UCU staff back strike action over cuts to campaign team Union says it is ‘committed to resolving this issue as a matter of urgency’ as Unite urges it to continue funding for postgraduate rights role By Tom Williams 26 September
UKRI rejects call to treat postgraduate researchers as staff Funder’s ‘New Deal’ will examine welfare arrangements for PhD students but insists they are better off ‘without an employment contract’ By Jack Grove 26 September
‘Administrative error’ forces second UCU branch to cancel strikes Staff union steps in to try to protect those responsible for mistakes, as anger grows among membership By Tom Williams 26 September
Ucas appoints Ofqual’s Jo Saxton as new chief executive Chief regulator who oversaw return of GCSE and A-level exams to take over at admissions service By Tom Williams 26 September
World Academic Summit: ‘jealousy’ blocks interdisciplinary research Incentives needed to build research across disciplines to address global challenges, THE summit hears By John Morgan 26 September
V-cs unconvinced as lifelong learning entitlement progresses As legislation driving rebadged lifelong learning entitlement passes, sector leaders caution that mature learners’ aversion to debt means it cannot bring ‘transformation’ ministers foresee By John Morgan 26 September
Pioneer’s ‘really bold’ fellowships still on cards, hints Freeman Science minister tells researcher conference to ‘watch this space’ on plans for longer fellowships to rival Max Planck’s decade-long offers By Jack Grove 25 September
OfS trials surveying students on prevalance of sexual misconduct English regulator expects to publish the outcomes of its consultation on sexual misconduct in the coming months By Patrick Jack 25 September
UCU calls off Newcastle strikes in error Union mistakenly sends withdrawal notice to university amid confusion over who is and isn’t taking part in latest walkouts By Tom Williams 25 September
Fragmented UCU strikes leave reballot campaign ‘in the balance’ Union attempts to rally members to renew the fight but few branches opt to take part in industrial action planned for start of new academic year By Tom Williams 25 September
Two-thirds of UCU branches pull out of nationwide strikes Several major universities face disruption at start of the academic year but appetite for taking action begins to fragment By Tom Williams 22 September
Next generation of humanities scholars ‘imperilled’ by PhD cuts Arts and Humanities Research Council funding ‘has been some sort of oasis, but it too is now quickly drying up’ By Jack Grove 22 September