EEUK is proud to announce its partnership with Freelancer Club, CHEAD (Council for Higher Education in Art & Design), and NAHEMI (National Association for Higher Education in the Moving Image) to support the launch of the Freelance Education Think Tank – a strategic, sector-wide initiative to strengthen freelance education in UK higher education.

Freelancing is no longer a niche route for graduates, it is a growing and vital part of the modern careers landscape. Increasingly, students and graduates are turning to freelance work for its flexibility, creative autonomy, and purpose, while also navigating financial pressures and systemic barriers to traditional employment.

However, despite this growth, support for freelancers within higher education remains inconsistent. The Freelance Education Think Tank aims to address this gap by:

• Bringing together a coalition of pioneering universities and organisations;

• Co-developing a national Freelance Education Framework; and

• Building shared standards, tools, and approaches to embed freelance education across teaching, enterprise activity, and career development.

This initiative represents a major step towards recognising and supporting freelance and portfolio careers within the HE ecosystem, ensuring that students and graduates are equipped not just to survive, but to thrive in an evolving world of work.

While the inaugural Think Tank event is now at capacity, plans are already underway for a national launch in early 2026, open to institutions across the UK.

As an EEUK member, you will be among the first to hear about upcoming opportunities to engage with this initiative and contribute to shaping the future of freelance education.

Stay tuned for more details on how you can get involved.