News and Events

The VET2050 project is launching a series of vision workshops bringing together practitioners, policymakers, employers, and learners to co-design what high quality vocational education and training could look like in England by 2050. These workshops explore long-term challenges and opportunities, from technological change to regional inequalities, and invite participants to imagine ambitious, evidence informed futures for the sector.

VET2050 is funded by the Youth Futures Foundation and delivered by the Institute for Employment Research (Terence Hogarth, Emily Erickson and Stef Poole) in collaboration with colleagues at SKOPE, University of Oxford (James Robson and Yushan Xie ). Our recent blog post provides more detail on the project’s aims, approach, and how these workshops contribute to a wider programme of research and engagement.

If you’d like to stay informed about upcoming workshops, publications, and project activities, we warmly invite you to join the VET2050 mailing list by visiting the our project website.

Register your interest here!Link opens in a new window

Dr Jason Anderson travelled to Assam, India on the invitation of the Government of Assam to deliver an invited talk: “Translingual English-medium instruction (EMI): A pathway to multilingual and multidisciplinary efficacy for international higher education institutions”, and signed a research MOU with Padmini Boruah of the University of Gauhati as part of the conference: International Perspectives on Multidisciplinary Education and Attainment of SDGs in Higher Education, Guwahati, Assam, 29-30 Jan, 2026.

See slides here: https://www.jasonanderson.org.uk/downloads/anderson_2026_translingual_emi.pdfLink opens in a new window

Dr Anderson also delivered an invited lecture at the University of Gauhati entitled: "Exploring the potential of AI with project-based learning: Pedagogy for higher education in the 21st century."

The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Diversity in Data Visualization (Diverse CDT) is a pioneering, fully funded four-year PhD programme jointly delivered by City St George’s, University of London and the University of Warwick.

Applications for PhD studentships with Diverse CDT are now open for 2026 entry.

We have rolling deadlines across several months and the first deadline for submitting an application is 4pm, GMT on 30th January 2026.

Further details here: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/cim/apply-to-study/phd-programmes/diverse-cdt/

We are delighted to share some positive results we have received from National Student Survey 2022.

The Warwick economists behind the Wheretobuild housing demand mapping tool have used their database to test the government’s seven-site shortlist against measures of likely success, and ranked the sites to help policymakers decide which to finally greenlight.

Dr Datta explains:

“Whether large new developments succeed or fail depends crucially on pre-existing demand for housing in the area. And that housing demand is driven by underlying economic fundamentals– such as access to jobs, as well as services and amenities.

“Housing supply does not automatically generate demand. So there is a real danger that if demand is not taken into account, these New Towns could be built in the wrong places.”

In A Scorecard for the Seven New Towns, Dr Nikhil Datta and Dr Amrita Kulka test each of the seven shortlisted sights against their data on real-world demand at neighbourhood level, access to jobs, availability of amenities such as schools, shops, restaurants and healthcare, and connectivity.

They also take into account whether new transport links are part of the proposals.

Ranked against these criteria, the scorecard shows:

Dr Kulka added:

“The government’ s new town strategy is one part of its efforts to address the UK housing shortage through large-scale development. However, the success of such projects depends less on the quantity of housing built and more on where it is built.

“Our analysis highlights stark differences across the proposed sites. Locations such as Manchester and Leeds benefit from strong existing demand and connectivity, making them well-positioned for rapid and successful development. Others, particularly Tempsford and Enfield, face significant structural challenges that may limit their viability.”

• A Scorecard for the Seven New Towns. CAGE Background Brief. Dr Nikhil Datta and Dr Amrita Kulka, 31 March 2026.

Warwick ESRC DTP New Year's Social happening on Wednesday 4th February 2026.

Hilda Ragnarsdóttir at IER has joined the Board for Employability and Skills at the Centre for New Midlands, a not-for-profit think tank focused on creating and sharing new ideas to strengthen the West Midlands.

She will be undertaking research and contributing to the conversation on how to reduce economic inactivity, improve employability and address the skill gap in the region.

Warwick Law School colleagues Professor Henrique Carvalho and Dr Ruth Bernatek have been awarded a Warwick Research Celebration Award, in the ‘Collaboration & Partnerships’ category.

The University of Warwick’s Philosophy Department has risen to 38th place globally in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, marking a significant leap in its international standing. Philosophy is one of ten Warwick subjects now ranked in the global top 50, reflecting strong performance across teaching and research.

University leaders highlighted that this year’s improved rankings underscore the department’s growing global reputation and its commitment to high‑impact scholarship. The climb also contributes to Warwick’s strongest overall subject‑ranking performance since 2020, showcasing broad excellence across its academic disciplines. Read the full story here

The University of Warwick’s Centre for Teacher Education (CTE) has received a glowing report following a recent Ofsted inspection, highlighting the exceptional quality of training and support provided to its teaching trainees. The inspection report underscores the University’s commitment to nurturing future educators who are well-prepared and passionate about their careers.