REF 2021: Environment scores ‘Golden triangle’ institutions perform strongly on metric which accounts for 15 per cent of overall Research Excellence Framework scores 12 May
Number of Americans with college but no degree nears 40 million Clearinghouse tally held up as incentive for institutions to encourage returners, while also affirming scale of political dilemma confronting Biden By Paul Basken 11 May
Digital Universities US: US ‘risks missing out’ on long-term benefits of online learning Virtual tools have unprecedented power to bend teaching towards research-proven ideals, yet opportunity of lockdown getting squandered, MIT experts tell colleagues By Paul Basken 11 May
New Zealand brings forward border reopening for overseas students Country’s universities have ‘a lot of catching up to do’ despite two-month reprieve By John Ross 11 May
University keeps police bomber’s PhD thesis under wraps La Trobe prolongs blackout on Russell Street bomber Craig Minogue’s dissertation, citing concerns over ‘identifying material’ By John Ross 11 May
UCU set for showdown over transgender rights stance Members asked to back motion opposing ‘gender critics’ and ‘transphobes’ By Tom Williams 11 May
Swedish universities nervously await ‘flood’ of adult learners Funding reforms set to drive up demand, but institutions uncertain about likely intake and course interest By Ben Upton 11 May
More time on research means lower scores for students – study Universities must ‘recalibrate promotion criteria’ to place more value on teaching, says scholar By Pola Lem 11 May
Queen’s Speech: bill planned for lifelong loans and entry bars Plan for legislation seems to firm up government plans for minimum entry requirement and student number controls By John Morgan 10 May
Overseas students feel the heat as Australia heads for the polls Blamed for housing prices largely beyond their own reach, overseas students are both courted and resented By John Ross 10 May
Fund us to do our job, New Zealand sector tells Wellington Underfunding, compliance costs and buffer targets have left universities with ‘no room to manoeuvre’, says representative group By John Ross 10 May
Set carbon budgets to limit university flights, say researchers Academics urge action to avoid losing pandemic-era gains, also suggesting making emissions a key factor in project evaluations By Simon Baker 10 May
Indian Institutes of Technology hit internationalisation ceiling Portion of overseas students remains low, with IITs reluctant to make concessions on admissions criteria By Pola Lem 10 May
UK research status ‘at real risk’ as Horizon row damage widens UK will give up its leadership role in EU-wide research projects for a back seat if association impasse drags on, warns Liverpool science chief By Jack Grove 10 May
Germany’s strict return to classrooms risks ‘missed opportunity’ Universities seen as lacking capacity and strategy to embrace blended learning long-term By Ben Upton 10 May
Oxford names neuroscientist Irene Tracey as vice-chancellor Merton College warden boasts long association with city and university, but is relative newcomer to top-level leadership By Chris Havergal 9 May
UK student mental health crisis ‘may be worse than thought’ Study highlights significant under-reporting of anxiety and stress, with male and ethnic minority learners among least likely to seek help By Tom Williams 9 May
Scholars tipped to desert universities if US states ban abortion After leaked version of US Supreme Court ruling, conservative-state universities face prospect of sliding further behind on quality By Paul Basken 9 May
English number caps ‘could be seen as signal of poor quality’ Universities UK fears restricting student numbers at particular providers could have damaging reputational effects By Tom Williams 9 May
‘First causal evidence’ that degrees ‘make people more liberal’ Study finds getting a degree reduces authoritarianism and racial prejudice and increases economic right-wing attitudes By John Morgan 9 May
Australian job losses ‘not driven by pandemic necessity’ Extent of staffing overhauls bore little relationship to Covid’s financial carnage, says report By John Ross 9 May
Australia struggles to get medical students to work in regions Less than 5 per cent of medical students on indentureship deal have fulfilled obligations to work outside cities By John Ross 8 May
India ‘weaponises’ higher education by rejecting Pakistan degrees Pakistani scholars blast move by India’s University Grants Commission, calling it ‘discriminatory, illogical and unilateral’ By Pola Lem 7 May
Graduations at risk as UK marking boycott planned from 23 May Academics at 44 institutions to refuse to mark work or set exams in midst of busy summer assessment period, in ongoing row over pay and pensions By Tom Williams 6 May
Iran threatens academic’s execution ‘to thwart war crimes trial’ Swedish-Iranian academic Ahmadreza Djalali is given execution date on the day ‘historic’ trial ends By Ben Upton 6 May
Overseas students trickle into New Zealand before border reopens Special intake should be at least doubled, vice-chancellor says By John Ross 6 May
US military failing to shift funding to minority universities Pentagon fell short on promises to help HBCUs compete for research grants, though institutions see new motivation from foreign tensions By Paul Basken 6 May
Mid-career female researchers ‘need bespoke research grants’ UK professional bodies for mathematicians call for specialist funding to help female senior lecturers whose research careers are blown off course By Jack Grove 6 May
New threat to Melbourne’s Australia India Institute Rival centre’s establishment highlights the problems for thinktanks in universities By John Ross 6 May
Devi Sridhar: pandemic vitriol ‘has taken its toll’ Academic who has become a lightning rod for criticism over her pandemic advice reflects on two years in the eye of the Covid storm By Jack Grove 6 May
Minimum entry bar would ‘undermine British values on aspiration’ Government plan would also mean alternative non-degree qualifications being downgraded in eyes of employers, MillionPlus warns By John Morgan 5 May
Ouriginal chief defends Turnitin takeover against monopoly jibes Merger of two of the biggest plagiarism checkers will help combat more sophisticated forms of cheating, Andreas Ohlson says By Tom Williams 5 May
Are corporate interests taking over US higher education? Just as campaigns to promote societal benefit show strength, activists admit setbacks in wider battleground for basic academic freedom By Paul Basken 5 May
European universities fear funding cuts as defence spending hiked Dutch universities among those fearing multibillion-euro redistribution By Ben Upton 5 May
Black historian claims Bristol used her as ‘human shield’ Olivette Otele criticises employer’s reliance on her research, saying overwork and back-stabbing led her to burnout By Jack Grove 5 May
Funding shortfall on each UK undergraduate ‘will double to £4K’ Average deficit incurred by English universities for teaching a UK student will more than double to about £4,000 in 2024-25, Russell Group warns By John Morgan 5 May
End of affirmative action badly hit medical student diversity Minority public medical school enrolment seen down by more than third in five years in US states that banned racial considerations in admissions By Paul Basken 4 May
Oxford launches foundation year for students with BBB grades University follows Cambridge in offering gifted state school students chance to take fully funded introductory year By Tom Williams 4 May
Universities pay out record compensation as complaints rise Ombudsman says difficulties finding alternative remedies during pandemic partly to blame for £1.3 million bill By Tom Williams 4 May
China crackdown ‘hit US scientists’ research quality’ US project leaders with history of China collaboration ‘saw dent to citations’ By Simon Baker 4 May
As UK industrial disputes drag on, should union rethink tactics? UCU pushes on with shrinking rounds of strike action despite calls to regroup and rethink By Tom Williams 4 May
Australian universities report record earnings despite pandemic As staff reel from an austerity drive, Victoria produces its first A$3 billion institution By John Ross 3 May
US government let Facebook take personal student data Education Department admits data-diverting code in federal aid website, toughening politics for institutional performance monitoring By Paul Basken 3 May
Footballers’ ‘university’ eyes growth as first students graduate UA92 hails success of strategy attracting disadvantaged students but remains loss-making By Tom Williams 3 May
Academy’s database boycott may herald Chinese publishing shake-up Scholars question whether open access platforms could step in to replace dominance of China National Knowledge Infrastructure By Pola Lem 3 May
China’s overseas graduates ‘mismatched’ with jobs back home Findings raise red flag for Australia’s economically crucial international enrolments By John Ross 3 May
Information and guidance ‘crucial to lifelong learning reforms’ Universities UK backs plans but stresses that they must be easy to understand and avoid bureaucracy for all involved By Tom Williams 2 May
Soaring inflation hits Australian students and universities Generation-high inflation raises particular issues for humanities students and universities confronting a demographic bulge By John Ross 2 May
Russia seeks India ties as Western sanctions hit universities Kremlin’s push on technological sovereignty met with scepticism as West shuns partnerships over Ukraine war By Pola Lem 2 May
Academics blast HKU proposal to punish students for ‘disrepute’ Other institutions likely to follow in steps of University of Hong Kong if motion passes, say observers By Pola Lem 1 May
Leaders suspended as police investigate Italian campus corruption Rector among those placed on leave amid probe into ‘rigged’ recruitment rounds By Ben Upton 30 April
EUA conference: risky collaborations ‘need an exit strategy’ Universities should have awkward conversations early and ‘be ready to write off costs’ when tie-ups are soured by conflict By Ben Upton 29 April
‘Golden triangle’ will be crucial to ‘levelling up’, says Freeman Science minister suggests disagreements with Michael Gove over role of Oxford, Cambridge and London institutions By Jack Grove 29 April
Fundraising: large donations ‘mask’ downward trends in UK New report on alumni giving and other fundraising warns over declining donor numbers By Simon Baker 29 April
EUA conference: don’t muddle academic freedom with freedom of expression Warning accompanies fresh effort to strengthen Europe-wide protections By Ben Upton 29 April
Universities UK names Vivienne Stern as chief executive International unit director to succeed Alistair Jarvis later this year By Chris Havergal 29 April
Humanities’ share of US postgraduate degrees slumps to new low Population declines and employment shifts key factors, but universities also seen ignoring non-teaching career pathways By Paul Basken 29 April
ERC grant winners quitting UK amid ‘backstop’ uncertainty Some grant holders exploring joint appointments with continental institutions as funding deadline looms By Jack Grove 29 April
Some students ‘would pay higher fees for sustainable university’ THE survey finds that applicants are using sustainability over other factors to decide where to ultimately enrol By Ellie Bothwell 29 April
Ukrainian refugees get home fee status at English universities Move also means students fleeing conflict will have access to student support such as loans By Simon Baker 29 April
