Russell Group wants ?200 million ‘deep-tech university seed fund’ Ahead of spending review, research universities group argues new fund would help level up UK regions by creating spin-offs By John Morgan 1 October
New science minister ‘has one month to save ?22 billion pledge’ George Freeman must urgently strike alliances across Whitehall to preserve UK government’s ‘once in a generation’ research pledge, say experts By Jack Grove 30 September
Willetts: Tories risking ‘red wall’ if they cut university places Former universities minister attacks current government thinking and says it should be expanding, not limiting, participation By Simon Baker 30 September
Tackle ‘signalling’ head on to ward off criticism – thinktank Up to 40 per cent of wage benefit from degrees could be down to universities being a signal of prior attainment, says report By Simon Baker 30 September
Canberra told to backpedal on cybersecurity intervention MPs tell Australian government to consult more on onerous aspects of its ‘critical infrastructure’ power push By John Ross 29 September
Turn ‘restructuring regime’ into ‘transformation’ fund, v-cs urge Universities UK submission to upcoming spending review urges Westminster government to support change of provision By Simon Baker 29 September
Labour conference: call to connect education policy to ‘party of work’ brand Shadow minister Stephen Kinnock sets out vision for party to reconnect with voters beyond ‘cities and university towns’ By John Morgan 29 September
Labour conference: fear of ‘smokescreen’ cut to student numbers Minister won’t say ‘openly’ they want participation cut, while lowering loan threshold will hit social mobility, warns Labour shadow minister By John Morgan 28 September
Students oppose plan to reduce English loan repayment threshold Reform of student financing expected as part of comprehensive spending review next month By Anna McKie 27 September
Texas universities brace for backlash against anti-abortion law Legislative ban leaves medical schools vowing to protect women’s health, and faculty and students likely to flee By Paul Basken 27 September
The EU’s university strategy will help build international bridges A pan-European document could also boost institutional autonomy, budgets, policy visibility and common problem-solving ability, says Jan Palmowski By Jan Palmowski 27 September
Rural US college leader fired by partisan board activists Conservative campaign for control of North Idaho College ends with ousting of Rick MacLennan and anger over masks By Paul Basken 23 September
Overlooked by politicians, German universities fear for funding Lack of focus on higher education ‘a deficit’ during election campaign, says sector leader By John Morgan 22 September
Students’ role in skilled migration ‘ignored’ in Australia Policies geared to a ‘low-skilled guest worker society’ belie Australia’s pretensions to recruit the ‘best and brightest students’ By John Ross 21 September
Alarm raised over failure to confirm ?22 billion research pledge Ministerial response offers ‘no comfort that there is not a plan afoot to abandon that very specific promise’ on science spending, says ex-minister Greg Clark By Jack Grove 21 September
Give non-graduates more respect, says ex-Tory minister Gap between graduates and non-graduates is UK’s ‘biggest social divide’, Baroness Stowell warns By Anna McKie 21 September
Welsh v-cs fear ‘unintended consequences’ of English reforms Universities Wales chair says institutions are waiting on Westminster reforms, when England should instead be following their lead By Anna McKie 21 September
Progressive reform of English student loan system ‘impossible’ Any changes to borrowing terms likely to hit average earners hardest, warns IFS By Chris Havergal 20 September
‘Kowtowing v-cs’ denounced by former Malaysian education minister University leaders would not exercise freedom even if the state did not have them under its thumb, says Maszlee Malik By John Ross 20 September
Just-retired Indiana president sees path out of partisan division While other red state campus leaders struggle, Michael McRobbie stresses consultation and rural services By Paul Basken 20 September
To fix democracy, start with colleges All students, regardless of subject, need meaningful opportunities to engage with the democratic process, say Meg Little Reilly and Richard Watts By Meg Little Reilly 20 September
England’s ITT reforms pose needless risk at the worst possible time If it all goes wrong, universities will not be able to avert truly disastrous consequences, says Rama Thirunamachandran By Rama Thirunamachandran 19 September
A post-retirement career as a public academic meets the moment’s need Writing, speaking and advising offer the rewards of scholarly life without the constraints and contradictions of universities, says Harvey Graff By Harvey J. Graff 18 September
George Freeman replaces Amanda Solloway as UK science minister Former life sciences minister founded series of Cambridge biomedical start-ups before entering politics By Chris Havergal 17 September
Reach out to Chinese alumni, Rudd tells Australian universities Nuclear submarine announcement elevates importance of universities’ soft power influence, says former PM By John Ross 17 September
Zahawi arrives with entry bar and loan changes on?agenda New education secretary may have limited opportunity to significantly change direction of travel at Westminster, say experts By John Morgan 17 September
New science minister awaited as Solloway heads to Whips’ Office Derby North MP had held role since February 2020 By Chris Havergal 16 September
Cost of degrees shifted onto students as participation soars Public investment in higher education falling in many OECD countries, says Education at a Glance By Simon Baker 16 September
How I became a climate activist Nicholas Till reflects on the path that has led him from research on opera to direct political action By Nicholas Till 16 September
UK Cabinet reshuffle: Nadhim Zahawi appointed education secretary Former vaccines minister succeeds Gavin Williamson By John Morgan 15 September
UK Cabinet reshuffle: education secretary Gavin Williamson sacked Controversial post-holder says he is ‘proud’ of ‘transformational reforms’ By Chris Havergal 15 September
‘Joined-up government’ key to UK international education goals Trade minister Graham Stuart says cross-government support will allow UK universities to grow overseas student numbers by 30 per cent By Jack Grove 15 September
‘Proportionate’ free speech bill would be ‘welcome’, says?UUK But Royal Holloway principal warns against ‘frivolous and vexatious claims’ under planned legislation By Anna McKie 14 September
Graduate salary metrics ‘help push leavers towards London’ Fixation on outcomes data means universities have little incentive to persuade their graduates to stay local By Simon Baker 14 September
Chinese universities ticked off for ideological education ‘gaps’ Inspectors tell Ministry of Education to ‘study deeply and systematically about Xi Jinping’s thoughts on education’ By Jing Liu 14 September
Canadians protest as on-campus voting axed for snap?election Despite chronically low youth turnout, federal agency sees bigger pandemic need to aid elderly with ballots By Paul Basken 13 September
V-cs tread tightrope with students and ministers as strikes loom Walkouts expected as government decides on English reforms in wake of Covid disruption By Anna McKie 13 September
Sweden risks brain drain with ‘crazy’ post-PhD residency rules New requirements to ensure migrants are financially self-sufficient will ‘weaken’ Sweden’s universities and high-tech industries, critics warn By Jack Grove 13 September
Universities must keep flying the flag for internationalisation Australia and New Zealand’s isolation continues, but global collaboration is ever more crucial, says Dawn Freshwater By Dawn Freshwater 11 September
Fears for future of pan-Pacific university Observers worry that treasured institution could fracture, just like the region’s political partnership By John Ross 10 September
Administrative empire-building may have sealed Yale-NUS’ fate Headlines about whether the liberal arts can work in Asia only probe part of the story, says Scott Anthony By Scott Anthony 10 September
Ministers ‘moving forward’ with English university entry bar Education secretary also tells v-cs that some universities are ‘pursuing a divisive agenda involving cancelling national heroes’ By John Morgan 9 September
Fear over ‘lack of strategic focus’ in Treasury’s growing HE role As spending review looms amid wrangles within government, question of what Treasury wants from universities is pressing By John Morgan 9 September
Nauru hits back as Fiji withholds USP funding South Pacific nations trade barbs as unique pan-national university enters world stage By John Ross 8 September
Jill Biden returns to college teaching role with appeal for unity First presidential spouse with independent career hopes community college class will show middle ground on Covid By Paul Basken 8 September
Don’t shrink universities, UUK president tells ministers ‘Wrong decisions’ by government on post-18 education at spending review could damage the places it wants to ‘level up’, warns Steve West By John Morgan 8 September
We need authoritarian-proof higher education models Following the military coup, Burmese faculty and students fear annihilation of a budding modern higher education system, says Kyaw Moe Tun By Kyaw Moe Tun 6 September
UK universities’ withdrawal from teacher training would be a disaster A deeply flawed government consultation on ITT risks precipitating teacher shortages and undermining university research, says Ems Lord By Ems Lord 5 September
Get at-risk research collaborators out of Afghanistan, UK told Ministers ‘negligent’ over failure to issue visas to scholars and activists who worked with British-based academics By John Morgan 3 September
Biden threatens to withhold funding from colleges over vaccines US threatens aid cut if states prohibit Covid protections, and then makes clear university campuses are included By Paul Basken 2 September
World Academic Summit: improve ‘ideological diversity’, says Oxford v-c Louise Richardson ‘embarrassed to confess we educated’ Michael Gove given his Brexit comments on experts By Simon Baker 1 September
What now for Afghan universities? Twenty years of progress hangs in the balance, says Rahmatullah Katawazai By Rahmatullah Katawazai 1 September
Birkbeck lecturer resigns over Eric Kaufmann ‘political project’ Lisa Tilley cites impact on staff and students of ‘proximity’ to former department head’s ‘far-right followers’, plus ‘sickening environment’ By John Morgan 31 August
HE world must maintain links with Afghanistan ‘for good of people’ Pushing for importance of education could be only way to secure a future for the country, conflict resolution scholar urges By Simon Baker 31 August
Hindu nationalism fears spur US scholars into action A recently formed group and an attendant conference hope to bring greater attention to issues being faced in India By Joyce Lau 30 August
Record student numbers but still no plan: a recipe for more campus chaos UK universities will need all the assistance they can get to help incoming students catch up, find accommodation and stay safe, says Matt Western By Matt Western 29 August
Anthony Finkelstein: universities ‘part of nation’s power’ UK’s former ‘spy tech chief’, now City president, sees sector within ‘geopolitical contest’ – and aims to ‘take risks and innovate’ By John Morgan 27 August
US partisan divide over Covid splitting apart campuses Faculty quit and various sides sue as administrators and conservative politicians forbid health precautions By Paul Basken 27 August
Ryerson University to change name over indigenous abuses Regents accept task force recommendation that namesake is a ‘symbol of colonialism’, although exact legacy less clear By Paul Basken 27 August
Biden cuts more student debt but defers on bigger fixes Campaign pledge of universal student loan forgiveness remains on the agenda, but disagreement abounds over its wisdom and long-term impact By Paul Basken 26 August