Only about 20 per cent of school-leavers need to go to university Massification, metrics and consumerism have eroded what was distinctive about UK higher education, says Philip Langton By Philip Langton 13 December
UUK seeks ‘bold and serious’ solutions to underfunding of sector Vice-chancellors’ group launches ‘national conversation’ on future UK-wide research funding and teaching support in England By Chris Havergal 12 December
‘Avoid all-metric approach to REF’, says review Bibliometric-led evaluation of research outputs unable to replicate ‘richness’ of peer-review model By Jack Grove 12 December
REF robot reviewers ‘not yet ready’ to replace human judgement Automation should only be used to support peer review and not usurp it, finds major study By Patrick Jack 12 December
Why are Russian universities pushing African students to fight in Ukraine? While students are exempt from Russia’s mobilisation, African students’ financial precarity leaves them open to pressure, says Ararat Osipian By Ararat Osipian 12 December
UK-Ukraine dual degrees to help post-war reconstruction Institutions invited to host master’s programmes to address skills shortages in areas such as bridge-building By Ben Upton 10 December
Keir Starmer’s trip to his alma mater reflects universities’ regional clout But institutions will contribute much more to both their localities and their planet if they collaborate more, says Simone Buitendijk By Simone Buitendijk 10 December
‘Contamination’ risk justifies banning gender critical speakers – report Claim by University of Essex law academics that ‘anti-trans’ speakers could ‘contaminate’ buildings branded ‘misogyny’ by critics By Jack Grove 9 December
Ukraine’s plan to ban Russian materials ‘violates academic freedom’ Leading human rights activist says ‘absurd’ draft law could be ‘extremely harmful to education and research’ and is reminiscent of Soviet censorship By Ben Upton 9 December
Alison Wolf: Resist ‘single purpose’ view of higher education Seeing degrees solely as gateway qualification to the modern labour market ‘neither just nor efficient’, says government adviser on skills By Patrick Jack 8 December
Free speech bill: Peers scrap right to sue but add NDA ban Peers amend controversial legislation owing to prospect of “endless litigation”, with ban on non-disclosure agreements also supported By Patrick Jack 8 December
University entry gap between London and rest of UK hits record More than half of school-leavers in the capital enter higher education, but fewer than one in three do elsewhere By Patrick Jack 8 December