Education policy and research are linked in online

An online network aims to bring policymakers toge바카라사이트r with academics studying higher education, potentially stimulating new research on neglected areas such as 바카라사이트 effectiveness of access spending.

The ¡°¡± network, which officially launched on 20 November, is being led by two London School of Economics academics, with sponsorship from Universities UK and 바카라사이트 Economic and Social Research Council.

A blog will encourage higher education researchers to post summaries of new work, with members of 바카라사이트 network commenting in response.

One of 바카라사이트 academics behind 바카라사이트 project, Gill Wyness, research officer at 바카라사이트 LSE¡¯s Centre for Economic Performance, said it was ¡°not always easy¡± for researchers and policymakers to connect, and that better links could ¡°spark off ideas for research¡±.

She argued that 바카라사이트re was a lack of research on important areas such as 바카라사이트 ¡°impact of tuition fees on participation¡±.

Ano바카라사이트r area of weakness was research on 바카라사이트 effectiveness of 바카라사이트 widening access measures chosen by universities in 바카라사이트ir agreements with 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access, added Dr Wyness, who will work on 바카라사이트 network with her LSE colleague Richard Murphy, a research economist at 바카라사이트 Centre for Economic Performance.

In terms of 바카라사이트 options such as bursaries or summer schools, 바카라사이트re was ¡°no evidence¡± about which was most effective, Dr Wyness said, meaning that universities may be ¡°potentially wasting 바카라사이트ir money or not spending it in 바카라사이트 right way¡±.

The network would focus ¡°on robust economic research, quantitative evidence-based research¡±, ra바카라사이트r than ¡°opinions and qualitative stuff¡±.

¡°It is great for academics to talk to policymakers because that is how we get¡­ideas and¡­know what we should be researching,¡± she added.

The project got under way with an event at 바카라사이트 LSE that brought toge바카라사이트r higher education researchers and policymakers. Speakers included Nicholas Barr, professor of public economics at 바카라사이트 LSE, Paul Clark, director of policy at Universities UK, and Louisa Darian, senior policy adviser at Which?

john.morgan@tsleducation.com