Race equality plan signs up universities Thirty universities have joined the national trial of a new race equality initiative. By Holly Else 31 May
Independent Scotland would 'attract international students' An independent Scotland would reintroduce post-study work visas and ease restrictions on overseas students, the Scottish National Party has pledged By Stephen Maughan 30 May
Fast-track investigation of for-profit colleges, urges Liam Byrne Call from Labour shadow universities minister follows series of revelations By John Morgan 30 May
A-level reforms graded 'F' by students NUS/OCR poll finds widespread disquiet over Michael Gove’s proposals By Jack Grove 29 May
Unions chide Edinburgh Napier over zero-hours job adverts Criticism follows latest vacancies for controversial contracts By Chris Parr 29 May
SLC investigates for-profits’ funds Inquiry into 24 private institutions is triggered by ‘potential irregularities’ By John Morgan 29 May
RAB charge debate will ‘perplex’ future generations, says Willetts Minister predicts that in 2050 no one will understand today’s anxiety over ‘strange figures’ By John Morgan 29 May
‘Lack of transparency’ in Gloucestershire’s potential tie-up with INTO Council members absent from vote on venture with for-profit firm By David Matthews 29 May
UCU chief: ‘without surgery, I would have died’ Sally Hunt praises the NHS as she reveals the reason behind her six months off work By Jack Grove 29 May
Campus close-up: Nottingham Trent University One v-c is pursuing novel alliances and fundraising efforts to keep research at his university’s core By Paul Jump 29 May
Sexual assault cases force US campuses into a ‘delicate dance’ Variable laws and calls for better protection of students have colleges negotiating a minefield of legal and PR issues By Jon Marcus 29 May
Knowledge exchange activity worth ?3 billion Value of contract research on the rise at English universities, according to Hefce report By Holly Else 29 May
UCU considers vote of no confidence for Surrey v-c Lecturers ‘at mercy of students’ after introduction of anonymous teaching evaluation method By Jack Grove 29 May
Welsh fret over scope of higher education bill Universities fear ‘unclear’ proposed legislation is more far-reaching than Hefcw’s existing powers By David Matthews 29 May
Big data serves up linguistics insights British Academy event details potential in faster, better routes to statistical analysis By Matthew Reisz 29 May
Tenure track positions for postdocs in Germany Technical University of Munich and Max Planck Society launch tenure track scheme. Plus the latest higher education jobs and appointments By Holly Else 29 May
Employment disputes cost sector ?19m over four years Settlements and legal fees are high compared with other sectors, says lawyer By Paul Jump 29 May
Oxford to stay with NUS after vote-rigging claims Oxford students are set to stay affiliated to the National Union of Students after vote-rigging allegations over the referendum that broke the link. By Jack Grove 28 May
In pictures: Glasgow School of Art fire Photographs of the interior of the Mackintosh library at the Glasgow School of Art reveal the extent of the damage done by a fire that tore through the building By Stephen Maughan 28 May
MLA mulls five-year completion target in PhD reform Colleen Flaherty reports for from the Modern Language Association conference 2014 By Colleen Flaherty 28 May
SLC rapped over data breach The Student Loans Company has been criticised after sending medical details and even a psychological assessment of applicants to the wrong people By David Matthews 28 May
Student binge drinkers targeted The National Union of Students and the Home Office have launched a scheme tackling student binge drinking, including initiations and pub crawls By Stephen Maughan 28 May
Imperial to create 'Silicon Valley London' with ?40m gift Imperial College London will build a new biomedical engineering centre on its White City campus thanks to a ?40 million donation By Holly Else 27 May
India: Modi appoints ex-TV star to higher education brief Former Indian TV star Smriti Irani will be the minister responsible for the nation’s universities and colleges in Narendra Modi’s new government By Stephen Maughan 27 May
BBC/AHRC New Generation Thinkers take to stage Scheme offers young researchers the chance to build media profile By Matthew Reisz 27 May
Call for 15-fold increase in Britons studying in China Government intervention after study suggests lack of language skills costing UK billions By David Matthews 27 May
Technology’s value to humanities must be made clearer Melissa Terras to call for ‘better communication’ of benefits By Chris Parr 26 May
Cambridge centre for postdocs opens The University of Cambridge has opened a new postdoctoral centre for early career researchers. By Holly Else 25 May
Twelve technologies set to revolutionise higher education in Australia...and beyond Report identifies emerging technologies likely to have an impact on teaching, learning, and creative inquiry in tertiary institutions across Australia By Chris Parr 23 May
QAA investigating private college at centre of public funds row But also emerges that watchdog passed LSST for educational oversight last September By John Morgan 23 May
Glasgow School of Art fire prompts anguish There has been widespread dismay from artists, students and politicians after the listed Mackintosh building of the Glasgow School of Art caught fire By David Matthews 23 May
Institute of English Studies planned closure put on hold ‘Wider range of options’ to be explored by University of London By Matthew Reisz 23 May
IOP launches ‘offsetting’ scheme to cut cost of open access A publisher has launched a pilot with 21 UK universities to reduce their subscription costs in proportion to the amount of open access fees they pay By Paul Jump 23 May
Nottingham apologises after personal data leak The University of Nottingham has had to apologise for accidentally releasing personal data to around 13,000 people. By Matthew Reisz 23 May
‘Place-hacker’ prosecution ‘attack on intellectual freedom’ Oxford academic at centre of case says ‘clearly punitive investigation’ undermined ethnographic research ?? By David Matthews 22 May
Watchdog called in on private college use of student loans The UK’s public spending watchdog has been asked to investigate possible misuse of public money in the student loans system by for-profit colleges. By John Morgan 22 May
Oxford students’ union breaks NUS link The University of Oxford has become the latest higher education institution to disaffiliate from the National Union of Students. By Jack Grove 22 May
UCL and IoE merger on track for December Governing councils give the green light to look at detail of deal By Holly Else 22 May
Saskatchewan president fired after sacked professor row A Canadian university president at the centre of a row about the sacking of a professor who spoke out about planned cuts has been dismissed. By Chris Parr 22 May
Employers could turn to bespoke Moocs, Willetts says Courses with ‘de facto’ accreditation might address frustration at lack of graduates’ skills, minister says By Chris Parr 22 May
Hepi student survey highlights unhappiness over value for money Poll reveals a cut in fees and more hours of teaching top student wishlist By John Morgan 22 May
Aberystwyth v-c faces chorus of digital disapproval Petition to oust head follows Twitter hoax set up in her name By David Matthews 22 May
Research funding on the rise The amount of research council funding universities receive has increased in real terms by about half since 2002-03, according to a new report By Holly Else 22 May
All Welsh universities ‘deserve’ share of research cash Welsh Assembly committee says institutions should receive minimum award regardless of quantity of world-class research By David Matthews 22 May
HR head: union shutout ignited staff enthusiasm Derecognising Unite and Unison has led to greater employee engagement with the university, says the University of Reading’s John Brady By Jack Grove 22 May
Quicker NHS trials bid may miss its mark Some fear plan to streamline approvals from trusts will not end local roadblocks By Holly Else 22 May
Chatham House Archives published online First module of digital resource, covering 1920 to 1979, shines light on colonialism’s end, communism and Cold War By Matthew Reisz 22 May
Australia’s move to scrap fee caps could see England following suit UK government urged to assess financial fallout before embracing similar system By Paul Jump 22 May
Ukip could 'challenge higher education expansion' Bright Blue modernisers warn Conservatives to differentiate their university agenda to avoid possible inroads by the UK Independence Party By John Morgan 22 May
Campus close-up: GSM London Unhindered by league tables, a for-profit business-focused institution says it is happily widening participation By John Morgan 22 May
Closure of Institute of English Studies would be a ‘disaster’ University of London proposal will have negative impact on the discipline and postgraduates, academics warn By Matthew Reisz 22 May
Is it the end for USS final salary pensions? Proposal to shift all active members to career average system to tackle ?13 billion deficit By Jack Grove 22 May
Murder and ‘blasphemy’: Pakistan’s academy in danger Scholars at Risk Network warns of threats to academic freedom after the killing of a lawyer defending a scholar By Matthew Reisz 22 May
Bart Moore-Gilbert: the truth about my father A postcolonial scholar began a troubling quest after learning about his father’s role in counterinsurgency in India By Matthew Reisz 22 May