Author
Jess Lister
Jess Lister is Associate Director in the Education Practice at Public First. She joined Public First from the University of Cambridge, where she worked first in the widening participation team before moving to a role in public affairs
10 pieces
Newest first, since December 2021
· Comment
Universities have a responsibility for the high street too
Jess Lister surveys a nation in despair at the death of the high street and thinks universities can do something about it
· Comment
The politics of universities, defence, and R&D spending
With government spending focusing on defence, Jess Lister considers what challenges this presents to the higher education sector
· Comment
Why are international PGRs so far off the policy radar?
The contributions of international postgraduate research students can be seen throughout the UK’s research ecosystem. James Coe and Jess Lister make the case for some joined-up thinking
With James Coe
· Comment
The government must mitigate the risks of a university going under
If a university goes bust, the implications both for students and the public could be disastrous. Jonathan Simons and Jess Lister call for a three stage process to address the risk of chaotic failure
With Jonathan Simons
· Comment
How not to respond to Labour’s securonomics agenda
Public First and Wonkhe recently brought together university vice chancellors, policy wonks, and defence experts to discuss securonomics. Jess Lister and James Coe discuss the economic policy PR problem
With James Coe
· Comment
We still don’t know what happens when a large university runs out of money
There’s been a lot of talk about market exit – but, as Jess Lister and Jonathan Simons explain, still no clarity on exactly what safeguards would be in place for the interests of students, the locality, and the nation
With Jonathan Simons
· Comment
Polling shows that Starmer was right to scrap the fee pledge
Public First’s Jess Lister presents new polling that shows higher education funding reform is not at the top of voters’ shopping lists
· Comment
Don’t be so sure that Labour will be a friend to universities
A Labour government may not mean the sector relationship reset that many are hoping for. Jess Lister cautions us about raising expectations
· Comment
Are universities sleepwalking into the cost of living crisis?
Are universities taking the coming cost of living crisis seriously enough? Meg Price and Jess Lister call for more than the usual pass the policy parcel
With Meg Price
· Analysis
The public favours meritocracy when it comes to levelling up and university admissions
A comprehensive new poll from Public First sheds light on the public’s attitudes to levelling up. Ed Reza Schwitzer and Jess Lister extract the implications for university admissions
With Ed Reza Schwitzer