Admissions staff

Radical proposal to overhaul admissions to the UK's research-intensive universities would tackle ‘elite formation’, say LSE and Oxford professors

Surge in students using ‘decline my place’ function ahead of A-level results day flagged by chief executive Jo Saxton

Recruitment of domestic school-leavers is stagnant amid concerns over rising graduate debt levels and weak employment outcomes. With ministers keen to turbocharge enrolment to upskill the nation, John Ross examines how higher education institutions can win back a disaffected generation

Many learners reluctant to attend public institutions as this may ‘legitimise regime’, says researcher

A digitised form of America’s famous admissions exam will help level the playing field for university applicants across the world, says Cezar Wazen

Thousands of applicants missing out on their first-choice university is not a pandemic-era blip but a ‘new normal’ that will force many more to look for excellent courses beyond the Russell Group, says Mary Curnock Cook

Labyrinthine university administration is causing unnecessary stress for scholars and students but beware red tape cutbacks, says Maree Martinussen

For the new technical qualification to be a success, every university must encourage applicants from these courses, says David Gallagher

Students need help to make better course choices and lifelong learners need a flexible application system, says Graeme Atherton

Local authorities should work in close collaboration with academic institutions to make international students feel welcome, says James Pitman

Working-class school-leavers’ fear of debts larger than their parents’ annual incomes is still a big issue, say Geoffrey Alderman and Zoe Morrison 

Border restrictions, differing national Covid strategies and changing demographics have all made significant impacts on overseas recruitment over the past two years. Simon Baker examines the latest data from five major recruiting nations and considers what they might presage for the future

Two years of low-quality online provision has left one stranded international student homeless, unemployed and heartbroken

Without it, we could lose sight of the subtleties of the sliding scale of disadvantage and its impact on participation, says Jayne Taylor

Despite the pandemic, trade disputes and geopolitical tensions, several factors will continue to push and pull Chinese students abroad, says Nicolas Chu

The financial effects of Covid may cause disadvantaged college applicants to panic, unclear how to apply for aid or too ashamed to do so, says Amy Glynn

Despite their above-average employability, engineering students are hampered by poor-quality provision, says Pushkar

A more liberal visa regime could also help fill skills gaps as Australia looks to recover from the pandemic, says James Cauchy

The pandemic has exposed some anglophone universities’ financial over-reliance on overseas students. But if internationalisation takes a step back in the coming years, how much will be lost pedagogically? And will anything be gained? Anna McKie reports

UK universities will need all the assistance they can get to help incoming students catch up, find accommodation and stay safe, says Matt Western

Vaccine passports are a way to reopen campuses while minimising Covid risks. So why is Australia not adopting them, asks Binoy Kampmark

The narrative that the humanities are haemorrhaging students, funding and political favour is deeply felt around the world. But the evidence of the disciplines’ decline is considerably more nuanced, finds Simon Baker

Summer schools that funnel thousands of international students into UK universities are on the brink of collapse, warns Tim Essex

Any savings on the student loan book will be dwarfed by the costs of making retraining harder, says Jo Johnson 

The University of California’s decision to back away from the SAT and ACT will only further benefit privileged applicants, says Matt Larriva

A post-qualification applications system is the best way to ensure equity in admissions, says Sasha Roseneil

We should embrace the possibility of degrees made up of a pick-and-mix of modules from around the world – but comparability is crucial, says Nick Isles

A new survey underlines the importance of anti-racism, mental health and climate change to current and potential undergraduates, writes James Sloam  

While female undergraduate numbers have finally reached parity, it is a different story among college fellows, say Elizabeth Baigent and Claire Hann

With a vast youth population but relatively low participation rates, higher education in the Asean region looks ripe for expansion. But can challenges over funding, quality and regional cooperation be overcome? Joyce Lau reports 

Government, enterprise and education must contribute to a multi-pronged, long-term programme to boost social mobility, says Anulika Ajufo

Former UK foreign policy adviser fears countries could lose ‘monopoly’ over accreditation for failing to inject critical thinking, curiosity, emotional intelligence and empathy into higher education

Holding university showcases online makes a lot of sense, but a stir-fry banquet with colleagues beats rushed laptop lunches, says Jacob Lotinga 

European Commission says it has heard pleas for more long-term funding, and is considering allowing extra universities to join existing alliances

Visa reform would offset declining domestic enrolments, spread US values and give students the education they want, says Kent Devereaux

Downgrading doctoral candidates to a master’s track raises questions about admissions and supervision standards, says Zhang Ruomei

Technical incompatibilities and privacy law risk preventing universities communicating to optimise individualised learning, says Gerd Kortemeyer

A decline in admissions standards suggests that foreign outposts will have to up their marketing game, says Hongqing Yang

With overseas enrolments hitting the buffers during the pandemic, debate rages over whether higher education’s excessive reliance on this income stream is self-inflicted – and how universities can keep themselves on the financial rails in future. John Ross reports

Anonymising applications and reserving studentships and starter grants for Black researchers would go a long way, says Daniel Akinbosede

Grim statistics on single-honours enrolments belie an explosion in joint-honours provision, says Katherine Astbury

The pandemic has prompted dire predictions about international student enrolment at anglophone universities. But will those fears come to pass? Is there an alternative to standard international education? And how much do universities really spend on recruitment agents? Ellie Bothwell reports

A global recession will accelerate the latest shift away from high-cost study destinations, say Janet Ilieva and David Pilsbury

Why shouldn’t marketing staff have ongoing input into the brand perception they work so hard to cultivate among prospects, asks Victoria O’Malley

Global university networks, enhanced by technology, will offer students more flexibility over where to study, says Youmin Xi

Reduced tuition fees and more hardship scholarships would help those watching Zoom lectures while working on checkouts, says Barbara Franz

When students can’t or won’t cross borders, universities can do it instead, says Wing Lam

Biden must unravel the whole sordid mass of restrictive laws and venomous vitriol that drove down overseas enrolments, says Aditya Sharma

My student is right to wonder out loud why learning in college must be a forced march rather than a playful adventure, says Gregory Skutches

It is often forgotten that this group suffers from even worse educational outcomes than white, working-class boys, says Nick Braisby 

Turing scheme will not cover tuition fees, travel costs to the UK or staff exchanges, leaving UK universities to negotiate fee waivers

A rationalisation of transnational delivery was already in the offing, but post-pandemic austerity will hasten it, say Matt Durnin and Jazreel Goh 

Distributing financial aid based on identity or academic attainment leaves many poor people excluded from the academy, says Ryan Coogan

A high level of public information literacy will minimise the spread and influence of falsehood, says Tim Blackman

The vast majority of university staff and students are hoping that Joe Biden’s predicted win comes to pass in next week’s presidential election. But with the nation’s finances reeling from Covid-19 and its political fabric fraying in the partisan tug of war, how much would really change, asks Paul Basken 

As students fret about being refused service at McDonald’s, George Bass fears having to refuse them exit from their dormitories

Living in a parallel universe of perfect systems and obedient citizens could blow up in vice-chancellors’ faces like Chernobyl, warns Craig Brandist 

With the right visa offering, the UK could eat into the US’ market share, say Sanam Arora and Vignesh Karthik KR

Universities must accept a level of risk and implement measures to minimise the transmission of infections, says Andrew Lee 

The Netherlands’ cautious, common approach to teaching during the pandemic contrasts with the full reopenings planned by many UK and US universities. But what will students get out of it? And is even 20 per cent campus capacity sustainable? David Matthews travels to the Netherlands to talk to the key players