Today's news

Cheats are “devaluing” British degrees
Universities have been warned to clamp down on students who cheat because of fears that they are devaluing the status of British degrees. Guidelines sent to all universities warn that plagiarism is likely to rise given the amount of easily accessed work on the internet and growing external pressure from the need to work part-time while studying.
The Independent

Ministers criticised for doubling visa extension cost
University chiefs have accused the Government of undermining its own policy to attract more overseas students with a decision this week to double the cost of extending student visas. Figures from a survey by the Higher Education Funding Council for England last month show a likely increase of 20 per cent in the recruitment of non-European Union students from outside the EU by 2008.
The Financial Times

Lecturers strike over failure to close pay gap
Lecturers at 70 further education colleges which are accused of failing to give their staff promised pay rises have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action. The one-day walk-out is now set for February 24 after three quarters of lecturers taking part in the ballot backed the action.
The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph

Academics shun leading roles
In most professions, getting to the top of the management pay scale is considered a champagne moment. In academia, getting stuck running the show is a mark of failure. The result is that universities are missing out and “not being run as well as they should be”, says The Times Higher Education Supplement (Feb 11).
The Times

Industry Links
Universities are getting better at making money from links with business and industry, but the Higher Education Funding Council for England found that only seven per cent of research funding was given by industry, commerce and public institutions.
The Times

Britain's costliest student union
One of the National Lottery's most spectacular disasters finally begins a new life today, as Britain's costliest student union, with a tea dance for senior citizens followed by a Valentine hop. The twin debut for the former National Centre for Popular Music is designed to demonstrate its new life as a university centre with its doors open to the wider community in Sheffield.
The Guardian

Minds wide open
Political debate has a special quality and intensity among the students at the School of Oriental and African Studies. Report by Polly Curtis.
The Guardian

Letter
Response to Peter Knight’s article on the HEFCE consultation document.
The Guardian