Higher Education Access and Funding: challenges and policy options

On 14 May 2024 from 11:00 to 17:30

Online and in person

This one-day academic conference will look at access to and funding of Higher Education systems.

Register to attend this conference

This one-day academic conference is jointly organised by the Georgetown Global Economic Challenges Network, CPP at Institute for Fiscal Studies, CEPEO and the Social Research Unit, University College London. It will feature sessions on access to Higher Education, funding systems, and a policy panel on what lessons we can learn from models around the world. The full programme is included below.

The conference will take place in person (Jefferey Hall, University College London, 20 Bedford Way, WC1H 0AL) and online, and is free to attend. To register, please click here.

Programme

Time	Session
10:45 - 11:00	Registration
11:00 - 11:10	Welcome by Professor Sir Richard Blundell
11:10 - 12:40	Session 1: Access Chair: Professor Francis Vella (Georgetown University) Professor John Friedman (Brown University): "Higher Education and Upward Mobility: What Can We Learn from Big Data?" Professor Gill Wyness (UCL): "Widening Access to HE in the UK" Professor Claire Crawford (UCL and IFS)
12:40 - 13:30	Lunch
13:30 - 15:40	Session 2: Funding Chair: Professor Lindsey Macmillan (CEPEO, UCL) Professor Bruce Chapman (Australian National University): "Designing HE funding systems: Issues, challenges and lessons from around the world" Dr Jack Britton (University of York): "Challenges for HE funding in the UK" Professor Susan Dynarski (Harvard University): "US College access and funding issues: problems and potential solutions"
15:40 - 16:00	Coffee break
16:00 - 17:30	Policy panel: The challenges, pitfalls and lessons from funding models around the world Chair: Professor Anna Vignoles (Leverhulme Trust) Speakers: Professor Lorraine Dearden (UCL), Ed Dorrell (Public First), Professor Susan Dynarski (Harvard University), Sam Freedman (Institute for Government) Most countries want a sustainable and equitable HE funding model to support a thriving mass higher education system that can meet the likely needs of the labour market for graduate skills. In this policy focused session, we will consider the lessons from countries around the world with an international expert panel.
17:30	Drinks reception