David Kernohan

NEW on Wonkhe: Just visiting? bit.ly/4q8OKjP

A bunch of (audited, published) data points on provider finance as it was at the end of last August. Fresh out today - but do seek out actual financial statements/annual reports as well.

The politics of a graduate loan write-off Could Biden's student loan write-offs really be replicated in England? Jonathan Simons thinks through the politics and the likely pushback.

I wrote about this 3 years ago when Biden was writing off loans - the political power of the younger adult cohort regardless of the theoretical policy merits of the case (and it’s not like other groups haven’t used their political power for some boondoggles before now) wonkhe.com/blogs/the-po...

Really enjoyed this one. Thank you for the nudge!

NEW on Wonkhe: Jim Dickinson compares fifteen countries' approaches to international education and finds the UK lacks the frameworks, data, and infrastructure that competitors have developed buff.ly/9OeG1Z0

You may be asking why I know or care about this. The reason is that for a thing once (don't ask) I had to read Richard Hooker's "on the laws of ecclesiastical polity" and that chunk of theological argument (and subsequent anglican history) stuck with me.

This looks like the original text (and what a beautiful bit of web design)

www.anglican.net/doctrines/16...

Canon 36 (XXXVI) is to do with what ministers are required to subscribe to. Which makes sense, as those two universities basically trained ministers for much of their existence.

Broadly speaking that would be:

1. The soverign is supreme governor of the Church of England
2. The book of common prayer is used in the CofE
3. The thirty-nine articles define the doctrines and practices of the CofE.

These are in the 1604 Canon Law of the Church of England - version one.

NEW on Wonkhe: The CMA publishes guidance on higher education collaborations buff.ly/RMZFMll

Some more data.

Some data.

Hmmm. How many responses are you expecting?

For me I'd be more exercised about making sure the sample is representative of academic demographics (age or tenure time, subject area, maybe gender or ethnicity if it is relevant?)

What are tariff groups and why do they not matter? As the Clash put it: "Tariff - don't like it!" David Kernohan lifts the lid on one of the sector's more dubious institutional classifications

There's also tariff groups, which don't work for a different reason.

wonkhe.com/wonk-corner/...

A return to type for the OfS What are institutions like? OfS responds to David Kernohan's ongoing consultation from last year

Alas yes.

OfS did have a version that categorised by income or by size. It wasn't very good,and they appear to have largely abandoned it.

wonkhe.com/blogs/a-retu...

NEW on Wonkhe: Three years on, TPS pensions are still very expensive for higher education bit.ly/4pLA5uU

That's the one.

Oh just slightly.

It is my happy duty to tell you that "Shooting the Past", possibly the greatest ever drama about an independent business school being set up in London, is currently on iPlayer.

It's a bit of a reach though isn't it? Most students remain surprised by their final degree classification when it is announced.

But surely that's their own module marks that are affecting their perception of their trajectory - and students can and do challenge marking module by module.

So, because time generally flows forward there isn't any impact on the NSS that can be attributed to degree classifications.

Anyone who is telling you otherwise doesn't know what they are talking about.

That was a quick thread, wasn't it?

Quick thread on the impact of the National Student Survey (NSS) on grade inflation.

Students usually complete the NSS in their final year of study (between 7 Jan and 30 April this year).

Students get their degree classification at the end of the summer term (May/June).

The grade inflation mutant algorithm, 2026 Grade inflation is falling, but OfS still thinks too many are getting good degrees. David Kernohan asks what it would take to know what is really going on

This piece is predictably excellent, but still leaves one wondering why the OfSt is devoting considerable resources to this, especially when they know full well how it will be reported, and what damage that can do to the sector’s reputation. 4/4
wonkhe.com/blogs/the-gr...

NEW on Wonkhe: Grade inflation is falling, but OfS still thinks too many are getting good degrees. David Kernohan asks what it would take to know what is really going on buff.ly/TaEnE8y

My reading of the initiative is that they want private school students who are already applying to music at Cambridge to choose Trinity Hall rather than St John's, Trinity, or Clare.

Trinity Hall already make social media assets for applicants (I link to one - a music student interviewed about her course - in the paragraph you clipped). I can't imagine what social media content would be aimed solely at private schools...

NEW on Wonkhe: Debbie McVitty thinks through the various options for responding to lines of questioning that question the legitimacy of particular HE courses buff.ly/armyJT0

NEW on Wonkhe: Critiques of the value, validity, and political foundation of degree courses have been with us for generations. David Kernohan searches for the meanings behind "mickey mouse" buff.ly/YvaqTvE

NEW on Wonkhe: Is Trinity Hall Cambridge really reversing access and participation efforts? David Kernohan looks in to the detail buff.ly/LmgDpjz

What is going on at Trinity Hall? Is Trinity Hall Cambridge really reversing access and participation efforts? David Kernohan looks in to the detail

That Trinity Hall access story. Here's what is going on: wonkhe.com/blogs/what-i...