandemic

John Goddard discusses the challenges of ‘levelling up’ within the higher education sector and how they can play a leading role going forward, post-pandemic. The challenges of ‘levelling-up’ cities and regions of the country will not go away. Universities can and do play a leading role as ‘anchor institutions’ throughout the country with a huge … Continue reading “The Role of Universities in ‘Levelling Up’ the Region Post-Pandemic”

Understanding Student Behaviour: Trends in Working While Studying, The Impact of Student Loans and Implications for Young People’s Economic Activity

Dr Kostas Kollydas discusses changes over time in student employment, student loan developments, and the likely effects of these changes on the educational and economic outcomes of young individuals. This blog is part of a series looking at the UK Labour Market. See also: – Why are the Over-50s Leaving the Workforce? Labour Market Flows … Continue reading “Understanding Student Behaviour: Trends in Working While Studying, The Impact of Student Loans and Implications for Young People’s Economic Activity”

Why do Ethnic Pay Gaps Exist And How Can They be Closed? Evidence From UK-born Graduates

In this blog, Dr Kostas Kollydas sheds light on the factors influencing wage disparities by ethnicity in the UK labour market and discusses policy implications. Ethnicity as a Social Construct Ethnicity is a social organisation concept and is frequently used to classify people based on whether they share a perception of specific characteristics (such as … Continue reading “Why do Ethnic Pay Gaps Exist And How Can They be Closed? Evidence From UK-born Graduates”