V-cs fear logistical headache of staggered return to campuses Leaders say they are happy to support safe return of students, but worry about timing and convincing staff By Anna McKie 16 February
English minister’s academic freedom broadside ‘confects conflict’ Gavin Williamson’s call for OfS to ‘support individual academics’ in curriculum rows could ‘set up wall with university leadership’ By John Morgan 15 February
Skidmore hopes to push UK government to outlaw essay mills Former universities minister calls on Department for Education to support private member’s bill outlawing contract cheating By Anna McKie 15 February
Internationalisation doesn’t appear to be very international The most successful scholars are those who reach out ‘globally’ by publishing in English. But this narrow ‘internationalisation’ should be challenged, says Hanne Tange By Hanne Tange 15 February
Commercial return on investment should count in UK R&D funding Evidence shows that universities outside the golden triangle are among the best at creating successful companies, says Brian McCaul By Brian McCaul 15 February
Plasticine modelling helps reject ‘consumer’ student model Spaniards and Poles notably buck the trends found in other countries By Matthew Reisz 14 February
UCL academic board asks council to replace antisemitism definition Vote comes amid growing row over IHRA definition, which a UK minister wants universities to adopt By Simon Baker 12 February
Scottish dental students forced by Covid to repeat a year Holyrood ministers say pandemic restrictions mean students have been unable to gain sufficient clinical experience By Chris Havergal 12 February
Sciences Po appoints new head amid sex abuse scandal Students are recounting instances of abuse on Twitter following resignation of university director and governing board chair By Ellie Bothwell 12 February
Overseas aid research cuts raise doubts over £22 billion target Hefty cuts to the fund supporting two flagship international research schemes do not square with UK’s science spending ambitions, warn leaders By Jack Grove 12 February
Ministers must set out remit of ‘high risk’ research funder – MPs Science and Technology Committee says ‘Arpa’ may be most effective if set up outside UK Research and Innovation By Ellie Bothwell 12 February
Concern over pandemic’s unequal impact on TEF ratings Experts fear submissions in 2021 won’t be able to appropriately account for wide range of disruptions to student experience caused by pandemic By Anna McKie 11 February