UK higher education policy
Policymakers should take a broad view of the value of degree courses when building our future workforce, says Charlotte Hallahan
Key part of new legislation unlikely to come to fruition for several years, campaigners fear, creating confusion for those who feel rights have been infringed
Former Open University vice-chancellor fears ‘over-consumption’ of higher education is not addressing country’s challenges
UK told to strengthen and protect its visa offer to international scientists if it wants to achieve ambition of becoming Europe’s leading life sciences economy
Proposal to take cut of international earnings now seen as inevitable after ministers tied idea to reintroduction of maintenance grants
The post-16 White Paper was a missed opportunity to correct a mistake that will stymie government missions in areas like housebuilding, says John Somers
Universities would look to ‘game’ new metric for testing learning gain, critics warn, with external examination defended as ‘best we’ve got’
Splitting up degree programmes into smaller parts could aid lifelong learning but students risk being seen as dropouts under current system
New vice-chancellor at London South Bank discusses FE-HE integration, universities’ reputation problem and what he learnt from years at top of Civil Service
‘More interventionist, more activist’ stance from government will result in deep changes to the sector, but vice-chancellors say key details missing
Formalising process around market exit would make it impossible for institution to come back from the brink, fears UUK chief
Questions will be asked about the Office for Students’ fitness to take on extra powers over quality, agents and franchising, says Diana Beech
To understand the government’s approach to education, we must await more announcements. Let’s hope they go further, says Nick Hillman
Course completion rate restrictions seen as way to tackle issue as peers mull whether new law is needed to stop student claimants
Government commits to raising tuition fees and maintenance loans, with universities expected to deliver higher-quality teaching and more specialised research in return
Bridget Phillipson says fees to rise with inflation for next two academic years with automatic annual increases then set to be introduced
Higher education institutions could be penalised if they offer courses deemed subpar as universities await Labour’s reform plans
Mounting institutional deficits form backdrop to coming Holyrood campaign as nationalist party looks to extend grip on power
Threat to academic freedom from secret recordings of seminars being passed to state governments must be taken seriously, says Office for Students free speech lead
School-leavers incentivised to move away from local area to attend university, despite the benefits that staying put can bring, according to MillionPlus
UUK calls on government to hit pause on fee levy plans amid fears chancellor will progress policy next month
Universities’ manifesto ahead of 2026 Senedd poll also wants independent commission on participation
Regulator says universities should only enter partnerships when they are satisfied that teaching and support standards will be maintained
Loss of EU students made recruitment more commercial and universities more insular, argues new book
Training sessions to be rolled out to educate university staff on identifying harassment and supporting students
Attempts to quell universities’ fears about competition laws may actually be heightening anxiety over collaboration in cash-strapped sector
UK policymakers urged to replace ‘outdated’ system with nationwide digital programme for logging academic credentials
‘Debt trap’ has replaced ‘Mickey Mouse’ courses but Badenoch still kicking universities after being ‘boxed in’ by Labour’s apprenticeship embrace and Reform attacks on elitism
New participation target represents ‘paradigm shift’ in country’s approach to education, but government needs to incentivise FE and HE working together, says report
Education secretary confirms devolved nation will not follow UK government in taking a cut of overseas tuition fee income
Specialist institutions could be subsumed without high-level oversight of sector consolidation, MPs warned
OfS and UKRI seen as particularly vulnerable to meddling from government, with report authors calling for more safeguards to ensure independence
Tory leader to use conference speech to attack ‘debt trap degrees’ and pledge more money for apprenticeships
Russell Group calls for long-term partnerships to be secured amid political uncertainty
Tories should allow top institutions to increase tuition fees and encourage others to get off ‘mediocrity escalator’, says former science minister
Future crises can be averted if government and universities share data and plans in a more timely and transparent fashion, says Doug Specht
Andy Burnham says universities ‘at the heart’ of his plans for growth of Manchester’s economy
Taxpayer and students losing out as a result of failure to tackle ‘low-quality’ higher education, according to Neil O’Brien
With levy-funded maintenance grants and 50 per cent target scrapped again, government’s vision for universities becomes clearer. But while rhetoric appears tough, experts see opportunities as education takes centre stage
Using financial incentives to influence student choice risk undermining Labour’s widening access goals, critics fear
Coming together of 10 research-led universities not a ‘self-serving’ mission group, say vice-chancellors
Move into DWP opens up opportunities for ‘tailored learning’, says minister, as some express unease over disjointed approach
Prime minister scraps Tony Blair’s long-held target to get half of young people into higher education, instead aiming for two-thirds accessing university or apprenticeships
Sussex v-c says media attacks motivated by view that fewer people should obtain a degree
Means-tested support only to be offered to those studying courses aligned to party’s priority areas
Leeds MP tells party’s conference that he hopes government ‘moves away’ from planned tax on overseas earnings
Universities projected to dip into the red next year due to falling fee income and rising staff costs, with any long-term recovery likely to be uneven
Cost to UK economy of £1.8 billion a year once ‘gross value added’ by international students factored in, new analysis shows
New chief executive of Advance HE discusses university finances, EDI pressures and plans to pivot body from ‘development to transformation’ agency
New modelling estimates that controversial proposals could wipe about £2.2 billion from the UK economy in just five years
Breaking the link between researchers and their outputs harms academic mobility and disciplinary excellence, argue professors
Education committee says exemption to defunding plans for healthcare courses should be extended to include ‘growth-driving’ industries
Ben Macpherson returns to government in mini reshuffle triggered by Jamie Hepburn’s resignation
Government told to incorporate higher education institutions into emergency planning frameworks as the UK attempts to bolster its defences
Almost half of students say they have considered dropping out because of money issues as maintenance loan threshold remains frozen
Donna Whitehead warns university leaders must be candid with staff as sector’s financial crisis endures
Poll finds most students see generative technology as a support tool, but small minority use it for entire assessment submissions
The retirement of arguably the UK’s most politically adept university leader leaves big boots to fill. The Glasgow principal talks to Jack Grove about 40 years of sectoral evolution, his thoughts on Scottish university funding and his concerns about the now-paused changes to the 2029 REF
Signs of ‘slow recovery’ for international student recruitment as demand for study visas rises
A sector described by a leading party figure as a ‘conveyor belt for communism’ is understandably wary of Nigel Farage’s latest right-wing populist project. But Reform UK persistently tops opinion polls. And the party’s annual conference suggests universities have a lot of ground to make up with it. Patrick Jack reports
