Kerslake has thrown himself into his post-civil service life. And he’s had a busy 12 months – resigning as chair of King’s College Hospital Trust and fronting the inquiry in the Manchester Arena bombings, as well as a host of other jobs, including chairing Sheffield Hallam University’s governing board. But he has two important roles impacting on HE more widely right now.
First, he is working with Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell to prepare Labour for government. He and a team of former civil servants are producing a series of transition and implementation plans and the barebones of a first legislative programme. Labour’s proposed National Education Service is still a work in progress, particularly the long-term financing if tuition fees are abolished. Kerslake’s work behind the scenes will be crucial.
And second, he is leading the independent Civic University Commission, launched by the UPP Foundation in April, impressing observers by being genuinely proactive, energetic and hands-on.
Vice chancellors have long-resented the image of universities as remote, elitist, isolated ivory towers, but there are questions to answer about the social and economic disconnection which contributed to the Brexit vote.
So the commission gives sector leaders a platform to get the message out. Kerslake and his high-powered team have been touring the country to build up a robust model of universities’ economic, social and cultural leadership in cities and regions. And it will establish a practical roadmap that brings together several policy areas which are too often disparate – schools, NHS, job growth, welfare, industrial strategy, devolution, and regional regeneration.
The commission’s impact in Whitehall and Westminster risks, however, being limited given Kerslake’s role with Labour and his bitter exit from the civil service following big fall outs with No.10 and Cabinet Office. But the long-term legacy for HE could be crucial over the coming years.