Politics

The country’s conservative government is wary of academia’s social influence and values, but a ministerial letter offers hope, says Agnieszka Piotrowska

Campuses ‘bursting at the seams’, says Amsterdam president, urging government help

Creation of CTER by Welsh government part of shift to ‘rethink the model of post-compulsory education for high participation societies’

Hepi report on graduates’ perspectives on English loans system spotlights ‘psychological burden’ as ministers set to unveil loan hikes

On 15 October 1971, the first edition of The Times Higher Education Supplement was published. In the five decades since, the publication now known as Times Higher Education has charted the expansion and marketisation of the UK sector while taking an ever more global perspective. Three editors reflect on their time at the helm

New government focus on universities raising pre-18 attainment could be a ‘challenge’, but also indicates positive shift

Russell Group must ‘stop making excuses’ on difficulties of diversifying international student flows, says ex-universities minister

Welsh student support and tertiary systems have ‘far more in common with international approaches’ than English ones, says Jeremy Miles

Tens of millions of dollars on offer for institutions that walk their commercialisation talk

Minister also tells THE event that access changes are ‘not focusing on high-paid jobs’ but rather on ‘graduate jobs’

Universities minister to unveil access and participation changes at THE event as new director of fair access named

Rectors’ conference concerned that Berlin postdoc law could set ‘blueprint’ for unfunded attempts to tackle precarity

Foreign interference concerns should not blind policymakers to the benefits of collaboration, forum hears

Key details on scope of English student loan changes yet to be finalised as consultation looms

Amid concern on graduate employment in Westminster and across West, looking at funding systems that put labour market demand at centre is instructive

Refreshed guidelines allow universities to choose which academics face scrutiny of their overseas affiliations

The embrace of those values by the UAE’s higher education institutions has been key to the nation’s success, says Zaki Nusseibeh 

OfS releases latest figures on universities adopting definition following ministerial pressure

UK scientists may increasingly want to take the £7 billion for research offered by Treasury rather than wait for EU wrangling to finish, say research experts

Chief executive’s departure may help new chair to reshape English sector regulator

Suggestions of significant ministerial plan to ‘improve higher education’ this month bring warning not to harm universities’ levelling-up work

Ninety per cent federal funding cut will leave research projects unfinished and cause massive brain drain, experts warn

Deteriorating political climate causing self-censorship, conference hears

Funding preschool instead has compelling rationale, but US should extend both ends of compulsory education, say experts

Would a seventh European Court ruling against Rome really force a change in attitude, asks David Petrie

After banning professors from testifying against the state in politically charged cases, flagship university can’t escape probes and fears of lasting harm

Open letter from groups representing more than 1,000 universities calls for association to be completed ‘as soon as possible’ 

Social scientists have an opportunity to advise on reorienting the traditional public inquiry towards focused lesson-learning, says Matthew Flinders

Students flying in from Singapore won’t need to isolate, as long as they’re from Singapore

Researchers blast higher education system for valuing metrics and loyalty to higher-ups over intellectual rigour

Graphic novel poses some searching questions about how we interpret the often banal objects that get dug up

Report for MPs shows poorer students make decisions based on living costs and are more likely to live locally

Funding guarantee ‘cost government nothing’ and funding reforms ‘delivered no extra students’, Senate estimates committee hears

Months of talks among congressional Democrats shifts community college focus to preschool ages and aids minority campuses and immigrants

After years of crackdown on Chinese-born scholars, US universities in danger of losing critical base of students and workers, University of Arizona-led survey finds

‘Parallel universes’ promise more pain for international education, even as Covid finish line beckons

Two-thirds of eligible college students voted, with Trump-era motivations seen to be generating new political power for campus voices

Ombudsman pledges crackdown if institutions fail to come clean

Sector expresses relief that investment will increase to £20 billion by end of parliament, but fears investment not enough to maintain ‘superpower’ aspiration

Changes around student loan terms in England had been expected, but spending review only says announcement in ‘coming weeks’

Chancellor confirms delay to funding increase but says government will maintain commitment to overall target

Governments are ‘critical stakeholders’ and do not take kindly to universities ‘crying poor’, says former media boss Mark Scott

Male reviewers more than twice as likely as females to voluntarily identify themselves, and signed reviews substantially less critical of authors, analysis finds

University of Alberta president credits data and demographics for revival

Taipei’s soft power play should work as long as it keeps things apolitical, say academics

Data suggest that high proportion of entrants to subjects like nursing are mature learners who took access routes  

Universities see ambiguity in executive order tied to federal contracts, with few changing positions over it

Emphasis on student earning outcomes risks overlooking the bigger picture, say academics

Transparency ‘doesn’t go far enough’, says South Australian Greens MP

Continuing delays on Horizon Europe association could strengthen hand of Westminster figures who were ‘never that enamoured’ about joining

In data timed to the nation’s post-census redrawing of district lines, Tufts researchers offer legal grounds to challenge conservative tactics

Commons committee chair also raises concerns about UKRI chair’s lobbying of ministers ahead of spending review

Union urges education secretary to intervene on student loan changes and to press university bosses into talking on disputes

Four-year institutions long preferred to emphasise Pell Grant rather than work with community colleges to aid two-year transfers

Research funding increase must come with ‘place-based ecosystem’ or it will not boost productivity, says Hepi report co-authored by Lincoln leader

Sector heads call for Westminster government to stick to science spending pledge and set out how ministers will achieve it

Australian inquiry also recommends new national strategy, top-up funding and better union entry rights

Any move to limit higher education participation would be judged against policies of rival advanced economies – and by public opinion

UUK says universities need ‘stable funding’ to continue to ‘provide the world’ with science and skills ‘to safeguard the future of the planet’

As COP26 looms, universities’ vital place in the UK’s environmental armoury must be recognised in the spending review, says Judith Petts