Policy watch

When universities chase ‘excellence’, argues Michelle Stack, ‘big capital’ calls the tune and some students go hungry

The Green Paper must recognise the diversity of England’s higher education sector, says John Cater

Higher education must look beyond financial gain to help solve the Middle East crisis, says Zahir Irani

US PhD applicant Sabine Parrish recalls an unpleasant encounter with UK immigration

Higher education institutions are ready to do their bit but are being held back, say Maureen Glackin and Claire Taylor

HE staff in Sheffield are working on access targets and Green Paper consultation, John Morgan hears

The gap between the perceptions of governors and academic staff about the key challenges facing institutions need to be plugged, says Janet Legrand

The idea that UK research and higher education could flourish post-Brexit is an illusion, argues Rolf Tarrach

David Cameron’s plans on university admissions data will combat inequality only if they force top universities to publish more detailed data, which take into account variables such as BME students’ A-level scores and course choices, says Kurien Parel

The prime minister's suggestion that top universities are at fault for their low admission of BME students is not borne out by the evidence, says Athene Donald

White students are over-represented compared with young UK population, but there is huge variation for other groups

We need a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in higher education, argues Terry Young

Immigration policy puts at risk 'valuable resources', argues Fiona Whelan

The number of international students dropping out of university has fallen as institutions have recruited more students from overseas, finds James Zuccollo

As officials begin to look through the responses to the Green Paper consultation, Shirley Pearce flags up four risks they need to avoid

John Morgan looks at how scrapping student grants sparked claims of a political fix

As many in the academy rail against Prevent, Anthony Glees urges them to reconsider

But higher education was mentioned only briefly in the US president’s speech, finds Ellie Bothwell

How the government is proposing to use NSS data to assess teaching excellence is nonsense, says Dorothy Bishop

Conservative MP Neil Carmichael, chair of the Education Select Committee, on the risks to the higher education sector of exiting the EU

An aggregated university score would be designed to serve government bean counters, not students, says Athene Donald

Global Challenges Fund could be enabler of world-class science tackling global issues, says Malcolm von Schantz

If the government is serious about globalisation in higher education, it should do more to open up overseas study to UK students

John Morgan on the Green Paper's plans to make universities exempt from FoI

Alexis Weedon unveils a computer game for the post-Green Paper era

Richard Black on the ‘lazy and self-serving argument’ that research and teaching are in competition

Government proposals will be detrimental not just to scholarship but to quality teaching in higher education, says Joanna Williams

John Morgan looks at plans to make it quicker for private colleges to access public funding and become universities

The live blog has now ended, but all existing entries can still be viewed in chronological order

John Morgan reports from today’s protest in London, which saw a flashpoint between protesters and police at BIS

Mike Ratcliffe looks at why institutions have traditionally had to serve an ‘apprenticeship’, ahead of Green Paper set to change the rules

Prevent: institutions must not let platitudes about freedom of expression create an ‘illusion of debate’, says Rupert Sutton

The changing higher education landscape is making a mockery of Ucas, says Zahir Irani

Kenn Nakata Steffensen takes an in-depth look at the challenges facing Japan’s public universities

Ben Neville and Tom Swann set out why they wish some universities made more ethical investment decisions

Jess Patterson on why she fears the teaching excellence framework will be bad news for early career academics

John Morgan looks at the latest spending review developments

John Morgan looks at the differences between Cambridge and Oxford on the £9,000 tuition cap – and the idea of ‘going private’

The Prevent programme will cause real problems for universities, say Phil Lindan and Meriel Schindler

Hefce chief Madeleine Atkins on what a simpler, less burdensome QA system might look like

BIS aims to step up competition for universities from new providers – but questions remain about impact on UK higher education

Botched attempts to pass higher education reforms likely to be among the reasons unpopular Australian PM has been ousted by party rival, says Paul Jump

Is Jo Johnson eyeing an alternative approach? Nick Hillman thinks he is, despite the system’s proven advantages

As the vote closes, John Morgan looks at what Jeremy Corbyn, Yvette Cooper, Andy Burnham and Liz Kendall have to say on higher education and research

Martin Paul Eve considers the implications of the universities and science minister’s address at the Universities UK conference

How do you reconcile university autonomy with the modern desire for accountability? asks Ferdinand von Prondzynski

The TEF is likely to prove critical in deciding the fate of higher education’s teaching champion, says Chris Havergal

Obama Administration’s pivot to Asia ignores the fact that young Americans wishing to study abroad prefer Europe, says Trina Vargo

The full text of the former president of South Africa’s speech at the THE Africa Universities Summit

Are universities’ recruitment tactics always in the students’ best interests? Robert Allison thinks not

Editor John Gill reflects on the inaugural Times Higher Education Africa Universities Summit

Megan Dunn, NUS president, on the need for universities and students’ unions to work in partnership

Books editor Karen Shook introduces our latest literary podcast

Concern that quantity, not quality will be prioritised as higher education marketplace opens up

Labour's shadow business secretary warns that universities should not be 'muzzled' in EU debate. John Morgan blogs from the UUK event in London.

Teaching excellence framework must not be a superficial extension of data already being collected, warns Dame Julia King

Will Institute of Economic Affairs report put the idea of cuts to QR funding on the political agenda? asks John Morgan

Lee Jones reacts to the £150 million cut to Hefce's budget

Home Office guidance on university events involving external speakers raises a number of questions, says Smita Jamdar

Ex-European Commission president speaks to THE for feature that also looks at the fist fight UK universities can expect in return for pro-EU campaign