Sector intelligence · institutional action

Universities already have the ability to rise to the crises they face. What they lack is the capacity.

Higher education institutions have extraordinary capabilities – world-leading academics, professional services staff who are the envy of many other organisations, and students invested in the success of their university. Our offer is to give them the space, structures, and support to solve their own problems.

How we work

Built for leaders, upstream of the consultancies.

The strategic questions that matter most in higher education are the ones that benefit from an outside perspective – to sharpen thinking, stress-test assumptions, and bring the wider landscape into the room.

01 · OUTSIDE IN

We bring the external view

Experts in higher education policy, applying an outside-in view of the sector to the specific context of your institution.

02 · ACROSS THE CYCLE

We intervene across the strategy cycle

From initial strategy setting, to review and implementation. Or on discrete interventions: away days, governance support, project development.

03 · CAPACITY, NOT DEPENDENCY

We build your capacity, not our dependency

Our work leaves institutions equipped to make brave, informed choices – based on the world as it is, not as we wish it to be.

More about how we work

Working Together

A family of expert organisations.

Depending on what's needed, we bring together different strengths – each reinforcing the others to deliver the right support at the right moment.

Who we are

Partners with deep sector knowledge.

Mark Leach

Partner & Co-Founder

Mark Leach

Founder and Editor in Chief of Wonkhe, and Founder and Chair of The Post-18 Project

Debbie McVitty

Partner & Co-Founder

Debbie McVitty

Editor of Wonkhe and Trustee of the National Institute of Teaching

James Coe

Partner & Co-Founder

James Coe

Senior Partner at Counterculture and Associate Editor of Wonkhe

Plus

+5

An extraordinary group of advisors and associates with staggering combined experience across governance, research, data, leadership and policy

Meet our people
Get in touch

Start a conversation.

Whether you're at the beginning of a new strategy cycle, navigating a leadership transition, or simply want a sharper external perspective on the choices ahead – we'd welcome a conversation.

Contact us