UK higher education policy
Education secretary when Plan 2 loans were introduced tells THE that universities ‘would be in even shakier position’ without his changes
Campaigners call for ‘more structured’ approach to helping students in crisis zones after shock visa block leaves applicants in limbo
Sector will face heightened questions about role and purpose unless it engages with new political forces, report warns
Such students’ uneven degree results suggest instead that we may be funnelling some young people into university too early, says Alex Blakemore
Closer links between universities and industry would help to fix 120,000 shortfall in required technical staff by 2035, says study
Government pulls money as part of efforts to prioritise funding for young people but universities say move ‘not in interests of economy’
Universities told to adjust to new attitudes on HE expansion, as figures show boom in new entrants who have few to no qualifications
System being pushed to the brink as sharp increase in number of students not matched by investment in teaching capacity, report highlights
Treasury committee begins inquiry after calls to restrict government’s ability to change loan conditions after they have been taken out
Breakdown in relationship between universities and ministers has made planning for the future even more difficult, according to former Research England chair
Federation launches new online learning system to allow students to dip in and out of modules at their own pace
‘Radical’ reform to English model should also involve shorter courses and a move away from ‘residential’ system, says former Open University v-c
With supercomputing and other AI-related spending prioritised, Research England has told institutions to focus on maintaining existing facilities instead of building new ones
Adopting a ‘two plus two’ system including longer integrated master’s would boost access, employment and the economy, argues Anthony Finkelstein
Birmingham vice-chancellor’s call to review loan eligibility for students with no A levels criticised by own staff members
Closure of low-enrolment courses, higher staff-student ratios and departmental mergers among measures being considered by institutions
New polling finds voters would like to see government prioritise reducing interest rates for graduates over other reforms
While ‘doing an Albo’ and wiping proportion of student debt unlikely to make any difference to English graduates’ cost-of-living fears, evidence from Australia shows it was a vote-winner
Calls to loosen restrictions on international students in wake of shock defeat to left-wing party in by-election may go unheard without leadership change, say experts
Party says it will recognise universities as central to ‘Wales’s economic future’, while cutting funding for institutions perceived as curtailing free speech
‘Difficult questions’ must be confronted as English funding system ‘not working for anyone’, says Birmingham’s Adam Tickell
Home Office puts ‘emergency brake’ on some applications after surge in asylum claims, affecting thousands of potential students
Early career academics most likely to express negative views about teaching culture at their institution, survey finds
Concern around student finance and graduate dissatisfaction in England will continue to grow regardless of expected Treasury reforms, say former government officials
Although Trump has rolled back some of Biden’s programmes, his replacement is still more progressive than England’s Plan 2 system, says Graeme Atherton
Prime minister promises reform after coming under pressure over student finance ‘debt trap’
Universities want ‘clear division’ between FP10 and competitiveness fund to protect frontier research
UK-wide survey of university promotion policies reveals emphasis on PhD recruitment and completions, rather than the need for high-quality support
Scorned for their employability metrics and students’ experimental outputs, Britain’s art schools should be seen as seedbeds of innovation that can help graduates thrive as white-collar jobs are replaced by AI, says J. Harry Whalley
Smaller universities expected to be hardest hit by job losses in bodies supporting overseas growth
Partnerships between the higher and further education sectors currently dogged by power imbalances, critics say
Interdisciplinary research hub focused on arts and humanities will shut in July amid financial sustainability issues
Forcing institutions to remain neutral on contentious issues will stifle – not protect – academic freedom, argues Gavin Schwartz-Leeper
Party unveils proposed changes to student finance system that it says would save graduates hundreds of pounds
UK’s incoming tax on international student fees could have unintended consequences for country’s health system and research capabilities, universities warn as consultation comes to an end
We discuss what lies behind sharp rises in the number of international students enrolled on research master’s courses and what it could mean for the future regulation of the sector
Debates around graduate debt have exploded in recent weeks amid concern about balances that continue to inflate even as graduates seek to pay them down. Has the system become a ‘Frankenstein’s monster’ that politicians will rush to slay? Juliette Rowsell reports
Conservatoire accepts academic’s beliefs protected after he faced student boycotts owing to email questioning structural racism
Former home secretary puts universities ‘on notice’ after being appointed to Nigel Farage’s ‘shadow cabinet’
Further proof of rapid growth in research master’s courses emerges, with programmes with ‘low academic requirements’ and ‘no English tests’ advertised online
Pre-action letters sent to 36 more universities over lost teaching during pandemic as long-running ‘test case’ resolved
Scottish higher education minister commits to taking group’s recommendations seriously as work gets under way on new sustainability framework
More credibility checks and visa refusals creating problems for UK universities and students as tighter compliance regulations about to come in to force
Sharp rise in grievances may reflect financial pressures on universities and ‘heightened expectations’ of procedural fairness, says ombudsman
In election year, Scotland’s higher education minister says fees policy non-negotiable, as newly formed review group looks for new models to heal nation’s ailing sector
English system that provides funding for less than cost of third of degrees, with repayment thresholds frozen below minimum wage, ‘no longer fit for purpose’
Still unclear whether Scotland will meet fair access goals set for this year, as country prepares to adopt institution-level approach
‘Frustrating’ changes to immigration rules affecting Scotland’s ability to be internationally competitive, says higher education minister
Former first minister advocates for progressive taxes as way of funding higher education as debates ramp up over who should pay for university
Report flags how seven institutions that have achieved a coveted gold rating have black awarding gaps exceeding 25 percentage points
Call for government to create new position mirrored on role that already exists in further education, to help steer sector while avoiding excessive regulation
Head of UK’s flagship distance learning institution warns online provision alone doesn’t guarantee equal access to higher education
Serious lobbying efforts under way, with right-wing party expected to be more sympathetic to elite universities than rest of the sector
New polling finds policy intended to foster lifelong learning and reskilling in England still suffering from very low levels of engagement
Most low-performing English students will not repay loans, argues campaigner, who says more needs to be done to educate people about system
Exclusions from government funding pots exacerbating a challenging financial climate for creative institutions, which say talent pipeline for Labour’s priority sector at risk of being jeopardised
Meeting public expectations demands careful design of statutory and regulatory arrangements, not rhetorical commitment, says Emma Roberts
Controversial political scientist to represent right-wing party in Gorton and Denton by-election, after leaving university post to become GB News presenter
Plaid Cymru’s education spokesperson discusses plan to reverse decline in student numbers as nationalist party targets victory in upcoming elections
Home Office won’t commit to continuing support as fresh tranche of applicants gain offers at top universities
