Universities try to woo Reform as party gains ground

Universities are attempting to get Reform politicians on side as the party begins to think seriously about its policies for the 2029 election, having secured several high-profile defections.

While they may face a backlash from some students who disapprove of the party’s populist politics and right-wing views, university leaders are becoming increasingly alert to the need to engage with the party as it thinks about how it might approach higher education. Several vice-chancellors are known to have had meetings with Reform representatives in the past few months. 

Reform is thought to be increasing its engagement with all sectors as it prepares a detailed manifesto, with advocacy groups – including those representing universities – told to submit their key points to the party’s growing policy team. 

Vanessa Wilson, chief executive at University Alliance, said working with the right-wing party was a talking point among her organisation’s members – predominantly technical and professional universities – particularly those in areas with Reform-led councils, who are regularly interacting with party representatives.

However, with no one within the party officially taking responsibility for education on a national level, it is hard for universities to know how to engage effectively, according to Jonathan Simons, head of the education practice at thinktank Public First. 

Sources said the party has been clear that it has not yet formulated detailed higher education policies. 

But with some high-profile Conservatives defecting to Reform in recent weeks, including figures such as Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman who have previously been outspoken about universities, the party’s attitude is expected to mirror that of the last Conservative government, with which the higher education sector had a strained relationship. 

Reform politicians have previously suggested they would like to see the higher education sector shrink in place of more vocational training, and have called for an end to so-called Mickey Mouse degrees as well as a crackdown on international student migration. They have also called for interest on student loans to be scrapped.

The recent appointment of academic Matt Goodwin as Reform’s candidate in an upcoming by-election has also led to speculation that, if victorious, he could lead the party’s thinking on higher education. 

Goodwin has been highly critical of what he sees as “woke-ism” within universities and recently authored a book focused on fixing the “broken” higher education system. 

But some suggested Reform is generally understanding of the economic impact of universities, particularly more elite ones. 

In particular, if it did form a government, Reform will likely be hard pressed to shrink the sector in the way it suggests is needed without causing economic damage. 

“The difficulty that Reform are going to have to face in due course is how you deliver one without the other, or at least how you might in turn stitch those together,” said Simons. 

With immigration the top talking point for Reform, universities with a strong record of compliance are keen to emphasise to policymakers that they are taking a responsible approach to recruiting international students. 

“I suspect what will happen is different bits of the sector will get a hearing that is more sympathetic,” said Simons.  

“The sector won’t want to do this, but the single best thing that could happen is if the sector unilaterally calls half of itself polytechnics now,” he added, given Reform’s desire to see more students participate in vocational education instead of traditional university studies. 

University Alliance’s Wilson said, while she is in “listening mode” about Reform’s plans, the priority remains influencing the current Labour administration’s agenda. 

“First and foremost, it’s about us engaging with this administration around what plans they have and how they will take forward the post-16 education skills White Paper,” she said.

helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com