BU Research Blog

Monday

Earnings Data

Students will be able to see how much they stand to earn in the future depending on which subjects they choose to study and where they choose to study them, under radical plans to open up Government data to the public. Students to assess earnings potential of different courses with Government data (The Independent).

Policy Exchange

In a new report, the thinktank Policy Exchange is urging the government to cut £532 million out of the higher education budget to safeguard the further education sector in the next spending review. The think tank says universities could offset the reduction in funding by drawing cash from their reserves. Cut HE funding to boost FE, says thinktank report (THE).

Tuesday

TEF

Leading academics have signed an open letter warning that it would be “completely inappropriate” to use data on student outcomes to measure university teaching standards. TEF metrics plan attacked by academics (THE).

Wednesday

Studying in the UK

According to Eurostat, the EU statistics organisation, Britain is the most popular place to study in the EU, allowing more people from outside the EU to enter for work or study than any other member state. One in four of the 2.3 million residency permits given to citizens from elsewhere in the world by EU countries last year was issued by Britain. Britain most popular place to study in EU. (The Times).

Thursday

Career Readiness

According to the study by the education technology company Instructure, students in the UK are “overly optimistic” about how skills and experience gained at university prepare them for the workplace. Student perceptions of career readiness not matched by reality (THE).

Friday

Consumer Law

A Which? report concludes that three in four universities are breaching consumer law by failing to tell students what their fees will buy them.  Its researchers compared the website of 50 universities offering psychology courses. Of those, 38 websites did not give all the details required under consumer laws including fees, contact hours, workload and teaching staff. Many universities ‘breach consumer law’, says Which? (BBC News).