Higher Education as Critical Infrastructure: Governance Reform for Systemic Resilience

This report argues that higher education in England must be recognised and governed as critical national infrastructure. Universities underpin the UK’s skills pipeline, research capacity, regional economies, and international competitiveness, yet the sector operates without systemic resilience frameworks equivalent to those in banking or energy. Drawing on case evidence from the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) and Times Higher Education, and building on the normative framework of fiduciary openness and epistemic clientelism, the report identifies converging risks of market fragility, fiscal exposure, and governance opacity. It proposes a programme of reform: statutory fiduciary openness, a higher education resolution regime, conflict-proofed parliamentary oversight, transparency obligations for policy intermediaries, and formal designation of higher education as critical infrastructure. Without such reforms, systemic vulnerabilities will continue to threaten not only universities but the wider economic and social stability of the United Kingdom.