Coronavirus

Minister warns that indecision over reforms could ‘sacrifice’ opportunity to reform sector during Covid

Academics also cite immigration policies and ‘dwindling’ funding as reasons why position in country is no longer ‘holy grail’

Publications must always permit debate on the quality and relevance of research – plus the efficacy and costs of derived policy, says Robert Dingwall

Gavin Williamson also says students should not be subject to additional lockdown measures

Regulator intervenes as some institutions suspend in-person teaching

Government should ‘pump in’ more resources for online infrastructure to address inequality, expert says

Pandemic forces institutions to respond to practical challenges but also to produce work that addresses crisis and helps forge new forms of art

Humanities scholars play a crucial role in communicating with the public during Covid

Experts lament ‘death by a thousand cuts’ amid fears Covid redundancy schemes could finish off pared back programmes

The pandemic’s demolition of barriers and bureaucracy clears the way for a better higher education sector, says Pat Tissington 

It makes no sense to oblige students to risk their own and others’ health by travelling long distances and converging on campus, says Brian Wong

LSHTM director thinks communications failures explain why US and UK trail Vietnam and Senegal on pandemic responses 

Australian university to proceed with disputed staff cuts but introduce element of choice

Institutions and teachers find workarounds to reach students enrolled in Western courses, but domestic internet rules still constrain efforts

Number of campus-related infections, which was calculated using mobile phone records, has been estimated by researchers at 3,200 per day

A large ongoing survey at King’s College London is informing the institution’s approach to Covid-19, say Gabriella Bergin-Cartwright and Sharon Stevelink

University president says C$250 million donation is ‘a tremendous shot in the arm’ and shows that donors are still willing to give during the pandemic

Meanwhile, Scottish students in halls and flats are already forbidden from returning to parents’ homes

Labour peer and scientist also worries that ‘moonshot’ ambitions for 10 million tests a day is setting up science to fail

‘Top down’ antipathy feeds broader experience of discrimination, student representatives warn

Universities told that emphasis on tackling pandemic, climate change and digital transformation may require ‘reshuffling of money’

NSW minister predicts early resumption of student flows, as states and territories develop plans for flights and quarantine

University scientists prove nimble, but still wish for government allies

The global recession triggered by Covid-19 is already ‘more challenging’ in Europe than the 2008 financial crash, warns EUA policy expert  

Universities in Lebanese capital focus on student funding and retaining staff after explosion, but leaders say future of sector will depend on make-up of new government 

Principal asks students to stay in their rooms as much as possible from 7pm Friday evening

Psychologist says scholars are still in ‘emergency’ mode and universities should recognise that the year ahead ‘may not be brilliant’ in terms of teaching quality

Female deficit seen at medRxiv more than doubles in first months of pandemic

Experts point to a variety of reasons for continuing digitally even as Covid cases fall 

Experts stress quick, consistent and centralised approaches, plus extra support for students and IT systems, during webinar

Global survey conducted by THE reveals concerns that reopening universities could drive spikes in infections and that financial concerns are being prioritised over well-being

Australian forum hears that reduced ‘flow across borders’ could be an ongoing reality

Oxford epidemiologist and lockdown critic says ‘puritanical’ criticism of idea of herd immunity has chilled legitimate scientific and policy debate

Study that uses data from a UK university to model typical campus scenario warns fifth of students could catch virus within term one without interventions

Expert calls for equal treatment of aspiring doctors, whether they are educated abroad or at home

The normalisation of burning out should no longer be accepted, say academics who have experienced it, particularly with coronavirus exacerbating the problem

French package to nearly double budget of National Research Agency and add extra 30,000 university places

Campaigners warn that technical details of how to manufacture vaccine candidates are in some cases not being released, risking the world’s ability to ramp up production

With infection rates increasing and online teaching well established, why risk everyone’s health by reopening, asks Richard Watermeyer 

Job security, research funding and work-life balance for young academics have all been worsened by the pandemic, say four academics  

Nation’s biggest four-year system giving half-million students time to prepare

Bolton vice-chancellor describes dealing with new restrictions when the start of term is weeks away

Union says some aspects of new advice are ‘confusing, expensive and at times silly’

‘HyFlex’ learning and cutting-edge virtual reality techniques set to help students and staff bridge physical and language barriers

Campus leaders see justification in limited outbreaks and grateful students

To navigate the pandemic, organisations need a frank review of their competencies, at both senior management and board level, says Michael Hartmann

Union criticises government guidance and reiterates call to keep teaching online-only until Christmas

New developments suggest Covid fallout may not be as devastating as feared for international education flows

Some universities fear losing 40-50 per cent of international student numbers in Covid crisis, MPs also hear

Letter from shadow universities minister follows Sage paper warning over impact of return to campuses

The shielding of the academic workplace from all risk of Covid-19 is not a safe or sane position, says Robert Poole

Latest Education at a Glance report says that impact of pandemic on international recruitment is about more than fee income 

Latest NUS survey finds satisfaction with digital learning provision has decreased since beginning of lockdown

Students from low-income backgrounds must not suffer from the unavoidable shortage of places, says David Katz

Government scientific advisers call for nationally coordinated response to campus outbreaks

It makes no economic sense for job-retention schemes to postpone the inevitable, says Paul Oslington

Analysis finds that a college’s reopening decision for the autumn term is tied to the red or blue shade of its state

With the pandemic triggering greater emphasis on class time, something has to give as teaching-research model collides with sector’s ‘real-world’ problems

Admonishments from student leaders will ring louder than punishments for non-adherents, say Sheldon Jacobson and Janet Jokela

Instilling graduates with a global outlook is a mission more vital than ever, says Duke Kunshan University vice-chancellor-elect Alfred H. Bloom