Newsletter #191: Manchester University wakes up to work experience; Two in five universities consider mergers; Social media posting is down 12% since last year
đź“° HE news
Two in five UK universities are considering acquisitions and mergers, according to new research by UUK. Maybe that makes the other three unknowing candidates for takeovers? Either way, it makes sense. We’re in an environment where 79% of institutions are pursuing voluntary redundancies, so higher ed’s financial optimism is over, right? Not according to new insight from the OFS. English higher education is forecasting student recruitment growth - across home, international, UG and PG - all the way to 2030. Undergraduate home is expected to grow 12% (!!!) from 2024-25 to 2029-30. Where is that growth coming from? Certainly not from 18-year-olds, where, according to the ONS, population growth declines sharply into 2027 and then flatlines in 2028. The next most optimistic forecast comes from the OFS, but even it only shows an extra 3% growth of UG entrants by 2028. So, just 9% to find? Shouldn’t be a problem. Read
đź“Š Marketing and media news
A new report from Ofcom discovered a 12% YoY decrease in the number of people posting regularly on social media, down from 61% in 2025 to 49% in 2026. Undoubtedly, this is community-based and private messaging apps eating into social media’s pie. 24% of UK adults said they used messaging apps more in 2026 than they did in 2025. Earlier this year, Reddit overtook TikTok as the UK’s fourth most visited network. Meta just released a forum app. But as fascinating as the shift to closed social is, it’s a nightmare for social media managers who have, for the best part of a decade, been incentivised to chase reach and scale. If social media is in your remit, take ownership of your university’s forum and community strategy. Too often are high-value channels like TSR and Unibuddy separated from those who understand community management. Read
Rand Fishkin, owner of SEO company SparkToro, shared how website traffic has been decimated by Google’s AI overviews. Since late 2023, some sites have lost over 70% of their visitors, but universities remain largely unaffected. In this respect, we’re still living a charmed life with 43% of students, according to UCAS, saying a university website is their preferred research tool. But of course, that doesn’t mean we’re immune from AI in other areas. And it makes me think that as AI continues to make existing knowledge cheaper than sand, creative subject areas will be a key differentiator. Why? Well, they teach people to make new things. Fishkin shares that “inimitable products” are what people will value in the AI age, but I prefer the phrase “inimitable outcomes”. Sure, any course can preach critical thinking skills, but few evidence them with inimitable outcomes. Demonstrating what you create is more powerful than sharing what you think. Read
🏫 What unis are doing
Congratulations to the University of Warwick for opening the most unremarkable new building. No, really. It’s refreshing to see something functional and a sign that says what happens in the building rather than the person who sponsors it. Read
Manchester University is promising work placements with “meaningful real-world experiences” to all its undergraduates. Aston University must be rubbing its hands. This will do wonders for the “placement-year degree” category (that Aston leads). Read
You can scribble on Hereford College of Arts’ website. It’s easy to write off as a gimmick, but actually a good fit with the institution's obsession with personal creative education. Small student populations. Pedagogy that prioritises the individual. Of course you can scribble on the website. Look
🧑‍🎓 What students are saying
A parliamentary survey of former students found that over half said that they would not take out a student loan again, knowing what they know now. Of students who took out a loan, 57% said they did not understand the terms and 70% said loan repayments had a material impact on their financial planning for the future. There’s a space for a university to offer radically honest advice about loans. Most only share the basics. Read
đź‘ľ Culture shock
1 in 5 Gen Z entrepreneurs say AI made starting their business feel possible. Read
A 3-year-old games console got a $300 price hike. Thanks AI. Read
