This very popular event took the form of a panel discussion with each member of the panel having 15 minutes to present. The speakers were:

• Professor Mary Evans, Visiting Professor of Sociology and Gender, London School of Economics, Recession, what Recession ?
• Professor Louise Morley, Centre for Research into Higher Education Equity (CHEER), University of Sussex, Desiring Higher Education or the End of the Affair?
• Wes Streeting, National President, National Union of Students, The cap on fees and the NUS Funding Blueprint
• Professor Sir David Watson, Professor of Higher Education Management, Institute of Education, University of London, The roads less travelled?

After the excellent and stimulating contributions from the panel, participants formed small groups to discuss the issues raised over tea and coffee, followed by a plenary session with a range of questions to the speakers from the audience. The discussion was further enlivened by Wes reporting on the Government Budget announcements on higher education being made in the House of Commons as the seminar took place. The debate was wide-ranging, encompassing issues of university governance, management, funding, and the role of the sector as a whole, as well as raising key issues of equality and social justice. There were more questions and contributions than we had time for, but it seemed that everyone went away with plenty of food for thought.