New data lay bare Europe’s gender gap for STEM graduates However, latest data from EU suggests eastern European nations having more success in keeping gap narrow By Simon Baker 27 December
Sector sees opportunity in Cabinet split on visa salary threshold Higher education leaders fear shortage of skilled workers if limit is not lowered from £30,000 By Anna McKie 24 December
Major drive to create data science tools for historians launched Turing Institute and British Library collaborate on project to use artificial intelligence techniques to analyse texts By Matthew Reisz 22 December
Philosophers urge Hull to think again over course cuts Linguists also concerned about the creation of modern-language ‘deserts’ By Matthew Reisz 21 December
Want researchers to save the world? Let them have fun Encouraging academics to spend time with scholars from outside their own discipline will be vital to tackling today’s grand challenges, says Annette Rubery By Annette Rubery 21 December
Max Planck Society cancels Elsevier subscription over open access Organisation follows nearly 200 German research organisations in cutting ties with publishing giant By Chris Havergal 20 December
Survey finds wide variation in UK university support for EU staff Several institutions refusing to pay settlement fees for employees or their families By Rachael Pells 20 December
Leading UK universities spend £49 million on pre-REF job cuts Spike in severance payments in Russell Group may be sign of attempt to shed ‘underperforming’ academics By Jack Grove 20 December
Teaching intelligence: how to use lecture capture With many staff required to record their lectures and put them online, how can they ensure students are still learning effectively? By Anna McKie 20 December
Muted welcome for UK’s six-month post-study work visa Welcome for abolition of cap on visas for skilled workers, but continuing concern over impact of £30,000 salary threshold By Jack Grove 19 December
Academics’ families are suffering from high UK visa costs UK universities must cover soaring staff visa costs to mitigate the effects of the Home Office’s harmful policies, says Tristan Sturm By Tristan Sturm 19 December
Rise in firsts ‘unexplained’ at most English universities Office for Students head says ‘spiralling grade inflation’ must be tackled after latest figures show universities with most explaining to do on issue By Simon Baker 19 December