Across the UK, higher education institutions are coming under growing pressure to show the value of their teaching and social contribution.
At the political level, the government is increasingly questioning the value of higher education degrees and challenging HEIs to develop clearer pathways into post-study work for their students.
A new Higher Education Bill, due to be brought before the Westminster parliament by the end of 2022, is widely expected to include placing recruitment caps on degrees deemed to be less socially valuable. This may threaten the financial viability of HEIs which lack clear science, technology, engineering, and maths specialisms. This has created a torrid landscape for smaller HEIs who looking to develop and enhance their value proposition, particularly for those with ambitions to achieve university status.
