Willetts attacks May plan on overseas students David Willetts has criticised “mean-spirited” plans by his Tory colleague Theresa May to put further restrictions on overseas students By John Morgan 23 December
May plans on international students would be ‘damaging’ Theresa May is reported to be drawing up plans to send all overseas students back home once they finish their courses. By John Morgan 22 December
Research funders must club together to address grand challenges Paper from Science Europe says not enough done at EU level for fundamental interdisciplinary research By Holly Else 21 December
Undergraduate teaching cost put at less than £8k Teaching postgraduates costs £11,300 on average while the figure for undergraduates is £7,700, according to a study for England’s funding council. By John Morgan 20 December
HE in FE report finds room for improvement Nearly one in three English further education colleges offering higher education that were reviewed last year have been told to make improvements By Chris Havergal 19 December
REF 2014: winners and losers in 'intensity' ranking Alternative ranking of REF results maps university performance against the proportion of eligible staff submitted. By Paul Jump 19 December
Ucas report suggests fall in entrance grades at selective universities The proportion of university applicants entering the most selective institutions with the highest grades has continued to fall, a new report says By Chris Havergal 19 December
REF year saw more on teaching-only contracts More academics were employed on teaching-only contracts around the time of the research excellence framework deadline, new figures show By Jack Grove 18 December
Oxbridge graduates start on £8K more than post-92 alumni Graduates of the universities of Oxford and Cambridge start on salaries that are £7,600, or 42 per cent, higher than those from post-92 institutions By Chris Havergal 18 December
REF 2014: Is London now dominant? The results of the research excellence framework have triggered claims that London universities are challenging the longstanding dominance of Oxbridge By Chris Havergal 18 December
REF 2014: live reaction All the reaction to the research excellence framework as we get it By Chris Parr 18 December
REF results reopen funding debate Rising quality leads to questions about future QR formula By Holly Else 18 December
REF 2014: Scotland and Wales claim success Devolved countries claim proportion of 3* and 4* submissions above average By Chris Havergal 18 December
NUS seeks resignation of head of visa group Union claims that conflict of interest means leader of a government body formed to help students caught up in a visa crackdown must go By Chris Havergal 18 December
Dispel illusion of PhDs leading to jobs for life, says Royal Society Universities told to help doctoral students explore wider career opportunities By Holly Else 18 December
China warms to Catholic university’s mission ‘Ethical and moral’ focus aids University of Notre Dame’s collaborative ambitions in officially atheist state By Chris Havergal 18 December
University of Kent lecturer’s age discrimination claim to be reheard Appeal tribunal overturns dismissal of case brought by Stephen Games over university’s PhD requirement By Jack Grove 18 December
REF 2014 results: table of excellence Some post-92s gain, but traditional research powers dominate 2014 research excellence framework rankings By Paul Jump 18 December
REF 2014 winners: who performed best? King’s College London raised its GPA while submitting more staff. Who were the other notable achievers and underachievers? By Paul Jump 18 December
Student votes: will Lib Dems’ loss be Labour’s gain in May? Coalition partner’s fees ‘betrayal’ could bring 2015 poll shifts in student-heavy constituencies. The campus political landscape assessed By John Morgan 18 December
Salford v-c’s exit follows change in council chair Upper-level turbulence hits another institution in a rough year for university leaders By John Morgan 18 December
Campus close-up: University of Bristol New hilltop facility’s made-to-measure features aim to help biological research achieve liftoff By Holly Else 18 December
Scholars feel slighted by the editorial gatekeepers More than half of academics have felt maltreated by journal editors, survey finds By Jack Grove 18 December
Broadway musical scholar revives ‘forgotten’ gem about celebrity Sheffield lecturer’s production of Hazel Flagg with its Jule Styne score combines research, teaching and outreach By Matthew Reisz 18 December
QAA inquiry says London campuses not ripe for visa fraud An inquiry has appeared to dismiss claims that student visa abuse is taking place at London branch campuses By Jack Grove 17 December
Science and Innovation Strategy launched by government Treasury also announces review of research councils to ensure ‘maximum impact’ from investment By John Morgan 17 December
Finance is barrier to postgraduate study, Hefce study confirms Worries about funding do deter final-year undergraduates from progressing to postgraduate study, according a new analysis By Holly Else 17 December
King’s London rebrand plan sparks uproar Students and alumni of King’s College London have reacted with horror after the university announced it will change its name to “King’s London”. By Jack Grove 16 December
Quarter of academics believe REF will lead to redundancies University staff reveal their concerns ahead of research excellence framework By Chris Parr 16 December
New code for university governing councils published A new code for UK university governing bodies aims to be a “bulwark against over-regulation”, as governance tensions rise in the sector By John Morgan 16 December
Margaret Hodge tears into government over private colleges Chair of PAC tells civil servant he is ‘failing’ to account for public money and says situation is ‘nothing short of a scandal’ By John Morgan 15 December
Impact of higher fees on HE laid out in UUK report The impact of the introduction of £9,000 tuition fees at English universities is detailed in a new report By Chris Havergal 15 December
UCL launches website on animal research A London university has created a website to give the public information about its research on animals By Holly Else 14 December
Cherie Blair made visiting professor at St Mary’s Cherie Blair has been appointed a visiting professor of law at a Catholic university By Jack Grove 13 December
Science Europe warns over research funding The budget of the European Union’s flagship research and innovation programme should be ring fenced, an association of research funders has said. By Holly Else 13 December
Cable calls for increase in science spending Business secretary Vince Cable has called for an increase in funding for science in a speech at the Royal Academy of Engineering By Holly Else 12 December
Private providers asked for urgent figures on widening participation Private providers have been asked to help prepare the government for a key hearing on private higher education just days before it happens By John Morgan 12 December
Manchester Met appoints Malcolm Press as next v-c Manchester Metropolitan University has appointed a new vice-chancellor – at the second time of asking By John Morgan 12 December
Welsh government considers response to England postgrad loans The Welsh government has said it will “look at all the options” before deciding whether to follow England’s lead in introducing postgraduate loans By Chris Havergal 11 December
THE journalists honoured in CIPR Education Journalism Awards 2014 Times Higher Education reporters have won plaudits for their agenda-setting journalism at a national awards ceremony By Times Higher Education Staff 11 December
BBC World Service director Peter Horrocks to be next OU v-c The next vice-chancellor of The Open University will be Peter Horrocks, currently the director of the BBC’s World Service. By Chris Havergal 11 December
University of Northampton refuses FoI request for minutes University claims exemption from releasing details of board of governors meeting, citing ‘commercial interests’ By John Morgan 11 December
Rethink reliance on self-funded postgraduates Plans to raise researcher numbers at risk if study is unaffordable, universities warned By Holly Else 11 December
Too many postdocs, not enough research jobs Fears rise in the US that talented early career scientists are being driven out of the sector because of lack of opportunities By Jon Marcus 11 December
Language degrees: when the words are not enough Seminar debates conflicting trends in the discipline as industry figures look beyond fluency By Matthew Reisz 11 December
Fight fixed-term work, research councils entreated UCU argues that a rise in project-based grants fuel job insecurity and deter postgraduates from working in academia By Chris Havergal 11 December
Campus close-up: University of Sheffield Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions and Imagine: Imaging Life project combine forces to tackle deadly bacteria By Matthew Reisz 11 December
From YouTube to e-books: novel ways to reach students James Pickering, named 2014’s most innovative teacher at the Times Higher Education Awards, discusses making content accessible. Plus the latest higher education appointments By John Elmes 11 December
Warwick academics ‘treated like City traders’ with financial targets UCU official attacks redundancy criteria at the university amid calls to reverse ‘dangerous’ process By Paul Jump 11 December
Engineering degrees still not appealing to women Little change in uptake over past 10 years despite millions spent on initiatives to widen participation in STEM subjects By Holly Else 11 December
Developing nations are too focused on Anglo-US universities, v-c says South African v-c tells THE BRICS and Emerging Economies Universities Summit that rankings steer institutions away from vital local concerns By Jack Grove 11 December
Australia: Coalition takes second run at higher education reform bill One day after a Senate defeat, the government renews efforts to pass controversial package of changes By Paul Jump 11 December