Happy 2017

On the cusp of the New Year it may be sensible to review the changes that the globe has seen in 2016 and ponder on their influence on Higher Education in the UK as the bright new year of 2017 emerges.

MAY - May as Home Secretary can be said to have decimated the policies of HE Institutions to rely on a constant flow of overseas students to prop up their aspirations and accounts.  May, as PM, has other fish to fry and Universities can go back to their "stack 'em high" principles and focus relentlessly on the emerging South East Asian middle classes.


BREXIT - If Brexit means confusion, uncertainty and risk 2017 will see a continuation of this as HE leaders fail to trust the negotiations and focus relentlessly on the emerging South East Asian middle classes.


TRUMP - UK HE institutions may benefit from  an exodous of affluent US students seeking to undertake their studies in the UK but this will be marginal.  Better to focus relentlessly on the emerging South East Asian middle classes - who, after all, may see the slightly less barmy UK a safer haven than the absolutely ranting US.

So, less 2017 and more 2016 #2!!