Tom works as a strategic manager at Imperial College London having previously been on Imperial’s graduate management training scheme. Before that he worked for the 1994 Group and the UK Digital Skills Taskforce. He has previously researched the history of higher education policy, specifically the Robbins report and the Thatcher Governments’ reforms to the organisation, management and funding of university research. He writes here in a personal capacity.
14 pieces
Newest first, since January 2013
· Comment
Trading Places reminds us about the excesses of Theresa May’s Home Office
The latest report from Onward reminds Tom Bailey of the not too distant past – when the Home Office worked aggressively against the interests of students and universities
· Comment
Time for a review of university management and governance?
With university governance and leadership firmly in the firing line, Tom Bailey looks at the government-backed reforms that led to the current state of affairs.
· Analysis
Financial forecasts reveal the choices ahead for universities
Tom Bailey takes a look into the world of sector financial forecasts, and finds evidence of “historic pessimism”. But what comes next?
· Analysis
UKIP on HE today is less nostalgic but still dangerous
As UKIP publish Opening the British Mind – their most detailed paper on higher education yet – longstanding watcher of UKIP HE policy Tom Bailey returns to scrutinise the latest offering from the eurosceptic party.
· Analysis
Student debt does not outweigh the graduate premium
A recent report by the Intergenerational Foundation has misrepresented the relationship between tuition fees and the graduate premium.
· Comment
Differential fees need scrutiny, not sympathy
Tom Bailey offers a response to Dean Machin’s case for differential fees by subject and institution, arguing that it would be unfair, impractical and imprudent.
· Comment
Anthony Seldon’s producer interest and bad history of higher education
Responding to Anthony Seldon’s latest article on universities for The Times, Tom Bailey takes the VC of the University of Buckingham for failing to understand the recent history of HE and why we’ve arrived at the place i
· Analysis
TEF, REF and lessons from history
Looking back to the origins of the REF, Tom Bailey ponders the coming TEF and asks whether what may start out as a light-touch regime could one day follow the history of the REF and the gain complexity and burden for whi
· Comment
Theresa May’s war against higher education continues
On Sunday Theresa May informed the press of her intention for the Conservative Party’s next manifesto to include a pledge to kick out foreign students as soon as they graduate and introduce a shift to a ‘zero net student
· Analysis
Thatcher’s enduring legacy to British HE
What did Margaret Thatcher ever do to British universities? The last few days have seen much analysis of Thatcher’s legacy for universities, research and science – which gives us an appropriate moment to assess the histo
· Comment
Remembering Robbins
This week sees the 50th anniversary of the Robbins Report. Appointed by the Government in February 1961, a committee led by Lord Robbins was instructed to review higher education and, “in the light of national needs and
· Analysis
Giving to universities
In difficult economic conditions, attention inevitably turns to potential alternative sources of income for universities such as philanthropy. But philanthropic income will never be a panacea that will fund the UK’s high
· Analysis
Fighting deliberate ignorance in the press
There have been a number of one-sided and ill-informed diatribes on higher education policy in the national press in recent months. Although often well written, their positions are indefensible and pose deep problems for
· Analysis
UKIP’s dangerous higher education policies
UKIP are on the rise. Nigel Farage has become a permanent feature of political shows as recent polls have shown his party finding unprecedented levels of support. UKIP has been consistently ahead of the Lib Dems, buildin