OfS plans new regulations on free speech and grade inflation English regulator also says it wants to reduce overall burden on providers By Anna McKie 31 July
Covid-related exceptions from REF submission rules announced Some staff whose work has been disrupted by pandemic can be excluded, and leeway on publication deadlines also introduced By Chris Havergal 31 July
UCU: letting universities fail will mean towns and cities fail Analysis for union shows universities are often among largest local employers and have ‘huge impact’ on town and city economies By John Morgan 31 July
Graduate hiring outlook ‘brighter in continental Europe’ Early results from annual graduate employability survey suggest wide variations in views among firms due to pandemic By Simon Baker 31 July
Inclusion of support for research careers in next REF welcomed UKRI says research organisations will have ‘greater financial incentive’ to invest in supporting scholars By Ellie Bothwell 30 July
Hamburg Confucius split latest sign of German caution over China University’s international head says institutions have been ‘naive’ over global partnerships By David Matthews 30 July
UK plans tougher rules on clinical trial transparency Medical researchers who fail to publish their results could be denied approval for future experiments By Chris Havergal 30 July
Dissatisfaction with USS mounts as fund pays top staff more Pension scheme’s annual report shows relationship with members worsening amid ongoing dispute over contributions By Anna McKie 29 July
Redirecting the disadvantaged into FE will further stunt UK social mobility Higher education is no panacea, but critical thinking is the best antidote to inequality, say Chris Cunningham and Colin Samson By Chris Cunningham 29 July
Lockdown hits vocational education hardest, widening inequalities Universities and colleges offering hands-on training have found it harder to shift online, hurting their students, who are more likely to be from less-advantaged families By David Matthews 28 July
UK union fears thousands of job losses as casual contracts axed Union says that more than 1,000 posts are under review at at King’s College London, with Liverpool also looking at major cuts By Anna McKie 27 July
Disabled university staff ‘made to feel like misfits’ Research reveals that focus on ‘individual excellence’ in academia isolates disabled staff By Ellie Bothwell 27 July