UK higher education policy
Using financial incentives to influence student choice risk undermining Labour’s widening access goals, critics fear
Coming together of 10 research-led universities not a ‘self-serving’ mission group, say vice-chancellors
Move into DWP opens up opportunities for ‘tailored learning’, says minister, as some express unease over disjointed approach
Prime minister scraps Tony Blair’s long-held target to get half of young people into higher education, instead aiming for two-thirds accessing university or apprenticeships
Sussex v-c says media attacks motivated by view that fewer people should obtain a degree
Means-tested support only to be offered to those studying courses aligned to party’s priority areas
Leeds MP tells party’s conference that he hopes government ‘moves away’ from planned tax on overseas earnings
Universities projected to dip into the red next year due to falling fee income and rising staff costs, with any long-term recovery likely to be uneven
Cost to UK economy of ?1.8 billion a year once ‘gross value added’ by international students factored in, new analysis shows
New chief executive of Advance HE discusses university finances, EDI pressures and plans to pivot body from ‘development to transformation’ agency
New modelling estimates that controversial proposals could wipe about ?2.2 billion from the UK economy in just five years
Breaking the link between researchers and their outputs harms academic mobility and disciplinary excellence, argue professors
Education committee says exemption to defunding plans for healthcare courses should be extended to include ‘growth-driving’ industries
Ben Macpherson returns to government in mini reshuffle triggered by Jamie Hepburn’s resignation
Government told to incorporate higher education institutions into emergency planning frameworks as the UK attempts to bolster its defences
Almost half of students say they have considered dropping out because of money issues as maintenance loan threshold remains frozen
Donna Whitehead warns university leaders must be candid with staff as sector’s financial crisis endures
Poll finds most students see generative technology as a support tool, but small minority use it for entire assessment submissions
The retirement of arguably the UK’s most politically adept university leader leaves big boots to fill. The Glasgow principal talks to Jack Grove about 40 years of sectoral evolution, his thoughts on Scottish university funding and his concerns about the now-paused changes to the 2029 REF
Signs of ‘slow recovery’ for international student recruitment as demand for study visas rises
A sector described by a leading party figure as a ‘conveyor belt for communism’ is understandably wary of Nigel Farage’s latest right-wing populist project. But Reform UK persistently tops opinion polls. And the party’s annual conference suggests universities have a lot of ground to make up with it. Patrick Jack reports
Students from rural and disadvantaged areas disproportionally affected by subject cuts, British Academy warns
More support needed for disadvantaged students during medical studies to compensate for lack of ‘insider knowledge’, researchers say
UK’s high attainment and completion rates tempered by rising costs and inequalities, according to latest Education at a Glance report
Lack of clarity over how brief held by Jacqui Smith will be carved up risks delaying crucial policy interventions, critics fear
Populist leader takes aim at higher education in speech on first day of the Reform UK conference in Birmingham
Keir Starmer reshuffles Cabinet after Angela Rayner resignation, with big implications for higher education
Longest-serving education minister explains why he ignored ‘abstract’ and ‘ideological’ academic research in fight to improve school performance
Using REF to tackle research culture risks making it too ‘bureaucratic and burdensome’, university leaders warn as Vallance rethinks changes to weightings
Regulator wants vice-chancellors to advise on policy as part of new chair’s attempts to build better relationship with sector
Vibrant academic communities in all parts of the UK will allow rising stars of humanities and social sciences to shine, says Alex Lewis
Yvette Cooper launches mass messaging campaign warning 132,000 overseas students not to overstay visas or lodge weak asylum bids
Politicians expected to leave universities to sort out their problems despite hopes for government intervention
Threat of financial collapse is causing universities to double down on an officious management style that is sapping academic morale, undermining excellence and damaging collegiality between academia’s different tribes, says Tin Sulejmanpasic
The London School of Economics philosopher speaks to Matthew Reisz about following up her best-selling memoir Free, the state of academic freedom in the UK and the US and the misogyny faced by women academics
Government urged to close ‘regulation loophole’ to better protect staff and students from risks of money laundering
Politicians set red lines in cross-party talks that sector hopes could be start of a longer-term funding solution for universities
Many fear algorithms will displace academics but the technology is already eating itself and its long-term business model remains unclear, says Martin A. Mills. Here he explains why bots will not wipe out universities and why we must resist their damaging features for the good of students, society and AI itself
Churning out so many PhD graduates into a weak academic labour market and marginalising innovative doctorates is immoral, says Ianis Matsoukas
Universities set to take more cautious approach to student recruitment in countries once seen as key to boosting international income
Netflix’s university-set romcom is strangely silent about the ethics of college tutors sleeping with their students, says Robert Dingwall
Dozens face ‘heartbreak’ of missing out on university places, after battling against the odds to apply
Middle-tier universities on ‘wafer-thin margins’ face starkest financial challenges from government proposal, policy analysts suggest
UK universities have no need to oversell their benefits to individuals or societies, but they do need to demonstrate an ability to foster both free speech and civil disagreement – while carefully navigating their ‘slightly nerve-racking’ reliance on overseas students, UCL’s provost tells Chris Havergal
New research highlights misconceptions about higher education, with people more positive about universities than is commonly realised
If the UK has decided it can no longer afford the sub-Oxbridge university model, expectations need to be systematically lowered, says Robert Dingwall
Employers are confining many low-skilled roles to graduates. Why should they care that this requires recruits to take on huge debt, asks Paul Wiltshire
Students unable to take up their places at start of academic year might never have the same chance again, campaigners warn
Under-pressure university commits to action plan to sort out its finances, acknowledging its governance ‘fell well short’
Institutions unclear on government’s stance towards accelerated degrees as faster courses set to become more expensive for students
Strong support for creating more financial incentives for students to study to become teachers or nurses, even among Reform UK backers
‘Traditional student experience’ off limits for most, researchers warn after estimating living costs at double available maintenance loans
New medical school will initially cater to international students as wait goes on for large rise in government-funded places
Vice-chancellors warned against ignoring rise of populist party as political upheaval expected in coming years
Omission of northern institutions from fund to attract top researchers does not add up, says select committee chair
If the UK doesn’t want skilled migrants any more, maybe my contributions would be better appreciated in the Global South, says Meron Wondemaghen
A systemic realignment is under way that, while painful, could lead to more efficient and adaptable provision, say Jonathan Barton and Mike Boxall
As he begins his stint as Universities UK president, Malcolm Press tells Helen Packer that the sector’s demands of government need to be realistic about the constrained state of public finances and that the sector will have to address its own problems through efficiencies and collaboration
English universities with gold or silver award qualify for ‘streamlined’ process that will only take five minutes, says Department for Education
New figures show university progression gap between London and the rest of the country widening, as ministers plan interventions in coming White Paper
