Malawi government proposes new body to weed out fake degrees Former education minister says government will table bill for creation of new degree standardising body By John Elmes 26 July
UK university pension scheme deficit widens to £12.6 billion ‘Drastic action’ required to fix multibillion-pound shortfall in Universities Superannuation Scheme, expert warns By Jack Grove 26 July
Scholars still using new technology ‘to do the same damn thing’ Digital humanities pioneer Gregory Crane argues academics are failing to fully utilise the new tools of scholarship By David Matthews 26 July
Italian professors threaten exam strike over pay freeze Exams this coming autumn semester to be affected By David Matthews 25 July
Digital theology MA asks: ‘can you have sacraments online?’ New Durham course explores how Christians can engage with online realm By Matthew Reisz 25 July
Seeing double? Identical twins take up joint professorship Newcastle fine art posts for duo who specialise in ‘places with dark and complex histories’ By Matthew Reisz 25 July
Students’ marathon efforts put psychology into practice Positive psychology module mixed lectures with actual marathon running By Matthew Reisz 25 July
Taiwan told to sharpen research and ethics to battle Asian rivals Scholar returning to homeland from US to lead university speaks of his concerns By Holly Else 25 July
Video: Hermann Hauser on why universities should strengthen ties with industry The serial entrepreneur speaks to Times Higher Education at the 2017 THE Innovation and Impact Summit 24 July
Contraction of US higher education sector accelerates Number of universities eligible to award federal financial aid down 5.6 per cent year-on-year By Doug Lederman for Inside Higher Ed 24 July
Gender equality charter may head to India New report calls for Athena SWAN awards to be rolled out in India By Holly Else 24 July
Students avoid ‘different’ classmates for group discussions Research finds undergraduates ‘self-sort’ by gender and ethnicity for group work By Jack Grove 23 July
Chi Onwurah: research funding in regions could ‘rebalance economy’ Shadow science minister acknowledges challenge of combining excellence with ‘place’ in supporting R&D By Holly Else 22 July
REF 2021: Hefce proposes fix for portability concerns Both universities could gain credit when an academic moves, under plans By John Elmes 21 July
Dozens of scholars arrested and 300 sacked in Turkey purge ‘Staggering’ scale of persecution of Turkish academia condemned by scholars’ group By Jack Grove 21 July
Jo Johnson to announce v-c pay curbs, TEF changes Universities minister plans tougher protection for students, subject TEF pilot and graduate earnings link By Jack Grove 20 July
Graduates face ‘midlife tax crisis’ on loans London Economics shows how less well-off graduates will repay more than higher-earning peers By Jack Grove 20 July
How big is England’s North-South divide in graduate salaries? Plan to include LEO graduate earnings in TEF raises issue of regional pay differences By Simon Baker 20 July
Jo Johnson: student contracts could include ‘legal remedies’ Minister also warns Labour plan to abolish fees would mean ‘Reservoir Dogs ending’ for universities By Jack Grove 20 July
YouGov poll for THE: public opposition to £9K fees outweighs support But polling also finds balance of public opinion is against Labour policy and tuition fees rated low among voting priorities By John Morgan 20 July
The week in higher education – 20 July 2017 The good, the bad and the offbeat: the academy through the lens of the world’s media By THE reporters 20 July
Birmingham universities work together to widen access Students from University College Birmingham-validated foundation degrees will be eligible to enrol on University of Birmingham degrees with advanced standing By Chris Havergal 20 July
Sharp increase in first-class degrees triggers standards debate New analysis of Hesa data shows that at least a quarter of students get a first at a third of UK universities By Simon Baker 20 July
Call to end ‘segregation’ with mixed-ability universities in UK Middlesex v-c proposes ‘comprehensive element’ and end to ‘hyper-selective’ admissions in Hepi paper By John Morgan 20 July
Interview with Tracy K. Smith We talk race, taking advice from Seamus Heaney and poetry’s vital place in society with the US’s next Poet Laureate By John Elmes 20 July
Generational and class gaps in attitudes on fees, polling finds Tuition fees rank marginally above animal rights on list of voting priorities – but young people assign higher importance By John Morgan 20 July
Teesside’s ‘ignorant’ audit of professors under international fire University attacked by 750 academics for forcing entire professoriate to reapply for jobs By Jack Grove 19 July
Russell Group: ‘simplistic’ TEF could hit overseas recruitment A quarter of international students believe bronze award signals poor teaching, Hobsons survey finds By Seeta Bhardwa 19 July
Black students ‘50 per cent more likely to drop out’ Higher proportion of black students in London may contribute to capital’s higher dropout rates, says SMF By Jack Grove 19 July
Credibility of UK’s teaching fellowship process under scrutiny Scholar claims she was pressured to sign up to Higher Education Academy and did so without correct documents By Ellie Bothwell 19 July
Are researchers wreaking revenge on Rate My Professors? Academics with negative attitudes to teaching surveys more likely to score poorly on ratings site, study finds By John Elmes 19 July
Harvard committee urges ban on fraternities and sororities Panel of faculty and administrators wants to eliminate 'Greek systems' on campus By Jeremy Bauer-Wolf for Inside Higher Ed 18 July
Video: Caroline McMillen on establishing a young and dynamic university Watch the vice-chancellor of the University of Newcastle, Australia, deliver her keynote address at the THE Research Excellence Summit 18 July
Brexit department lacks scientific adviser as talks get under way UK government ‘negligent’ to begin negotiations to leave EU without key role being filled, campaigners say By Holly Else 18 July
Challenge and opportunity in Canada’s international student boom Funding restraints mean that hype about double-digit rises in applications may not immediately translate into huge increases in enrolment By Jon Marcus 17 July
PolyU head’s data-led approach to serving students and public Leader of Hong Kong Polytechnic University says institution ‘cannot think of itself as an isolated island’ By Ellie Bothwell 17 July
One in four Norwegian humanities researchers ‘never publishes’ Major evaluation of country’s research landscape also found that internationalisation was a key area for improvement By Ellie Bothwell 16 July
US academy ‘must commit to free speech’ as Republicans lose faith Survey finds majority of Americans on political Right currently believe universities have negative effect on country By Ellie Bothwell 15 July
Australian universities ‘must be central to regional growth’ Sector leader says the UK can offer insights into higher education’s role in regional growth strategies By Jack Grove 15 July
Study confirms physical proximity drives research collaboration Academics base conclusions on a decade of MIT publications and patents By Matthew Reisz 14 July
Chinese scholars ‘win up to £127,000’ for papers in top journals Analysis reveals extent of reward system for international publications, which could be distorting scientific incentives By David Matthews 14 July
Andrew Adonis attacks ‘greed’ of £450K Bath v-c Labour peer calls for funding council intervention on Glynis Breakwell’s salary By John Morgan 14 July
Chief executive of UK’s Student Loans Company suspended Steve Lamey put on leave ‘pending an investigation into concerns which have been raised’ By Chris Havergal 13 July
One in five alternative providers seeking degree-awarding powers Independent Higher Education survey indicates that new providers will look to compete with established universities in future By John Elmes 13 July
Subra Suresh named as next Nanyang Technological University head The former president of Carnegie Mellon University will lead the Singaporean institution from 2018 By Ellie Bothwell 13 July
Global Teaching Excellence Award: 27 universities on shortlist UK institutions make up more than half the finalists for inaugural HEA/THE prize By Chris Havergal 13 July
Applications to UK universities down 4 per cent, says Ucas EU applications drop 5 per cent post-Brexit, as numbers of mature and nursing applicants also decline By Simon Baker 13 July
Sector leaders debate: how can universities weather the storm? Round table discusses challenges of changing job market and political instability By Jo Faragher 13 July
The week in higher education – 13 July 2017 The good, the bad and the offbeat: the academy through the lens of the world’s media By THE reporters 13 July
Bad for business? One in five global MBAs runs at a loss Universities continue to run ‘jewel in the crown’ programme because of its ‘prestige’, survey finds By John Elmes 13 July
THE survey: one in three English v-cs backs Labour plan to scrap fees Half of university leaders surveyed say £9,000 system is unsustainable, showing widespread desire for major reform By John Morgan 13 July
Interview with Geoffrey Alderman We talk poverty, political correctness gone mad and the comfort of whisky with the outspoken historian By John Elmes 13 July
Justine Greening: Labour’s free tuition plan ‘threat to access’ Education secretary warns against following Scotland’s no-fees policy in England By John Morgan 12 July
Judge dismisses lawsuit against Texas campus carry law Court rules that professors suing the state did not provide evidence that presence of guns would impact on free speech By Ellie Bothwell 12 July
Cambridge plans postgraduate growth to counter financial worries University cites Brexit as factor causing financial uncertainty – but also as recruitment ‘opportunity’ By John Morgan 12 July
UK foreign aid budget ‘should fund university scholarships’ Thinktank recommends new scheme to increase inward and outward student mobility and boost UK’s soft power By Ellie Bothwell 12 July
As Western boycotts continue, Israeli universities look to Asia First Israeli university in China welcomes students this summer By Ellie Bothwell 12 July
Scrap plans for evening teaching shifts, college told Ravensbourne’s plans to stretch the teaching timetable to 7.30pm triggers staff revolt By Jack Grove 11 July
Berlin universities poised to cancel Elsevier contracts Some of Germany's most prestigious institutions are increasing pressure on the publisher to strike a new deal By David Matthews 11 July
Market competition and mass participation ‘reduces diversity’ Expanding university enrolment across the world has resulted in universities ‘imitating each other’, says leading scholar By Ellie Bothwell 11 July
