“Top of my in-tray”
Lucy Powell has said the student loan system is the first thing she will deal with as Education Secretary, days after taking office in the new government. It follows a parliamentary finding that the system was mis-sold, an interest cap in April, and a frozen threshold the last government defended. Anything that changes will change for future borrowers first. Student finance explained covers the current terms.
A vice-chancellor’s proposal for the graduate debt trap
The vice-chancellor of Worcester sets out how to release graduates from accumulating debt while stimulating growth — writing off balances for those in shortage occupations, and shifting some cost to employers. It is addressed to the new Prime Minister, and it is the second worked proposal from a university head this year.
Is “work-readiness” making graduates less ready for work?
An argument that the obsession with work-readiness — the modules, the frameworks, the skills audits — crowds out the things that actually prepare people: difficulty, responsibility and unsupervised judgement. It is the counterweight to a year of employability initiatives. Making the most of university covers what to seek out.