Richard Brabner is the founder of Godwinson Consulting, an LPIP Fellow at the University of Birmingham and Visiting Professor of Civic Engagement at Newcastle University. Previously he was executive chair of the UPP Foundation and Director of ESG for UPP.
23 pieces
Newest first, since February 2011 · page 1 of 2
· Comment
Civic 2.0 – the civic university agenda but with sustainable impact
Richard Brabner has a new hat – campaigning and building capacity for civic universities to drive economic growth and social change in their places
· Comment
To make real progress on widening participation in higher education, we need a new mission
Presenting the final report of the UPP Foundation’s inquiry into widening participation, Richard Brabner calls for ambition in getting in, getting on and getting out
· Comment
For those in HE cold spots, higher education isn’t presenting as a good bet
Richard Brabner reflects on the latest report of the UPP Foundation inquiry into widening participation, which explores perceptions of higher education in Doncaster
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The UPP Foundation is launching a new inquiry into widening participation to support the government’s opportunity mission
A “state of the nation” review of widening participation in England suggests there is work to be done on geographies of opportunity and the costs of HE participation. Richard Brabner sets out the agenda
· Comment
The Kerslake Collection looks forward to a refreshed civic agenda for universities
The UPP Foundation is publishing a collection of essays in memory of Civic University Commission chair and public servant Bob Kerslake. Richard Brabner and Chris Husbands reflect on Kerslake’s legacy
With Chris Husbands
· Comment
The cost of learning crisis is creating new threats to students’ futures
Two years on from the report of the Student Futures Commission, rising costs are undermining efforts to build back post-Covid, warn Mary Curnock Cook and Richard Brabner
With Mary Curnock Cook
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Proving commitment to a civic agenda
Universities say a lot about local activity, but are less clear about demonstrating how value it is. For Richard Brabner, there is much that could be learned from industry
· Comment
A One Nation ethos could navigate universities through the current political turmoil
Richard Brabner has a provocative new paper for HEPI arguing that universities need to commit to change to cool the HE market, overcome the culture wars, and reconnect with their communities
· Comment
Students will build back community better – if we support them to do so
How should we encourage and strengthen students’ contribution to their own and their wider communities? Patrick O’Donnell, Richard Brabner and Jim Dickinson look to the future.
With Patrick O’Donnell and Jim Dickinson
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Local communities want universities to help save left behind towns
In time, the health crisis will become an economic crisis. Richard Brabner explains the recommendations from a new UPP Foundation report on levelling up.
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Young people: civil society needs YOU
Young people are facing an economic recession that could set them back for years. Richard Brabner calls on government to form a civic army to rebuild communities.
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Building a truly civic response to the pandemic
For Richard Brabner and the new Civic University Network, fostering relationships is central to the sector’s response to supporting society during and after Covid-19
· Analysis
How universities can help to level up towns
New polling for the UPP Foundation highlights what universities need to do to support post-industrial towns. Richard Brabner introduces the findings.
· Comment
It’s time to build a civic movement
Scaling up work on place and boosting universities’ role in economic inequalities needs coordination and funding. Richard Brabner has good news on that front.
· Analysis
Proposing a new fundraising model for universities’ community work
Richard Brabner fleshes out the new proposal for the creation of University Community Foundations.
· Comment
The civic university is alive, but is it well?
Richard Brabner of UPP Foundation introduces the Civic University Commission progress report, which focuses on the decline in adult education.
· Comment
Power List 2018: Who cares about universities?
In advance of UUK and Britain Thinks publishing a major piece of public opinion showing that 48% of the public have a positive view of universities, power list judge Richard Brabner argues that apathy rather than negativ
· Comment
Universities need a renewed civic action
Ahead of the launch of the UPP Foundation’s new Commission on the Civic Univerity, Richard Brabner sets out why his organisation is bringing the sector together to seriously revisit this theme.
· People
HE Power List 2017: The summer of discontent
Power List judge Richard Brabner on the sector’s relationship with the Conservative Party.
· People
HE Power List 2016: Influence of alternative sector grows
A ‘new wave’ of advocates for the alternative provider sector have come into this year’s Power List. Richard Brabner contextualises the judges considerations of this new source of power and influence in the HE world.