The three-year university degree is heading for a failing grade March 18, 2020 A report last month by the Institute for Fiscal Studies has found that, although higher education is a very good investment for most, a fifth of students — around 70,000 every year — actually make a net financial loss from going to university. Not every student factors in potential earnings when deciding what to do [...]
Research parks can help turn the light-bulb moment of science into business success February 17, 2020 Based on 35 years of experience, I am a proponent of the idea that “place matters”. Businesses benefit from being located in an environment willing to share the risks involved in fostering entrepreneurship. That’s why the global research and science park movement has taken off. It is designed to support the clustering of enterprises to [...]
The ‘graduate premium’ is little more than a myth — invest in further education instead February 5, 2020 Universities and their students are seldom out of the news. Ever since Tony Blair pledged to send 50 per cent of 18–21 year olds to university, they have been a persistent topic in political economy. University towns now notoriously favour Labour at the ballot box, often an island of red in a surrounding sea of [...]
Our fusty education system must embrace entrepreneurialism January 20, 2020 As we embark upon a decade of major change, with a new government racing towards Brexit, we must take a moment to consider how we are helping our next generation triumph in spite of all this upheaval. Our education sector has been stagnant for some time now and has failed to catch up with the [...]
Pearson shares sink as print woes hurt 2020 profit target January 16, 2020 Investors sent Pearson’s share price down to its lowest level since 2008 in early trading today after the education publisher warned its painful shift to digital would drag into 2020. Pearson’s legacy print textbook business sank another 12 per cent over 2019, the firm said today as it predicted annual profit of £590m, at the [...]
Government decision to scrap Erasmus scheme will harm UK’s bottom line January 10, 2020 The UK has always lagged behind its European neighbours in foreign language learning, and the vote this week to eradicate the Erasmus scheme will only slow that adoption further. For many, Erasmus was an opportunity to live and learn a new culture and language, free from class and income boundaries. The programme gave the UK’s [...]
Britain must become a leader in financial education January 9, 2020 The UK has one of the most thriving and competitive finance industries in the world — a fact that is often overlooked by the public. We know that the financial services industry is battling to improve levels of trust and engagement on the back of a series of scandals and public apathy. Yet, strong personal [...]
US firm Wiley buys London-based tech education company Mthree for £98m January 6, 2020 London-based tech education firm Mthree has been bought by US multinational John Wiley and Sons, in a deal worth $129m (£98m). Mthree trains up students and professionals looking to go into technology careers, and boasts a revenue of more than $50m. Read more: The top tech predictions for 2020 The company was sold by private [...]
Pearson share price drops as weak print sales hurt profit September 26, 2019 Pearson’s share price dived over 14 per cent this morning as it warned that profits will fall to the bottom of its guidance range this year. The education publishing brand said “weaker than expected” sales in its US higher education courseware division mean adjusted operating profit will hit £590m, far off the £640m it had [...]
Learn stand-up comedy to stand out in the office August 22, 2019 For years, I have been phobic of public speaking. To be honest, the speaking didn’t even have to be that public – giving an update at a meeting could start a leg tremor that would take minutes to abate. It was a shameful secret, because as an otherwise confident PR I knew it would be [...]