Chief Executive updates

Each month Sir Alan Langlands, HEFCE's Chief Executive, publishes a summary of key issues for HEFCE and higher education.

We highlight these Chief Executive updates in our e-newsletter 'HEFCE Update'.

Updates for each month are listed below by year in date order.

Message from Alan Langlands, Chief Executive (February 2013)

05 February 2013

In January I attended a London Higher roundtable discussion at the British Medical Association, in which issues of interest and concern for London’s higher education sector were discussed. A subsequent meeting with the Scottish Funding Council addressed issues of relevance to Scottish higher education including how targeted support might be provided for specific areas of postgraduate provision in Scottish institutions.

Message from Alan Langlands, Chief Executive (January 2013)

08 January 2013

The Olympics and Paralympics were a memorable highlight in 2012 for many of us, and higher education played a significant part in their success. Universities played host to Olympic and Paralympic teams from across the world, and our greatest athletes often started their professional careers thanks to the facilities and coaching their places of study were able to offer them.

Message from Alan Langlands, Chief Executive (December 2012)

07 December 2012

In November, I was invited to speak to the European Association of Conservatoires’ Annual Congress in St Petersburg on the subject of regulation and the arts. Closer to home, I also met a number of vice-chancellors of north-west universities at the University of Manchester, to discuss areas of interest to them such as HEFCE’s future role and current challenges for the sector, and visited the Royal Northern College of Music and Manchester Metropolitan University.

Message from Alan Langlands, Chief Executive (November 2012)

07 November 2012

October marks the beginning of the academic year for many higher education institutions. In the past few weeks I have visited the Universities of Keele and Hertfordshire, and met with representatives of the University Alliance, the Russell Group and Universities for the North East to discuss their priorities for the first year of the new fees regime.

Message from Alan Langlands, Chief Executive (October 2012)

03 October 2012

During a recent visit to the North of England, I saw at first hand the positive impact that the N8 Research Partnership is having on the region’s economy. I also had the pleasure of opening the University of Newcastle’s new Biomedical Building, which will further enhance the university’s outstanding research record and support knowledge transfer activity between local and national businesses. This is a great example of the way in which universities, businesses and local communities can work effectively together, in this case to improve health and wellbeing. And it is, of course, yet another excellent illustration of the contribution our universities make to innovation and growth.

Message from Alan Langlands, Chief Executive (September 2012)

07 September 2012

On 29 August the UK Border Agency revoked London Metropolitan University's licence to sponsor students from outside the European Union. This unprecedented decision has significant implications for the university and its students.

Message from Alan Langlands, Chief Executive (August 2012)

01 August 2012

During a recent visit to Birmingham I was delighted to hear the positive feedback that the University had received as hosts of the Jamaican Olympic Team in the run-up to the Games. This is just one example of the key role that higher education is playing in supporting a successful Olympics and Paralympic Games. Loughborough of course has the honour of hosting Team GB. These positive experiences will have a longer-term legacy as new and enduring partnerships are forged with countries from around the world long after the Games have finished.

Message from Alan Langlands, Chief Executive (July 2012)

05 July 2012

On 13 June the Secretary of State and the Minister for Universities and Science wrote to HEFCE and the Student Loans Company (SLC) to reaffirm the Government’s commitment to the reforms to higher education set out in the White Paper and BIS technical consultations.

Message from Alan Langlands, Chief Executive (June 2012)

01 June 2012

During a month in which economic pressures have been constantly in the headlines, it is heartening to see that higher education continues to rise to the challenge of stimulating economic recovery and growth.