Debbie McVitty is Editor of Wonkhe. Debbie is a former chief of staff at Universities UK, director of policy at the University of Bedfordshire, and head of policy at the National Union of Students, and is a founding member of Wonkhe’s editorial group.
218 pieces
Newest first, since February 2011 · page 1 of 11
· Comment
Jo Johnson: “I still believe that student choice must be the main organising principle for higher education”
Ten years on from the white paper that set out the architecture for the current HE system in England, the universities minister who spearheaded it stands by its intent
· Research
Keeping the learning real in the AI age requires coordination and open communication
Wonkhe and Studiosity’s Keeping the Learning Real project asked what happens when AI rips up the rulebook on academic misconduct. Lisa Abrahams and Debbie McVitty explain why coherence matters to securing academic integrity in the age of AI
With Lisa Abrahams
· Comment
Universities’ social licence is founded on their impact – but funding matters too
Debbie McVitty was at the annual gathering of university vice chancellors and finds a sector eager to prove its value – but are ministers on the same page?
· Comment
The real collaboration question isn’t what, but why – and how?
On 3 November Wonkhe will host The Collaboration Question in London. Debbie McVitty assesses where the conversation has got to and where it needs to go from here
· Comment
Navigating tricky dynamics to find the best board culture for extraordinary times
The new Code of Higher Education Governance wants governing bodies to act as a team. Poppy Short and Debbie McVitty explain why that can be a tall order – and what can be done to improve board dynamics
With Poppy Short
· Comment
International education can be sustained by a deeper understanding of its regional impact
International students already contribute to regional economies – but that benefit has to be made more tangible. Rachel MacSween and Debbie McVitty look for synergy
With Rachel MacSween
· Comment
The purpose of student survey feedback should be student success
For student survey feedback to create the most value it needs to be treated as a system. Helena Lim and Debbie McVitty introduce a new Wonkhe x evasys framework to explore how this can be done
With Helena Lim
· Policy Watch
First round of consultation on future TEF sees movement on the implications of a Bronze award
The Office for Students has published the outcomes of the first round of consultation on the future Teaching Excellence Framework. Debbie McVitty sets out what’s new – and what’s still to be decided
· Comment
In a competitive, ranking-dominated world, can the UK sector centre quality in international education?
Wonkhe and IDP Education are exploring what the HE sector needs to do now to secure the success of the government’s International Education Strategy. Rachel MacSween and Debbie McVitty parse out the question of “quality”
With Rachel MacSween
· Comment
Making sense of higher education means looking at the whole picture, not just your corner of it
In 2026–27 Wonkhe will present a new online course Making Sense of Higher Education. Debbie McVitty explains where we’re coming from and what it’s designed to do
· Comment
How can emerging leaders of higher education develop skills in institutional change?
Debbie McVitty and Fiona Lennoxsmith reflect on the structural challenge of higher education change and invite emerging leaders to join a new Wonkhe x Advance HE project on developing leadership change capability for the
With Fiona Lennoxsmith
· Comment
Controlled experimentation with AI – the power of a pilot
In the concluding segment of the Educating the AI Generation project Rachel Maxwell and Debbie McVitty explore the role of piloting in developing institutional AI protocols
With Rachel Maxwell
· Comment
What are the responsibilities and liabilities of boards of governors during times of strategic change?
The public critique of higher education governance is making some boards anxious. Poppy Short, Matthew Howling, Richard Sykes and Debbie McVitty work through what can reasonably be expected from governors when sustainabi
With Poppy Short, Richard Sykes and Matthew Howling
· Comment
Educating the AI generation – institutional AI response is a human, not a policy challenge
Debbie McVitty and Rachel Maxwell talk to education leaders from across the sector about institutional responses to AI – and find that traditional mechanisms for managing and developing learning and teaching may be ill-m
With Rachel Maxwell
· Comment
TNE can be successful when it’s taken on as a strategic agenda, not a quick fix
Thea Tomison and Debbie McVitty explore the strategic and resourcing implications for institutions considering growing or developing TNE provision
With Thea Tomison
· Comment
Wires within wires – the hidden complexity of managing higher education assessment
Debbie McVitty finds out why the people who administer university assessment are navigating an ever more tangled landscape – and why that complexity is not a sign of failure
· Comment
Learning community means even more in the age of AI
Debbie McVitty posits that human interaction matters in learning not because it’s “better” but simply because it’s human
· Wonk Corner
The CMA publishes guidance on higher education collaborations
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is seeking to put to rest anxieties about the legal risks of collaboration in higher education.
· Comment
So you’ve been accused of harbouring “Mickey Mouse” courses at your institution… now what?
Debbie McVitty thinks through the various options for responding to lines of questioning that question the legitimacy of particular HE courses
· Comment
The hottest HE policy topics of 2025
As we close out 2025 Debbie McVitty discloses very scientifically what’s been driving traffic at the Wonkhe watercooler this year