PhD students left feeling ‘dehumanised’ and ‘isolated’ US academic urges sector to make doctoral students’ experience ‘more human’ By Holly Else 9 July
Pope’s decree fuels debate in academy on fossil fuel divestment Green encyclical ups pressure on Catholic universities to show moral leadership on climate change. Will more make an ethical shift? By Jon Marcus 9 July
Dean defends Cardiff University’s health research shift Head says changes that could lead to 60 redundancies will allow medical school to focus on strengths without harming Welsh healthcare By Paul Jump 9 July
Humanities crisis? What crisis? Cambridge historian warns universities against ‘crying wolf’ and insists that enrolments have mushroomed in the UK and US over the past 50 years By Matthew Reisz 9 July
The week in higher education – 9 July 2015 The good, the bad and the offbeat: the academy through the lens of the national press By THE reporters 9 July
South African institutions top THE Africa rankings pilot ÌÇÐÄVlog creates a top 15 table for Africa’s academies ahead of the inaugural THE Africa Universities Summit on 30-31 July By Ellie Bothwell 9 July
Northumbria quits University Alliance Strong research result in the REF ‘triggered’ exit from the mission group By John Morgan 9 July
Red tape’s true role, and how to cut free of it Symposium speakers, including activist David Graeber, examine the real function of bureaucracy and how the academy can fight back By Matthew Reisz 9 July
News in brief – 9 July 2015 UK higher education round-up and highlights from the Twittersphere By THE reporters 9 July
Budget 2015: fees can rise for universities with ‘high-quality teaching’ Chancellor George Osborne also announces scrapping of student maintenance grants and plans to make graduates pay more for loans through repayment threshold freeze By John Morgan 8 July
Academics call on University of Manchester to divest from fossil fuels Author Jeanette Winterson among 96 signatories of letter to board of governors By Chris Havergal 7 July
Marco Rubio calls for US higher education overhaul Republican presidential hopeful wants radical reform of university system By John Morgan 7 July
UCU and Unite members reject pay offer Two unions reject 1 per cent offer, but Unison and GMB get behind it By Jack Grove 7 July
US faculty unions under threat Supreme Court to consider whether educators are obliged to pay union fees 6 July
BTEC students ‘less likely to gain top degrees’, suggests study HEA-commissioned report says those with vocational background may need more support, but also warns against seeing such qualifications as inferior By ÌÇÐÄVlog Staff 6 July
Top Canadian scientist leaving country for UK over ‘worrisome’ research cuts Robert Brownstone will take up the role of chair of neurosurgery at University College London By Ellie Bothwell 5 July
Baroness Amos: emulate US on racial diversity in leadership Next director of Soas says UK higher education can learn much from across the Atlantic By Jack Grove 5 July
Put flexibility at core of part-time provision, universities told Many part-time students forced to miss part of their course, HEA survey finds By Chris Havergal 4 July
Cuts to Disabled Students' Allowances back on agenda Government reductions could leave universities to fund most help for disabled students By John Morgan 3 July
Sunderland names Shirley Atkinson as vice-chancellor Interim University of Sunderland leader succeeds Peter Fidler in top job By Chris Havergal 3 July
Elsevier journal editors ‘may be asked to resign’ in open access row Institutions pressure Elsevier to permit all Dutch papers to be freely available online by 2024 By Paul Jump 3 July
Duke of York is new University of Huddersfield chancellor Prince Andrew will succeed Star Trek actor Sir Patrick Stewart By Jack Grove 3 July
Yvette Cooper backs increased science spend with 3 per cent GDP target Labour leadership candidate calls for 'revolution in science' and increased research and development spend By John Morgan 3 July
Private college’s retention rates ‘unsatisfactory’, says QAA ABI College investigation finds only two of 45-strong cohort have achieved intended qualifications By Chris Havergal 3 July
UK universities at risk from ‘ill-informed’ immigration debate, warns Cambridge v-c Sir Leszek Borysiewicz draws on his own background as the child of Polish immigrants to counter ‘negative’ rhetoric on immigration By John Morgan 2 July
Sir Ken Macdonald: 'obnoxious' anti-radicalisation measures attack campus free speech Senior lawyer criticises Counter Terrorism and Security Act By Jack Grove 2 July
Break down barriers between universities and industry, says report Complexity of government initiatives to help commercialise university research under scrutiny By John Elmes 2 July
University graduate employment performance revealed London Metropolitan University records biggest improvement in Hesa data By Chris Havergal 2 July
Rebuilding from blaze helps Glasgow kindle new knowledge The silver lining in the fire that ravaged an Art Nouveau gem is the chance to explore Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s methods By Chris Havergal 2 July
Exam transcript row medic wins right to seek judicial review UCL graduate Viral Thakerar to continue his fight to expunge a fail mark from his academic record By Jack Grove 2 July
The week in higher education – 2 July 2015 The good, the bad and the offbeat: the academy through the lens of the national press By THE reporters 2 July
Grant winners – 2 July 2015 A round-up of recent recipients of research council cash By THE reporters 2 July
Athena SWAN success brings new challenges The equality charter’s influence, take-up and ambitions are growing, writes Holly Else, but so are expectations By Holly Else 2 July
Director of education wins claim against former owner of St Patrick’s College for unfair dismissal Tribunal judge notes Raj Kumaran’s ‘unblemished disciplinary record’ By John Morgan 2 July
Study abroad rankings ‘will encourage student mobility’ Additional internationalisation measurement would increase participation in studying overseas, says Erasmus+ director By Ellie Bothwell 2 July
Referencing headaches? There’s an app for that In just under a year, RefME, a UK-built online tool that takes the sweat out of citations, has attracted almost a million users By Chris Havergal 2 July
Universities cannot create a fair society, but can cultivate intelligence, says academic ‘Build stronger mass higher education institutions,’ professor tells Society for Research into ÌÇÐÄVlog meeting By Chris Havergal 2 July
Addicted to sex? It’s unlikely, say academics Kiwi historians claim the concept is incoherent and moralistic By Matthew Reisz 2 July
Lacklustre virtual learning environments ‘need 21st-century boost’ Universities encouraged to use social media and business-orientated software to enthuse students By Chris Havergal 2 July
News in brief – 2 July 2015 UK higher education round-up and highlights from the Twittersphere By THE reporters 2 July
Open University to grow into agile body and recapture spirit of 1969, says v-c Peter Horrocks outlines vision in a restructure to kickstart the transformation of the institution By Chris Havergal 2 July
Ruling forces release of Cambridge sheep research data Information Commissioner orders university to share information with animal rights groups following FoI request By Paul Jump 2 July
From fair Verona to the wall beyond Ramallah Teaching Shakespeare in Palestine was intense, disturbing and unforgettable, a University of Bristol lecturer says By Matthew Reisz 2 July
PhD is passport to work overseas A doctorate is the qualification most likely to lead to work overseas, data from the ÌÇÐÄVlog Statistics Agency have revealed By Holly Else 2 July
US men aren’t interested in ‘life-changing’ rhetoric of studying abroad Report suggests that male social groups are ‘less fluid’ than women’s, who made up 63.5 per cent of American students overseas By Ellie Bothwell 2 July
Times are tough, say majority of Irish academics Post-2007 conditions are worse, workloads are higher and it’s ‘all about the money’ for management, report three-quarters of survey respondents By Jack Grove 2 July
Not-so-deep impact: REF case study looks beyond cricket to pop Oxford Brookes’ submission on Duckworth-Lewis details formula’s influence By John Morgan 2 July
Twin policies risk a rebirth of dual system, warn sector figures Universities face having to navigate two quality frameworks as Jo Johnson makes teaching excellence framework a priority amid Hefce reforms By Jack Grove 2 July
Oxbridge to be stripped of special funding feeding the tutorial system Oxford and Cambridge will lose institution-specific funding from Hefce as cash is diverted to small specialist providers By Jack Grove 2 July
US universities slow to respond to prospective international students US and Canada ranked below four other regions for communicating effectively with prospective international students By Ellie Bothwell 1 July
Les Ebdon: Offa reappointment 'a clear vote of confidence' Former University of Bedfordshire vice-chancellor to continue in widening participation post By Chris Havergal 1 July
Jo Johnson unveils teaching REF plans But minister appears to drop reference to teaching excellence framework carrying 'financial' incentives By John Morgan 1 July
TEF will tackle grade inflation, says Johnson Universities minister raises concerns about increasing number of students receiving top grades By John Morgan 1 July
UUK calls for tuition fees to rise Board of main v-c body says inflation has eroded value of 2012 settlement By ÌÇÐÄVlog Staff 1 July
Tougher visa rules blamed for pathway provider recruitment slump Navitas says enrolment down by 13 per cent in second semester of 2015 By Chris Havergal 1 July
Teach all computing students about cybersecurity, universities told Teaching criteria updated in response to government and industry demands By Chris Havergal 30 June
Female success rate dips to 10 per cent in latest ERC grant round Women made only 13 per cent of applications to flagship scheme for senior research leaders, council points out By Paul Jump 30 June
Johnson fails to rule out rises in fees or loan repayments Minister avoids direct answers to Labour questions By John Morgan 30 June
Quality assurance burden £1 billion, says study Cost rises to £1.1 billion with FE and alternative providers added By Jack Grove 30 June
