Colin McCaig

Colin McCaig is a Professor of Higher Education Policy at the Sheffield Institute of Education, Sheffield Hallam University. With 20 years of experience, he specializes in inequalities of access to higher education and the impact of marketization policies. He holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Sheffield and a Master's in Political Economy.

His research focuses on critical analyses of education policies, particularly those affecting widening participation and equity. He leads the evaluation of the OfS/Research England-funded YCEDE Programme (2022–26), aimed at expanding postgraduate research access for Black, Asian, and minority ethnic students in the Yorkshire region. He co-convenes the SRHE Higher Education Policy Network and chairs TASO's outreach effectiveness working group.

Colin has authored/co-authored numerous books, including The Marketisation of English Higher Education (2018) and Equality and Differentiation in Marketised Higher Education (2018). He contributed to influential evaluations like the National Collaborative Outreach Programme (NCOP) and the Office for Fair Access (OFFA) financial support study, which inform national HE policy.