International Higher Education Commission (IHEC)’s Post

1987. That’s the year the world of Australian higher education made the shift from male to female. That year, 49.88% higher ed students were male and 50.12% were female, the first time in Australian educational history. The first recorded numbers – 1950 – show 78.43% male and 21.57% female students. The latest – in 2023 - show 39.59% male and 60.41% female students. Our numbers are astonishingly similar to those in the USA, but US higher ed “turned female” in 1979, eight years before Australia. In other words, the higher (university) education student is predominantly female – although not necessarily reflected in academic staff numbers, which still skew male. (Vocational education student percentages are roughly 50-50, because of large numbers of traditionally “male” trade training, but that’s another discussion.) The Australian numbers come from the Commonwealth Department of Education courtesy of Andrew Norton in his fabulous Mapping Australian Higher Education data set. What does this data tell us about our society, and what are the implications for our politics? Questions to consider. https://lnkd.in/g8cNwyT5

The UK higher education sector is facing a storm of unprecedented revenue pressures that show no sign of relenting.   We believe that all UK universities will need to rethink their delivery model and move to a lower cost base. While the timescales may vary between institutions, change will be essential.   Nous experts Julie Mercer and James Langlands have identified the key ratios universities need to monitor their financial performance and the initiatives that can help them contain costs without harming performance.   Read more on our website.   #HigherEd #universities #education

Is UK Higher Education at a Crossroads? Research briefing from the House of Commons Library outlines some interesting, but concerning trends in student numbers across UK higher education. While international postgraduate enrolments are growing, serious issues remain: - The sharp decline in part-time undergraduate enrolments — are we failing to support flexible learning for working adults? - The steep drop in EU students post-Brexit — how sustainable is our international recruitment strategy if we lose vital diversity from Europe? - Continued challenges for disadvantaged and mature students — are current policies truly inclusive, or are we leaving these groups behind? As we focus on increasing overall numbers, are we ignoring critical sectors of our student population? This report brings to light gaps that need addressing if we want to remain competitive and inclusive in the long term. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gR2Rfedx What changes do you think are necessary to ensure the future success of UK higher education? #HigherEducation #UKUniversities

The main news today in UK higher education is the release of "Opportunity, Growth and Partnership: A Blueprint for Change from the UK's Universities" by Universities UK (link in the comments). There are some interesting points in the blueprint, including a good call to review the design of the LLE. However, I have to confess to feeling rather underwhelmed by it overall. At times, it reads like a greatest hits of what universities should do, such as shared services, digitisation and AI to create efficiencies, greater collaboration, tackling skills shortages, and expanding access. What always seems to be missing is an honest, forensic diagnosis of why these things haven’t come to fruition or aren’t functioning optimally, beyond simply needing more money. Equally, it’s hard to feel very confident that there is an understanding, ability, or appetite to genuinely make some of these changes happen. It still feels like this is about bolting things onto or propping up the existing paradigm, rather than digging up the foundations and developing a deeper, first-principles-led vision for how UK higher education might move forward. Some fresh voices would certainly help, as it often feels like there’s a predictable roster of some of the same legacy figures who have long occupied positions of influence in these kinds of outputs. #highereducation

National Student Survey (NSS) 2024 Results of this massive annual Govt survey were out on Wed last week. It’s been going 20 years and is still a useful insight into the experience of students at each UK University in their final year. The data is quite hard to decipher for a first timer but Times Higher Education has crunched the numbers and ranked all 149 UK Universities as an average of the questions. The data confirms that a wide range of universities have high scores and any impression that the Russell Group (RG) hold the monopoly on “quality” is perhaps again open to question? This issue is discussed regularly on socials so these data are important. My own University of Northampton comes ahead of 22 of the 24 RG members for example, based on this ranking - excellent and deserved. Quality and great student experience in UK HE is broad, deep and wide. Our/your students are all different and the diversity of UK HE is something to celebrate. The Times Higher Education website is free but you have to register. The excellent Wonkhe site also crunches the numbers (no registration needed). https://lnkd.in/eCF4K9qc

The latest report from the Department for Education offers a revealing look into the role of unconditional offers on A-Level attainment in 2017 and 2018. As someone who applied to university in 2018, it’s interesting to see the broader impact these offers had on performance. The rise in unconditional offers was staggering - almost doubling in incidence from 2016 to 2018. I've included the chart from the report illustrating this below. 👇 The data highlights a significant trend: while unconditional offers provided security to students, they also correlated with slightly lower A-Level results for some. This raises essential questions about balancing student assurance with performance expectations. Since then, the landscape for unconditional offers has evolved. With increased scrutiny and changing policies, many universities have reduced their reliance on these offers, aiming to support students while also encouraging strong A-Level performance. As we consider evolving admissions practices, it’s crucial to weigh the support provided to students against the long-term impacts on their academic outcomes. The report is really interesting and I would encourage anyone with an interest in not only HE, but data-driven policy making in general, to give it a read: https://lnkd.in/eZuVxy4e

Austrade has released 2023 full year student data. Few thoughts on the data released, comparing Government and Non Government Higher Education providers 1. The market share of Government Higher Ed Providers in 2022 was 73.65% which increased to 79.23% in 2023 compared to Non Government Higher Ed Providers decreasing from 26.35% in 2022 to 20.77% in 2023. 2. Of the 9 regions identified, 5 regions in 2023 have seen Government Higher Ed Providers increase its market share for a combined market share of 68.99%. 3. Commencements from North-East Asia, Africa and Southern and Central Asia (including Subcontinent) for Government Higher Ed Providers is at 94.79%, 92.67% and 73.42% respectively. 4. Non Government Higher Ed Providers in 2023 represented 32,129 (20.77%) International students up from 24,634 (26.35%) in 2022.

🚫 UK universities must cut costs to survive, warns Augar - Financial Times The recent warning from the Financial Times about the necessity for UK universities to reduce costs to ensure their survival is a wake-up call for the entire education sector. As the landscape of higher education shifts, it's imperative for institutions to adapt and streamline their operations to remain competitive. It's clear that the traditional model of university operations may no longer be sustainable, and innovative approaches are needed to navigate the challenges ahead. This warning underscores the urgency for universities to re-evaluate their cost structures and explore more efficient ways of delivering high-quality education. The implications of this call to action are far-reaching, affecting not only institutional strategies but also the student experience and the broader higher education ecosystem. This shared concern must galvanize leaders, educators, and stakeholders to collaborate on finding sustainable solutions that prioritize academic excellence while managing financial realities. As we move forward, it's essential for universities to embrace a culture of adaptability and change, leveraging technology, and adopting best practices to drive efficiencies. The dialogue around cost reduction should be balanced with a commitment to maintaining educational standards and supporting the welfare of staff and students. #UKUniversities #HigherEducation #FinancialTimes https://ift.tt/hdltpZk

Australia has revealed its proposed enrolment caps for public universities. Called indicative student profiles (ISPs), the allocations limit new commencements for public institutions to 145,000 in 2025. 🎓 The ISPs differ significantly as institutions affected by the pandemic get a higher allocation, while those that currently have higher international student concentrations may receive less. ⚖️ See the proposed caps for our partner institutions here: https://lnkd.in/gHN-bDmr   #InternationalEducation #IntlEd #HigherEducation #InternationalStudents #UniversityCaps

“… A CBC News 🗞️ analysis of the data 📊 reveals that what has been framed as a nationwide explosion 💥 in international 👨🎓 👩🏻🎓 numbers — prompting Ottawa to impose an immediate two-year cap — is disproportionately linked to a handful of schools 🏫 , the vast bulk of them public institutions, predominantly in Ontario…” “…Of the 30 Canadian colleges 🇨🇦 and universities granted the most international study permits last year, all but one are public. Just 10 Ontario public colleges account for nearly 30 per cent of all study permits issued across the country over the past three years. Twelve Ontario public colleges have at least tripled their annual permit numbers since 2018…” More at: https://lnkd.in/ei6TQv8K