HE Policy Update

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Monday

Ernst and Young

Ernst and Young, one of the UK’s biggest graduate recruiters is to remove degree classification from the entry criteria for its hiring programmes. The company claims they have found “no evidence” that success at university was correlated with achievement in professional qualifications. Ernst and Young drops degree classification threshold for graduate recruitment (THE).

Tuesday

UCAS

UCAS has been accused of blocking efforts to improve social mobility by refusing to release important data it holds on students from poor backgrounds. The Chair of the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, has called on UCAS to open up its gold mine of information to help end the “national scandal” of disadvantaged children missing out on places at top universities. Ucas refusing to release data it holds on students from poor backgrounds – while making £12m a year selling applicants’ details  (The Independent).

Wednesday

A Level Results

A shift towards teenagers taking the more traditional academic subjects will be revealed when A-level results are published next week. More students are now opting to take English and Maths at A-Level. A-level results will reveal shift in focus towards more traditional academic subjects  (The Independent).

Thursday

Graduate Wages

According to a study by the Sutton Trust and upReach, Graduates’ wages increase more quickly if they went to a private school, compounding the fact that privileged university leavers attract higher starting salaries too. Graduates who went to private school ‘get bigger pay rises’ (THE).

Friday

Graduate Tax

When speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Andy Burnham, a Labour leadership contender, promised to replace tuition fees with a graduate tax if he leads the party into government.  This policy would be a shift from Labour’s current policy of lowering tuition fees in England to £6,000 a year by reducing tax relief enjoyed by those earning above £150,000. Andy Burnham pledges to replace tuition fees with graduate tax (THE).

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