A Call for Radical Reform: Higher Education for a Sustainable Economy
Higher Education in the UK and worldwide faces multiple challenges and calls for reform. Some people argue for a higher level of participation, some for less, and some for more focus on employer needs, some for more attention to the wider self-formation of students. At the same time, there are deepening concerns about the sustainability of an economy based on over-consumption and trust in knowledge amid epistemic fracture. In this talk, Tim Blackman sets out why the dominant qualification in the sector – the full-time, often residential, honours degree – is a cause of many of the issues higher education and society face on these fronts. Past policy failures point to a need for a radical rethink, including limiting higher education providers’ freedom to design their own courses and a complete overhaul of how they are accountable for their contribution to a sustainable economy and rebuilding trust in knowledge.
Date: 10 March 2026, 14:00
Venue: 15 Norham Gardens, 15 Norham Gardens OX2 6PY
Venue Details: Seminar Room A and Teams
Speaker: Professor Tim Blackman (Open University)
Booking required?: Required
Booking url: https://www.researchcghe.org/events/a-call-for-radical-reform-higher-education-for-a-sustainable-economy/
Cost: Free
Audience: Public
Editors: Hannah Freeman, Kristina Khoo, Shaena Sinclair