The latest ministerial guidance is an affront to the OfS’ independence If the English regulator agrees to tear up universities’ current access plans it risks undermining any perception of autonomy, says Geoffrey Alderman By Geoffrey Alderman 11 January
Anthony Finkelstein: moving between government and academia The City president discusses his personal ties to the institution, the opportunities and threats universities pose to national security, and self-indulgence in higher education By Rosa Ellis 11 January
Swiss and UK grantees left waiting as ERC announces awards Success rate for prestigious starter grants drops below 10 per cent By Ben Upton 10 January
UK’s lead on international mobility in Europe ‘shrinking’ Data suggest that European mobility and recruitment from Asia are rapidly diversifying campuses on the continent By Simon Baker 10 January
Islamophobia row puts French campuses in crossfire as poll looms Sciences Po Grenoble director calls for ‘calm and rationality’ after suspension of Klaus Kinzler leads to loss of regional funding By Ben Upton 10 January
A physicist as minister could prompt a quantum leap in Dutch HE Robbert Dijkgraaf's appointment to the Netherlands’ new government has got academics very excited, says Michèle Wera By Michèle Wera 10 January
The UK has already met its overseas recruitment target. Time for another With concerted efforts, the UK could attract far more than 600,000 international students to its shores, says James Pitman By James Pitman 9 January
Sacked lecturer who university refused to reinstate awarded £100K Union accuses Huddersfield of ‘cold and calculated’ decision not to give Jonathan Duxbury his old job back By Chris Havergal 7 January
‘Stupid’ squabble over Paris name ‘sets France back 15 years’ Decision by top court means another rebrand will be needed to help outsiders understand who’s who among republic’s reassembled universities By Ben Upton 7 January
Transgender disputes threaten to split university unions Gender critical theory and harassment move up agenda as major battles over pay and pensions loom By Jack Grove 6 January
Hepi: ‘first-generation student’ tag unhelpful for admissions Appealing narrative attached to ‘first-in-family’ students may obscure the actual extent of their social disadvantage, says researcher By Jack Grove 6 January
UK ‘missing out on talent’ as eastern European enrolment plummets Figures suggest just a tenth of previous entrant numbers from some countries got a study visa By Simon Baker 6 January