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Facing up to the dilemmas created for policymakers by a move to an integrated tertiary education system in England

As a former UK Secretary of State for Education, I have always found the concept of tertiary education somewhat slippery. Its voluntary nature means that different incentives are required to...

The political dimensions of building a tertiary education system in England

The latest government Skills England report highlights the fragmentation of post-compulsory education as a significant challenge. Deep divisions persist between higher education, further education...

Helping meet the skills challenge(s) through a tertiary system

This blog post explores how the development of a tertiary education system in England could help address the skills challenges now facing the government and the wider economy. These challenges are...

Strengthening synergies: Research, innovation and the future of tertiary education

Education and training (E&T) and research and innovation (R&I) are core pillars of tertiary education. This blog post explores the intrinsic interconnection between E&T and R&I, the fragmentation...

How a tertiary education system could transform access and progression: Learners need diverse routes, not just the high jump

The Labour Party is in government again and education underpins its opportunity mission. Policy appears to be focused on curriculum, assessment and inspection reform in schools (see DfE, 2024;...

Curriculum making: A brief history and future directions

Curriculum: Theory, policy and practice10 years of the BERA Blog

The term ‘curriculum making’ is becoming increasingly common in educational policy and practice. It is a concept with a long tradition in curriculum studies, going back to the foundational...

BERA celebrates 10 years of the BERA Blog

2025 marks 10 years of the BERA Blog, and we’re so proud of all that it has accomplished! Thank you to all those who have contributed to the Blog, whether as authors, editors, or readers. The...

Evolution or business as usual? The interim report for England’s national curriculum review

Curriculum: Theory, policy and practice

The election of a Labour government in the UK in July 2024 heralded optimism that some serious problems with England’s national curriculum and assessment system, evident since 2014, would...

Curriculum: Theory, policy and practice

BERA invites contributions from authors to a new BERA Blog series exploring the theme of Curriculum. We welcome posts that reflect on, critique or offer research-informed insights into curriculum...

Reclaiming our roots in higher education: A call for policy development to address hair-based discrimination in UK educational institutions

A crucial yet often overlooked aspect of educational equity is the need to address hair-based discrimination in UK educational institutions. While racial inequality in education is well...

The role of place in educational disadvantage

Place matters to education. It’s role in disadvantage is evident from long-standing geographies of inequality in England’s educational outcomes. Research institutes such as the Educational...

Advancing pedagogic research across disciplines: Innovations, challenges and best practice

Knowledge construction through research is central to every university. The implications associated with research are numerous and can vary among individuals and institutions. Some commonly shared...