Louisa Darian was Deputy Director at Wonkhe. Until December 2015, she worked at Which?, where she led the higher education policy programme and projects on housing and public services.
Louisa has also worked at the Resolution Foundation, a think tank working to improve the living standards of low to middle income households and at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations.
Louisa has written widely on higher education. She authored A Degree of Value: value for money from the student perspective for Which? in 2014 and co-authored the 2013 Student Academic Experience Survey with HEPI.
18 pieces
Newest first, since December 2014
· Data
HE’s secret fortress: a visit to the LONDON4 datacentre
Team Wonkhe were invited on a tour of the high security facility where several universities are hosting IT infrastructure to keep staff and students connected and protected.
With David Morris
· Policy Watch
Degrees of satisfaction: the Student Academic Experience Survey
The findings from the influential HEPI/HEA student academic experience have been published and in the context of the White Paper take on particular significance. We run down their findings and consider what they could me
· Analysis
Five risks to the success of the Teaching Excellence Framework
The Government’s White Paper contains some hefty proposals on the TEF. While these have gone some way to allay the sector’s original concerns, there remain a number of fundamental challenges to the TEF’s success.
· Policy Watch
The Teaching Excellence Framework: take two
On Policy Watch we take a look at the government’s second take of TEF proposals – what’s changed and the onwards timeline for rolling out the new system.
· Policy Watch
Access Agreements: progress made and challenge ahead
On Policy Watch we look at the findings from OFFA’s report on 2014/15 Access Agreements and consider the implications for policy given the looming pressures on WP targets and graduate outcomes.
· Policy Watch
University fundraising might be about to get much harder
Successive Ross-CASE reports have highlighted the sector’s success in raising funds from donors but this could be about to change. New regulations are being introduced that will impose new costs for universities and coul
· Policy Watch
Stern review: responses collected
Lord Stern’s review of the REF has closed, and we await the final report. In the meantime, we are collecting the sector’s responses. Many have already made them available. If you would like to add yours to the list, plea
· Policy Watch
Human capital: a look at IFS research on graduate earnings
IFS has published findings from their long-awaited report into graduate earnings. Here we look at the main findings, consider the response by the sector, and some of the potential policy options.
· Policy Watch
New quality assessment system digested
HEFCE has today published its new model and framework for quality assessment in the UK. We are unpicking every element systematically but first we ask: what does the revised model for quality assessment look like?
· Policy Watch
Budget 2016 and what it means for HE
A quick look at all the measures relating to higher education and science in the 2016 Budget – this piece will be updated as and when more detail comes to light.
With Mark Leach
· People
Women in wonkery speak
To mark International Women’s Day, seven women from across different parts of HE life share their experience about the barriers they faced in their careers and the best advice they received to help them get ahead.
· People
Women and wonkery: marking International Women’s Day
It’s International Women’s Day tomorrow and we’re marking it all week here on Wonkhe. Louisa Darian sets out what’s in store over the coming few days and explains why we’re refreshing our focus on women and wonkery.
· Analysis
TEF: learning from schools and hospitals
In a report published today by HEPI, Louisa Darian looks at what we can learn from schools and hospitals as the Government continues the design of the TEF.
· Policy Watch
Green Paper and students’ unions: nothing to see here?
The Green Paper contained some vague proposals about making students’ unions more transparent. Louisa Darian asks: where did the proposals come from? And what has been the student and sector response so far?
· Policy Watch
Freedom of (or from) Information Act?
Ten years after its implementation, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) looks to be under attack. Louisa Darian asks why, and what the sector response has been to the Green Paper’s suggestion that universities could be
· Policy Watch
Policy to watch in 2016: an alternative view
Looking ahead to key trends in policy in 2016, Louisa Darian takes a view of some alternative issues that have not yet dominated current debates, but could well do in the coming months: consumer protection, governance an
· Comment
Universities need a lecture in consumer law
Following a review of universities’ terms and conditions, Which? is calling on the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to examine evidence that suggests students are being left open to unfair changes to courses, and
· Analysis
Closing the complaints gap in higher education
Following the second report from Which? on students’ experiences of higher education, Louisa Darian, Policy Adviser at Which? talks about students as consumers alongside the complaints at higher education institutions an