The government is using inflation to take back control of English HE The Augar response highlights ministers’ hopes that rising costs will make certain courses economically unviable, says Alexis Brown By Alexis Brown 3 March
Augar response makes balanced tweaks to England’s funding system Frozen fee levels must rise eventually, but universities need to deliver efficiency gains through hybrid learning, says David Willetts By David Willetts 3 March
Researchers spot ‘massive retrospective change’ on student loans Threshold indexing change, not mentioned by DfE in media briefings, brings lifetime hit of up to £19,000 for ‘lower middling earners’ who took out loans after 2012 By John Morgan 2 March
More Russian ties cut as Europe offers help to Ukraine colleagues Symbolic and practical support has come from across Europe, but views differ on whether continued Russian cooperation could end or abet the conflict By Ben Upton 2 March
Hungarian election brings little hope for academics Orbán administration’s illiberal intrusions into institutional governance will be ‘difficult’ to reverse, say scholars By Ben Upton 2 March
Fee freeze ‘risks exacerbating’ shift away from UK undergraduates Warning comes as data on English student numbers suggest institutions growing international master’s cohorts By Simon Baker 2 March
Staff-student relationships should be strongly discouraged Universities have a duty to protect students from the power imbalance inherent in a personal relationship with a staff member, says Cara Aitchison By Cara Aitchison 2 March
Academics underestimate willingness of PhDs to use fake data Around one in 12 postgraduate researchers would publish fraudulent results if it helped them get ahead, says study By Jack Grove 1 March
Russian academics risk arrest to oppose Ukraine war Scholars expressing ‘shock and horror’ call for ‘immediate stop’ to Putin’s ‘senseless’ invasion By Pola Lem 1 March
Staff-student sexual misconduct guidance ‘a missed opportunity’ Group that had input into document says it seeks to ‘shore up’ institutions’ reputations rather than make a difference for students By Simon Baker 1 March
‘We know what the problems are’: UK PhD consultation ‘vague’ Scholars and PhD students voice frustration at lack of concrete plans in consultation on ‘new deal’ for postgraduate researchers By Jack Grove 1 March
European funding mechanisms must be adapted to support Ukraine Flexibility, speed and resources are needed to ensure that refugee scholars and students can continue their work, says Jan Palmowski By Jan Palmowski 1 March
