Really pleased to contribute to this LBC discussion on the Erasmus programme. It’s great news that the UK will rejoin - offering more students the opportunity to experience different countries & cultures, as well as bringing more European students to our campuses.
www.lbc.co.uk/videos/2JsSd...
Local heroes honoured ⚽
Congrats to Eddie Howe and Dan Burn, awarded honorary Doctor of Civil Law degrees today. Recognised for leading @newcastleunited.com to their first trophy since 1955 and inspiring 70,000+ people across the North East through community programmes.
Full story: bit.ly/49S2z1U
❄️ Could Antarctica's melting ice reveal a hidden climate ally?
Research led by Dr Kate Winter from our School of Geography and Natural Sciences has uncovered a fascinating natural system in East Antarctica that could help absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide over long timescales.
#ClimateScience
📣Welcome to Northumbria George Clarke 📣
We are thrilled to announce that renowned architect, author and TV presenter George Clarke has been appointed as the new Chancellor of Northumbria University.
#NewNorthumbriaChancellor #GeorgeClarke
From talking to colleagues across the sector I'm clear there is unanimous support for the need to improve student maintenance - we just don't agree that this is the right way to pay for it.
So the likely outcome is that this will further damage the financial sustainability of our universities: fewer international students, with a tax on the income from those that remain.
As there is global price-sensitive competition for these students, many universities may just have to absorb the cost of the levy. As some VCs have observed, in such challenging financial times if universities could increase their international fees by 6% they would have done so already.
However HE leaders are unified in opposition to the proposed source of funding: a levy - likely 6% - on international fee income. International students, who contribute almost £42bn to the UK economy, may well feel it is unfair to be asked to fund something which doesn't benefit them directly.
Of course given the growing gap between the value of maintenance loans and actual living costs, these grants need to provide additional funding rather than merely displacing loans. Additional funding without additional debt could be a real driver for social mobility.
On the one hand the reintroduction of maintenance grants has to be seen as a real positive. Implemented well, this could address a key reason why young people from low-income backgrounds struggle to access higher education: having enough money to live on.
There has been a somewhat mixed response to the announcement by the Secretary of State for Education on the reintroduction of means-tested maintenance grants, to be funded by a new levy on international student fee income.
www.gov.uk/government/n...
One in every three students commutes to university, rather than moving into student accommodation. Our VC @andylong6.bsky.social spoke to the BBC about the financial challenges students are facing & new initiatives from Northumbria to support our commuter students.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
📰🚨 £600 million funding for Holiday Activities and Food programme announced today – with research from Northumbria University being instrumental in the government's decision to commit funding for the next three years.
www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/new...
As a university with a social mission at its core, we believe world-leading research & outstanding education has the power to change lives & that everyone deserves the opportunity to benefit. Read in The Guardian how we are shaping futures and driving change…
www.theguardian.com/shaping-futu...
Northumbria University has been named Higher Education Institution of the Year at the National Education Opportunities Network (NEON) Awards 2025, which recognises successful initiatives aimed at widening access to higher education.
💡Discover more:
Professor Andy Long, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Northumbria University; Professor Paul Croney, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Teesside University; Professor Chris Day, Vice-Chancellor and President of Newcastle University; Professor Karen O'Brien, Vice-Chancellor and Warden of Durham University; Professor Sir David Bell, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Sunderland.
Chris McDonald, Labour MP for Stockton North
Baroness Elliott of Whitburn Bay
Marco Amitrano, Alliance Senior Partner of the multinational professional services network PricewaterhouseCoopers
Universities for North East England could be a blueprint for the rest of the UK, @chrismcdonaldmp.bsky.social has told an event in #Parliament.
Full story: bit.ly/43dokEh
A new project to strengthen collaboration between #NorthEast universities, businesses & others to drive growth and create jobs has received £8.9m from the UK Government's Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Full story➡️ bit.ly/4dagnUZ
💡 Inspiring the next generation of scientists 💡
We are delighted to have signed a new partnership with long-time collaborators, the International Centre for Life, focused on boosting science education and engagement across the North East.
Find out more⬇️
bit.ly/4jC3zcp
#STEM #NUSTEM
All good advice, although in places it does suggest that presenters should be ready to deal with bad behaviour from Exec members. A good chair will, of course, have created a culture which does not allow this!
Another wonderful, uplifting set of graduation ceremonies at @northumbriauni.bsky.social London Campus. We celebrated the achievements of over 600 students - including inspirational honorary graduate Amanda Staveley!
Three experts in public policy, accounting and international relations from Northumbria University are among 64 outstanding social scientists recognised by the @acadsocsciences.bsky.social today.
💡Discover more: www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/new...
#researchexcellence #socialscience #newfellows
Northumbria's Professor Arlene Astell will lead one of four new dementia research networks announced today, funded by EPSRC and @nihr.bsky.social and in partnership with @alzheimerssoc.bsky.social
Huge congratulations @newcastleunited.com - onwards and upwards!
Congratulations to our amazing Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Rachel Brown, who has won Mentor of the Year at the 2025 Northern PoWEr Women Awards!
Rachel has championed mentorship for decades, guiding students, professionals, and aspiring leaders in the North East.
Amazing work!
Outstanding achievement by Northumbria University graduate Lol Crawley!
Congratulations to Lol and Jack! So fantastic to see our graduates achieving at the highest level.
As Vice-Chancellor of @northumbriauni.bsky.social I’m proud to lead an institution where we promote fairness in a community where all students and staff feel they belong.
Those working in forward thinking organisations such as universities should not only resist such pressures, we must re-double our efforts in advancement and speak out in support of EDI. Our wonderful, diverse communities deserve nothing less.
This all of course ignores the wealth of evidence - it is well known that diverse teams perform better - let alone the inherent sense of fairness that I believe most of us share.
Many of those responsible start from an assumption that EDI (or DEI as referred to in the US) represents a political or “woke” ideology to be resisted at all costs. Others appear motivated simply by prejudice, resisting any positive efforts to advance the interests of anyone not like them.
