Dating game: US undergraduates get lessons in love Students assigned an old-fashioned date by Boston College lecturer By Jon Marcus 23 January
Willetts’ special adviser post for Ryan Shorthouse in doubt Delayed approval from No 10 raises questions about future of role By John Morgan 23 January
QAA seeks new quality development director Agency head Anthony McClaran elaborates on what the role will entail. Plus the latest higher education jobs and appointments By Jack Grove 23 January
France adds employability to the university mission The government wants academics to do more to help get young people into work By Clea Caulcutt 23 January
Leverhulme Trust to fund 150 PhD scholarships £10 million scheme set up to counteract disincentivisation of undergraduate debt for potential researchers By Holly Else 23 January
Inspiring books show humanities’ value, say scholars Eminent academics restate worth of ‘knowledge for its own sake’ By Matthew Reisz 23 January
Campus close-up: Cranfield University Head of postgraduate powerhouse Sir Peter Gregson wants to ensure doors are open to all By Chris Parr 23 January
Anglo-Indian ties have been ‘butchered’ by May UEA head blames home secretary for UK’s first fall in international students By Chris Parr 23 January
Are questionable marketing claims slipping past the watchdogs? The ASA and QAA may be too passive, argues study that found misleading claims in prospectuses By David Matthews 23 January
Imperial employment tribunal: ‘conspiracy’ claim Department head Philippe Froguel insists complaints of ‘bullying’ were intended to oust him from his post By Paul Jump 23 January
Essex changes tack on strike pay row V-c acknowledges ‘agonising’ decision faced by staff over two-hour walkout By Jack Grove 22 January
Cable ‘shares’ fears over threat to WP funding Vince Cable has told MPs he agrees that scrapping student opportunity funding would “most impact” groups such as low-income and disabled students. By John Morgan 22 January
David Richardson appointed as new UEA v-c David Richardson is to become vice-chancellor of the University of East Anglia when present incumbent Edward Acton retires in September By Chris Parr 22 January
Edward Snowden to run for Glasgow rector Edward Snowden is standing to become the next rector for the University of Glasgow. By Richard Crook 21 January
Universities threaten to dock day's pay over strike Several universities are threatening to deduct a full day’s pay for anyone taking part in a two-hour walkout, a union has claimed By Jack Grove 21 January
Nerc research centres ‘safe from full privatisation’ The Natural Environment Research Council would not contemplate fully privatising its centres, its chief executive has pledged By Paul Jump 21 January
Bitcoin to be accepted by university for fee payment The University of Cumbria has become the first UK institution to accept Bitcoin for the payment of tuition fees By Chris Parr 21 January
Tony Blair’s former private secretary to lead Catholic institution A former private secretary to Tony Blair is to take over as head of a Catholic university college By Jack Grove 20 January
Crowdfunding ‘could threaten government investment’ The use of crowdfunding to finance research could be used by the government as an excuse to cut public spending, an expert has warned By Chris Parr 19 January
US research boosted in government settlement Spending bill also contains open-access mandate for NIH research By Paul Jump 18 January
Sussex student protesters’ hearing collapses Deputy vice-chancellor steps down from panel after claims of bias By Jack Grove 17 January
English king research is hip for Winchester Pelvis fragment ‘could belong to King Alfred’ By David Matthews 17 January
Shellard backs bid to save student opportunity fund A vice-chancellor has backed those fighting to save funding for poorer students that is under extra pressure now research money is said to be “safe” By John Morgan 17 January
The UK's 100 leading practising scientists A list of the UK’s 100 leading practising scientists has been published to highlight the many talents of this diverse community 17 January
MP questions worth of degree Frank Field points to comparison with pay for those working after apprenticeships By Jack Grove 17 January
Immigration policy to come under Lords microscope Peers to look at whether damage is being done to universities By Barbara Speed 16 January
Overseas student total falls ‘for first time’ as Indian numbers collapse The number of non-EU students at UK universities fell by 1 per cent last year, the first such decline ever recorded. By John Morgan 16 January
New play pokes fun at university life Familiar scenarios may have academics rolling, or reeling, in the aisles By Matthew Reisz 16 January
University of London considers outsourcing careers service Institution investigates commercial options to generate surplus By David Matthews 16 January
Digital age of opportunity for the monograph Hefce launches review of digital publishing in the arts and humanities By Holly Else 16 January
Don’t beat about, use moral appeals to stop plagiarism Tutors focus on penalties but students respond on ethical level, study finds By David Matthews 16 January
Pitch rises while applications fall Student marketing spend trebled as Salford shut low-demand courses By Joe Sandler Clarke 16 January
Head denies rigging assessment thresholds in redundancy dispute Dismissed Queen Mary lecturer Fanis Missirlis claims appraisal metrics set at level to deliberately exclude him By Paul Jump 16 January
Germany pledges to increase foreign students by 25 per cent Coalition government promises to internationalise higher education By Frances Mechan-Schmidt 16 January
Fast-track Liverpool fellows free to focus on research Early career life scientists have teaching and administrative burden lifted By Holly Else 16 January
Campus close-up: Birmingham City University A new campus site is taking shape in the ‘learning quarter’ of Birmingham city centre By John Morgan 16 January
Rosy prospectuses ‘misleading’ students Marketing material does not always reveal true picture, research finds By David Matthews 16 January
Romanians and Bulgarians ‘pulled’ off courses after funding freeze Student Loans Company payments suspended until proof given to support residence claim By John Morgan 16 January
Brazil’s home-grown Mooc, Veduca, has high hopes Boosting skills and access are the aims of a new Portuguese-medium platform By Holly Else 16 January
Fred Deakin of Lemon Jelly joins University of the Arts London Who got that job? Recording artist takes up chair in interactive design. Plus the latest higher education jobs and appointments By John Elmes 16 January
Posthumous criticism of cancer researcher’s links The late public health specialist Patricia Buffler is alleged to have had conflicts of interest By Matthew Reisz 16 January
Labour urged to ditch maintenance grants, lower fees and ‘think local’ Party’s former universities secretary proposes radical policy change for general election manifesto By John Morgan 16 January
Tracking and joining billions of dots of data Work is under way to ensure that big data do not mean big headaches for researchers in the physical sciences By Holly Else 16 January
USS’ largest investments in companies, 2013 The Universities Superannuation Scheme has more than £466 million invested in banking giant HSBC, according to data from the pension scheme’s latest financial report By Holly Else 16 January
‘Lighter social science regulation requires integrity’ Suggested changes to ‘common rule’ raise issues on research with human subjects By Paul Jump 16 January
Are scholars or executives best suited to lead universities? Headhunters Odgers Berndtson ask if academics have the business skills necessary to run a university By John Morgan 16 January
UCU announces three two-hour strikes Three two-hour strikes aimed at disrupting teaching at UK universities have been announced By Jack Grove 15 January
UEA to close its London campus The University of East Anglia is to cease offering degree courses at its London campus from September this year, it has been confirmed By Chris Parr 15 January
Researchers in UK snap up fifth of ERC ‘consolidator’ grants UK-based researchers have claimed the lion’s share of the European Research Council’s new consolidator grants, announced today By Paul Jump 14 January
Willetts refuses to rule out cuts to WP funding Student opportunity fund to be slashed in grant letter, says Million+ By John Morgan 14 January
Geoffrey Robertson to represent three of ‘Farthing Five’ Human rights barrister Geoffrey Robertson QC is to represent students suspended by the University of Sussex over an occupation at the institution By Jack Grove 14 January
Scottish fee questions raised by pro-union campaign It is “hard to see” how an independent Scotland could legally continue to charge students from the rest of the UK tuition fees By David Matthews 13 January
Graduate job vacancies on the rise The UK’s biggest employers are set to take on more graduates this year, new figures suggest By Jack Grove 13 January
Russell Group record on free school meal pupils revealed On average each Russell Group university admits just 64 of the poorest young people per year, as measured by those receiving free school meals By John Morgan 12 January
James Bond and Grand Theft Auto ‘among reasons to study in UK’ The UK High Commissioner in India has tried to convince Indians to study in Britain amid fears they are being deterred by red tape and exchange rates By David Matthews 11 January
Vice-chancellors’ pay row prompts UCU letter to Cable The University and College Union has called on the government to force universities to reveal why they award large pay rises to senior staff By Chris Parr 10 January
