‘People should be allowed to say things we don’t like’, says MP Liberal Democrat Julian Huppert decries ‘illiberal’ campuses and ‘selfish’ calls by v-cs to raise tuition fees By Joe Sandler Clarke 22 January
OECD’s head of education gives thumbs up to ?9K tuition fee system Endorsement comes after ministers are accused by Labour of misleading Parliament By John Morgan 22 January
Nobel laureates write to KAUST over Saudi flogging case Academics in Saudi Arabia have been urged in an open letter signed by 18 Nobel Prize winners to condemn the public flogging of blogger Raif Badawi By Jack Grove 20 January
Kent student named as Green Party HE spokesman A student at the University of Kent has been named as the Green Party’s spokesman for higher and further education By Chris Havergal 20 January
Bedfordshire joins Glasgow in fossil fuel commitment The University of Bedfordshire has become the second higher education institution in the UK to commit to not investing in the fossil fuel industry By Harriet Line 20 January
UK now ranked fifth on HE participation, says OECD The UK is ranked fifth among the world’s most developed nations for the number of young people with higher education, after rapid progress since 2000 By John Morgan 19 January
Ed Miliband urges action on student voter registration Labour leader also pledges to say more on HE policy ‘by time of manifesto’ By John Morgan 16 January
Greg Clark criticises ‘dumbing down’ comments on diversity Science and universities minister says more must be done on issue By Paul Jump 16 January
Foreign students used as ‘pawns in a political game’ Theresa May criticised after 网曝门 Office proposes new rules for overseas cohort By Chris Havergal 15 January
Terror bill ‘incompatible’ with coalition’s stance on free speech after Paris attacks Lawyer says government condemns terror attack on Charlie Hebdo but legislation could have a ‘chilling effect’ on campus debate By Joe Sandler Clarke 15 January
Will Self: freedom of speech a ‘fetish’ in wake of Paris attacks Freedom of speech has become a “sexual fetish” in the West in light of the Charlie Hebdo terror atrocity, according to academic and writer Will Self By Joe Sandler Clarke 13 January
Universities ‘should be excluded’ from counter-terror powers, say MPs Government plans to tackle “extremism” will have a “seriously inhibiting effect on bona fide academic debate in universities”, MPs and peers warn By John Morgan 12 January
Duke of York defended by Huddersfield v-c The University of Huddersfield vice-chancellor Bob Cryan has defended the Duke of York, its patron, in the face of “ridiculous” sex allegations By John Morgan 9 January
Universities’ place in North West economic plan highlighted David Cameron and George Osborne have trumpeted universities’ involvement in plans to boost the economy of the North West By Joe Sandler Clarke 8 January
Universities must not become part of the security apparatus The counter-terrorism bill will co-opt academics into the ‘securocrat’ and chill debate on campus - it must be fought, says Martin?Hall 8 January
Theresa May’s overseas students plan ‘blocked’ by chancellor Plan to force overseas students to leave the UK after graduation appears to have been blocked by George Osborne By John Morgan 7 January
Fee hike ‘has not driven teaching improvement’, says UUK panel Raising tuition fees to ?9,000 has not helped drive improvements in teaching despite the government’s insistence it would improve standards By Joe Sandler Clarke 6 January
Dyson latest to criticise May plans James Dyson has become the latest to criticise plans mooted by home secretary Theresa May’s to send overseas graduates home after their course 5 January
Greg Clark fails to rule out merging UK research councils The universities minister offered no guarantees in the review of the agencies By John Morgan 1 January
Old campus battles roll on into new year Alan Ryan is dismayed to see that the US is still bedevilled by lethal racism 1 January
New year’s resolutions – for others to keep Imagine having the power to direct higher education leaders, scholars or policymakers to take - and stick to - a new approach in 2015 1 January
New Year Honours 2015: Marina Warner and Nigel Thrift among those recognised Award-winning writer and scholar Marina Warner and Warwick vice-chancellor Nigel Thrift are among those recognised in the New Year Honours By Chris Havergal 30 December
Willetts attacks May plan on overseas students David Willetts has criticised “mean-spirited” plans by his Tory colleague Theresa May to put further restrictions on overseas students By John Morgan 23 December
May plans on international students would be ‘damaging’ Theresa May is reported to be drawing up plans to send all overseas students back home once they finish their courses. By John Morgan 22 December
2014: the year that shaped the 21st century? Nicholas Boyle, the author of 2014: How to Survive the Next World Crisis, reflects on the predictions he made about the past 12 months 18 December
NUS seeks resignation of head of visa group Union claims that conflict of interest means leader of a government body formed to help students caught up in a visa crackdown must go By Chris Havergal 18 December
Student votes: will Lib Dems’ loss be Labour’s gain in May? Coalition partner’s fees ‘betrayal’ could bring 2015 poll shifts in student-heavy constituencies. The campus political landscape assessed By John Morgan 18 December
Margaret Hodge tears into government over private colleges Chair of PAC tells civil servant he is ‘failing’ to account for public money and says situation is ‘nothing short of a scandal’ By John Morgan 15 December
Cherie Blair made visiting professor at St Mary’s Cherie Blair has been appointed a visiting professor of law at a Catholic university By Jack Grove 13 December
Cable calls for increase in science spending Business secretary Vince Cable has called for an increase in funding for science in a speech at the Royal Academy of Engineering By Holly Else 12 December
Private providers: maligned and misunderstood? Alfred Morris argues that alternative providers, criticised by the National Audit Office, aren’t the villains they’re made out to be. 12 December
Questions remain over postgraduate loan figures Uncertainty over how many students will apply for the loans and how much the scheme will cost By John Morgan 11 December
Coherent higher education policy? Far from it Despite the introduction of postgraduate loans, the government’s education funding aims remain a puzzle, says Nigel Carrington 11 December
Australia: Coalition takes second run at higher education reform bill One day after a Senate defeat, the government renews efforts to pass controversial package of changes By Paul Jump 11 December
Universities risk only ‘social elite’ having key knowledge Emeritus professor warns over growth of higher education courses that veer towards the ‘mundane’ By Chris Havergal 10 December
Time for the taught master’s to shine? Criticism of postgraduate loans scheme smacks of the adage: ‘never let a good deed go unpunished’, writes Andrew Wathey 9 December
Postgraduate borrowers ‘would face 50 per cent tax’ George Osborne’s postgraduate loans plan would mean borrowers having upwards of 50 per cent of their salary deducted when they repay. By John Morgan 4 December
Academics label proposed Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill ‘censorship’ University leaders and lecturers fear for freedom of speech under proposed anti-extremism legislation By Chris Havergal 4 December
Student vote could topple Nick Clegg in Sheffield Hallam Hepi report predicts that the student vote could swing the advantage to Labour at the general election By John Morgan 4 December
National Audit Office report fuels concerns over private colleges Watchdog names those with questions over public loan access and high dropout rates By John Morgan 4 December
Postgraduate loans welcomed, but what about mature students? Loans of up to ?10,000 to be available for master’s students under the age of 30 By John Morgan 3 December
Two universities to benefit from East London development The government has awarded more than ?140 million to develop a new Education and Cultural Quarter in London at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park By Holly Else 2 December
Private provider dropout rates and loan access laid bare by NAO Dropout rates at nine alternative higher education providers were higher than 20 per cent in 2012-13, the National Audit Office has revealed By Paul Jump 2 December
MPs call for major research funding boost A group of MPs has called on the government to ensure 3 per cent of GDP is invested in research and development by 2020 or risk the UK falling behind By Holly Else 1 December
Student vote ‘could swing 10 seats to Labour’ The student vote could swing the advantage to Labour in about 10 seats at the next election and “hold the keys to power” in a close fight By John Morgan 1 December
Julia Goodfellow to be first female UUK president Dame Julia Goodfellow will become the first ever woman to lead Universities UK, after being named its next president. By John Morgan 27 November
Raising taxes can shield universities from further funding cuts, says Vince Cable The view of the Liberal Democrat business secretary is in stark contrast to the Conservatives’ pledge to make ?7 billion of tax cuts By Chris Havergal 27 November
Post-war higher education: Robbins mysteries, History Boys myths Peter Mandler, Royal Historical Society president, to speak on post-war ‘escalator’ in university access By Matthew Reisz 27 November
Regional influence: universities as the new local authorities Jim O’Neill on how institutions outside London can do more to retain graduates and create jobs with government help 27 November
Beyond political prejudice A surprising graduation talk on climate change causes Sally Feldman to question her biases 27 November
Postgraduate loans may be limited to students in STEM fields The Autumn Statement is likely to unveil a new loans system amid concerns over funding and who will have access to the scheme By John Morgan 27 November
Are universities the engines of regional prosperity? George Osborne wants institutions to spur growth outside London, but not everyone thinks campuses can and should take on such a role By Chris Havergal 27 November
Has the market delivered for students in higher education? Paul Wellings and Toni Pearce consider the impact of higher fees 27 November
Labour big beast Clarke savages possible ?6k policy A former Labour education secretary has warned his party not to reduce tuition fees to ?6,000 By Jack Grove 26 November
Universities could be forced to ban ‘extremists’ under new law The government will have the power to order universities to ban ‘extremist’ speakers from their campuses, under a new bill By John Morgan 24 November
University regulation ‘not fit for purpose’, says Which? English higher education regulation is “no longer fit for purpose” and there needs to be “a strong regulator to protect students” paying higher fees. By John Morgan 23 November
Commons row over student places figures Liam Byrne has accused the government of mixing up its figures in its plan to fund extra student places when number controls are scrapped. By John Morgan 21 November
Grammar schools 'not linked to degree advantage’ Grammar schooling is “not linked to any significant advantage” in getting a degree or graduating from an “elite” institution, new research suggests By John Morgan 21 November