PODCAST: Admissions, coronavirus, number controls, levelling up

This week on the podcast we take a look at OfS' new review of admissions, assess the impact of coronavirus on the sector, and look at whether we're about to see the return of student number controls. We also have a look at a new HEPI report on "levelling up".

With Mark Leach, Editor-in-Chief of Wonkhe; Vivienne Stern, Director of Universities UK International; David Bell; Vice Chancellor of the University of Sunderland; and Graeme Wise, Contributing Editor at Wonkhe.

Items this week:

1. Admit two: OfS reviews university admissions
2. Coronavirus (Covid-19): info for international students
3. Coronavirus (COVID-19): latest information and advice
4. Are student number controls coming back to English higher education?
5. A plan to expand and diversify English higher education through the 2020s
6. Do universities matter in post-Brexit Britain?

Yes, but does it correlate?

Old meets new this week - I've gone back to the old Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education data from HESA, and compared it to the latest available LEO data on salary. For the class of 2014-15 was being in employment after six months a good indicator of higher earnings later on in life? The percentage in employment six months after graduation, compared to median earnings for the same cohort five years on? Does it correlate?

No it doesn't. R squared is 0.0002, meaning these two variables are almost certain to have no meaningful relationship. The issue is probably within the quality of data returned through DLHE - you'll see not all providers are shown in the data and as usual where the data doesn't exist I've not plotted it. It's a reminder of why the six month survey date was seen as too short, and also of how quickly graduate fortunes can change.

Get involved

To get involved in The Wonkhe Show, email team@wonkhe.com