Jim is an Associate Editor (SUs) at Wonkhe and takes a particular interest in student experience, university governance, and regulation – and leads our work with students’ unions, including our Study Tours to Europe.
His career background is in support for student leadership. He has held senior roles at the National Union of Students – where he led on SU development, campaigns and political strategy – and was the CEO at the SU at UEA, providing strategic management for the union’s charitable and commercial vehicles as well as policy support for the elected student officers.
Jim has served as a governor and trustee in both further and higher education and the voluntary sector, and is a regular speaker at sector events and conferences. He is an obsessive fan of the Eurovision Song Contest, and dreams of visiting Moldova.
2,620 pieces
Newest first, since August 2013 · page 1 of 131
· SUs · Members
Scotland’s compassionate comms report shows SUs what to ask for
QAA Scotland’s report on compassionate communication builds on England’s 2024 principles and goes further. Jim Dickinson sets out the rights hiding in both documents, the gaps neither fills, and what SUs should call for.
· SUs · Members
Not in attendance is a coding choice, and resitting students are paying for it
Students resitting on an assessment-only basis often find their loan stops while they’re still barred from benefits. Jim Dickinson finds that more of the trap sits in universities’ gift than they let on.
· Wonk Corner
EU fees have been parked, but Europe’s real bill for UK higher education is still coming
The UK and the EU have agreed the outline of a November summit that includes a youth experience scheme.
· Wonk Corner
The student protection gap is about more than providers
There’s a piece in the Guardian on collapsing providers of high-end student accommodation.
· Wonk Corner
Hope again? Loan again
Andy Burnham’s conference speech on Tuesday began its housing section with his gran.
· Wonk Corner
A glance at Education at a Glance misleads on UK spend on universities
Every year the OECD publishes Education at a glance, and every year I flick to the table on spending per tertiary student and think the same thing – WTF?
· Wonk Corner
What is going on with student protests in France?
For most of the past fortnight, the big education story in France has been about lycées – the upper secondary schools that take 15 to 18-year-olds through to the baccalauréat, the national school-leaving exam.
· SUs
A decade on the bus – some of our fave moments from Wonkhe SUs study tours
Jim Dickinson goes back through ten years of study tour blogs – and finds that the best lessons were rarely about other countries having more money
· SUs
From Oslo to Hamburg – our January 2027 study tour
Ten years after the first Wonkhe SUs trip north, Jim Dickinson and Sharanya Sivarajah set out the route, the hosts and the costs for 2027’s study tours
With Sharanya Sivarajah
· SUs · Members
A climate film is touring the country and SUs could be shaping what happens after it
With more than 3,500 screenings held or planned, Jim Dickinson sets out what the People’s Emergency Briefing is, who is behind it and how SUs could use it on campus
· SUs · Members
Ten things academic communities could do for students and their SUs
Drawing on years of study tours, Jim Dickinson sets out ten functions, six foundations and a menu of roles for academic communities in UK SUs
· Wonk Corner
At Labour conference, students were counted as supply and forgotten as people
As you might expect, I’ve spent Labour conference here in Liverpool looking for students.
· Wonk Corner
Does Labour want student votes?
Students have been hard to find at Labour conference.
· Wonk Corner
Student poverty is feeding the NEETs crisis
Over on the Post-18 Project, Director John Blake has some reflections on what he’s seen and heard here in Liverpool.
· Wonk Corner
It’s the hope that kills you, Lucy
I’m sure most readers have taken part in one of those in-tray exercises at some stage in their career.
· Wonk Corner
Charging international students deters them but rarely pays
Bern nearly tripled its fee for international students and lost more than a third of its new entrants. Europe keeps relearning the same lesson
· Wonk Corner
The soft bigotry of low expectations comes to student accommodation
The Department for Education (DfE) has published a statement of expectations on student accommodation.
· Comment
Students are working more than ever. Or are they?
Torsten Bell and Alan Milburn say fewer students are working. Jim Dickinson goes down the Labour Force Survey rabbit hole to find out why purpose-built surveys say the opposite
· SUs · Members
Webinar: Understanding OfS’ latest free speech consultation
· SUs · Members
More landlord antics to watch out for over the Renters Rights Act