UCU looks set for court battle for striking members’ pay But law might not be on its side in its effort to prevent docking of full day’s pay, solicitor says By Jack Grove 30 January
AHRC grants help scholars and firms to serve up archives Food, feminism and assumptions about asylum seekers among areas explored in eight AHRC-backed projects By Matthew Reisz 30 January
University of Montreal cancels Wiley-Blackwell deal subscription Cost-conscious institution rejects publisher’s ‘big deal’ on more than 1,000 journals By Paul Jump 30 January
Europe’s early career researchers gloomy over prospects Long hours, job insecurity and need for mentoring noted in global survey of young scientists By Holly Else 30 January
Transplant inspires siblings’ Bloodlines project Milton and Alex Mermikides’ AHRC-funded work fuses music, dance and medicine By Matthew Reisz 30 January
Productive head drives others to raise their game Quality of papers rises in units led by strong researchers, study claims By Paul Jump 30 January
Campus close-up: Southampton Solent University Innovation in creative disciplines, high student employability and wide participation are strengths, says vice-chancellor Van Gore By Holly Else 30 January
Unexpected surplus for London Met but pain lingers University warns more savings are needed as it admits international recruitment will not recover for years By Jack Grove 30 January
Go8 wants fees on high return courses uncapped Australia’s top universities have asked to be freed from price capping for courses with the highest graduate-earning premium By Paul Jump 30 January
Ben Jonson online resource launched A new interactive website has been launched to provide the definitive resource for studying the great 17th-century poet and playwright Ben Jonson By Matthew Reisz 29 January
Paul Boyle to be next Leicester v-c Economic and Social Research Council chief executive Paul Boyle has been appointed as the next vice-chancellor of the University of Leicester By Paul Jump 29 January
Costa book prize: lecturer Nathan Filer wins A former psychiatric nurse who is now a lecturer in creative writing has been awarded the Costa Book of the Year award for his debut novel. By Matthew Reisz 29 January
Universities in Scotland damaged by Westminster ‘xenophobia’ Scotland’s universities are being damaged by a Westminster immigration policy that is “driven by Ukip and a nasty xenophobia” By David Matthews 29 January
Fraunhofer head predicts expansion of model in UK Fraunhofer UK plans to create up to four research centres in its first five years, according to the head of the country’s first centre in Glasgow By Holly Else 28 January
UCU stages pay walk-out University staff have taken part in a second two-hour strike over this year’s 1 per cent pay offer By Jack Grove 28 January
Scotland’s university funding for 2014-15 revealed The budget for universities in Scotland will remain almost exactly the same in cash terms in 2014-15, the Scottish Funding Council has confirmed By David Matthews 27 January
Record numbers of US students choose UK The number of Americans taking full undergraduate degrees in the UK has risen by almost 30 per cent in the last four years, new figures show By Chris Parr 27 January
St Mary’s college picks up university title A Catholic college has become the UK’s newest university By Jack Grove 27 January
Financial Times Global MBA Ranking 2014: London Business School rises to third Harvard comes top in the FT’s Global MBA Ranking 2014 By David Matthews 27 January
Universities in Northern Ireland given access to Republic’s funding scheme Queen’s and Ulster can take part in Science Foundation Ireland’s Investigators Programme By Paul Jump 26 January
Postgraduate courses face ‘perfect storm’ Taught postgraduate courses are facing a “perfect storm” caused by drops in student numbers and a fall in institution income By Holly Else 25 January
John Brooks to retire as Manchester Met head The vice-chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University is to retire at the end of the year. By Barbara Speed 24 January
George Osborne warned by UUK president over cuts George Osborne “must step back” from forcing cuts “that will cause such damage to universities”, the Universities UK president has warned. By John Morgan 24 January
Hesa figures shine light on 'teaching only' contracts A quarter of academics are employed on teaching-only contracts, new figures show By Jack Grove 23 January
Academics walk out for two-hour stoppage Thousands take part despite pay threat, UCU says By Richard Crook 23 January
Universities ‘face planning problems’ with grant letter delay Universities face “difficulties” in planning student recruitment because of a row in government on whether to scrap funding for the poorest students. By John Morgan 23 January
Revealed: winners and losers in student numbers game Figures show effect of £9,000 tuition fees and relaxation of student number controls By John Morgan 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
Stellacci ‘stripy nanoparticle’ dispute heats up Analysis critical of professor’s discovery claim is published on arXiv By Paul Jump 23 January
V-c pay: £105,000 rise for head as staff denied living wage Salary shoots up for Sheffield v-c while UCU strikes over 1% pay offer By Jack Grove 23 January
UCU 'U-turn': some members say leaders are backing off showdown Some members have branded the University and College Union’s decision to hold a series of two-hour strikes a “shameful” attempt to scale back industrial action over this year’s 1 per cent pay offer By Jack Grove 23 January
Student complaints about assessment grow as fee levels rise Increasingly litigious students are consequence of consumerist nature of universities, says lawyer By Jack Grove 23 January
NCH plans could mean new owner New College of the Humanities plots course for growth and more investment By John Morgan 23 January
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
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
