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Good morning. And thanks for subscribing to the Wonkhe email list. Today's briefing was sent before you joined and so here it is for you - while it's still hot!
With just over two weeks to go until the Chancellor's Budget, we had expected money to dominate the agenda but we're starting a week in which David Cameron's renegotiation of our EU membership begins, Jo Johnson plans to set out his HE stall for the first time in his new role and we get a first look at the Destination of Leavers Survey. We also wish a big happy 50th birthday to the Society for Research in to Higher Education (SRHE) as they celebrate the milestone with a timely stock-take about the state of research in to HE.
His master's voice
On Friday this week we are expecting (these things are always liable to last minute change) to be treated to a far-ranging speech from new universities & science minister Jo Johnson. Having worked hard on getting to grips with his brief since the election, he is now likely to set out his higher education stall comprehensively. Although lots of issues are on the table, it is the Teaching Excellence Framework that is causing the most speculation - and we can expect the minister to set out his plans for the TEF in the speech. A full BIS (yes BIS, not HEFCE) consultation is expected over the summer, but we are a long way from introducing a new system as there are multiple high-level questions to answer. The first being 'just what exactly is the TEF?' And then once we've got that one sorted: what is the TEF's interaction with the coming new quality regime? How will it work in the very tight spending period on the horizon? There are many more where those came from. No one expects new money to be found (the opposite, in fact), so unless something dramatic changes, the TEF will likely not carry huge spending implications like its older cousin. Other ways of recognising and rewarding excellence are apparently being worked up... Expect us to return to these questions on Wonkhe as more detail becomes available.
It is already clear that the go-slow days in Whitehall caused by the coalition are well-behind us and policymaking appears to be returning to pre-coalition patterns. The TEF was of course promised in the Conservative's manifesto (which incidentally was authored by Johnson) and is about to be announced just weeks in to the new government's life. David Willetts must be looking on in envy as his (de facto) successor is able to press ahead in ways that were never possible for ministers in the last parliament. All this makes it likely that even more policy meat is coming in the speech - we'll be watching closely to find out.
Destination: unknown
On Thursday we are treated to the Statistical First Release of the Destination of Leavers Survey (DELHE). With the graduate labour market returning to something approaching pre-recession levels, observers are hoping for further good news from the survey. But question-marks remain over the DELHE itself. With widespread criticisms of its methodology and reports of attempts at manipulation, a review in the pipeline is likely to propose reform. But there's something even bigger going on that affects the future of DELHE - an underreported clause in the Small Business Act - which became law right before the election - now allows tax records to be linked to educational data. This means that in future years we could have a much more accurate and complete picture of graduate destination, and far more detailed breakdowns of institutional and subject results - as we're able to follow individuals through the system. There are widespread implications for policy of this change - not least a potential to completely reframe the RAB and funding debate, and it also means that the DELHE itself might be coming to the end of its natural life. In the mean-time, there will be plenty for the data wonks to chew over this week.
Shake it all about
David Cameron is planning to present demands for Britain's renegotiation of its EU membership at an EU summit on Thursday. Against this backdrop - 'in' and 'out' campaigns are frantically spinning up activity - joined by a UUK-led campaign to make the HE case for staying in. On Wonkhe today, Emran Mian contemplates a Brexit - what it might mean for universities and how some of the arguments might play out as the sector heads in to a referendum campaign.
You might have missed on Wonkhe
Rob Behrens on public trust and the OIA, reflecting on ten years of the higher education ombudsman. Angela Nartey looks at a new report with fresh calls for a post-qualification admissions system and on Policy Watch we look a the OIA's annual report published last week. On Registrarism, Paul Greatrix imagines the campus of the future.
Odds and sods elsewhere
Is university worth it? Asks City A.M reporting on a ComRes survey of students. The Guardian has a story about how £9,000-paying students are more focussed on careers than their predecessors. The New York Review of Books has 'Our universities: the outrageous reality'. The debate about governance in Scottish universities continues. The Independent reports that legal migrants are being deprived of the chance to go to university.
The rest of the week's higher education agenda
Monday
EVENT: UUK Implementing the new Prevent statutory duty conference, London
Tuesday
EVENT: Westminster Forum Outward Student Mobility Conference, London
EVENT: Jisc Learning and teaching practice experts group meeting, Birmingham
EVENT: SRHE Leadership in English FE seminar, London
EVENT: Open University Parliamentary reception
Wednesday
EVENT: Westminster Forum Technology in HE seminar, London
EVENT: AoC College Research and Scholarship conference, London
EVENT: Inside Government Graduate Employability conference, London
EVENT: SRHE Publishing Academic Articles workshop, London
EVENT: The role of universities in creating skills for the digital economy, London
EVENT: Assessment in HE conference, Birmingham (until Thursday)
Thursday
EVENT: Westminster Forum Biometric technology conference, London
REPORT: HESA Destination of Leavers in the UK SFR
REPORT: Welsh Government Sustainable development indicators: 2015
Friday
MEETING: Universities UK Board
EVENT: SRHE 50th Anniversary Colloquium
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