Specialist master’s ‘main victims’ of course-cutting spree More than 300 social sciences programmes lost in past year, figures show, as critics bemoan decisions made on enrolment numbers alone By Georgia Luckhurst 16 June
Sheffield Hallam drops plan to employ staff via subsidiary firm University to keep employing academics directly after predictions that contribution rates to Teachers’ Pension Scheme will come down By Juliette Rowsell 15 June
Marking boycotters face heavy sanctions as assessments disrupted Edinburgh extends pay deductions to those who refuse to cover for colleagues taking part in industrial action By Juliette Rowsell 15 June
Universities too reliant on cuts to balance the books – Blunkett Former education secretary says mergers the solution for institutions in financial crisis as he calls for more ‘ambition’ in higher education By Georgia Luckhurst 15 June
The outsourcing of my job mirrors what is happening in the UK sector Universities are using a short-term cash crunch to make long-term structural changes, including greater reliance on private providers, says Glyn Robbins By Glyn Robbins 15 June
King’s Birthday Honours: top accolades for data science pioneers University of Lancashire vice-chancellor and former chief executive of Advance HE also recognised in annual list By Georgia Luckhurst 12 June
EU would ‘regret’ Horizon Europe budget cuts ‘for years’ University groups say plans to reduce funding for flagship research programme an ‘astonishing act of political incoherence’ By Seher Asaf 12 June
Meningitis B vaccine offered to all freshers after Kent outbreak School-leavers across the UK to be offered two-dose vaccination from July onwards By Chris Havergal 12 June
Russell Group warned over ‘divisive’ support for entry thresholds New leader of research-intensive grouping says ‘challenging conversations’ needed but critics urge united front against political attacks By Jack Grove 12 June
ERC banks on new ‘super grants’ to attract top researchers Latest effort to lure leading scholars to Europe comes as concerns grow over political oversight of research in the US By Seher Asaf 12 June
Bloomsbury Institute suspended from recruiting overseas students Private provider temporarily blocked from international recruitment amid UKVI probe as seven universities face visa action plans By Helen Packer 11 June
Smith: OfS ‘shouldn’t back off’ from free speech issues Skills minister says regulator could have handled Sussex investigation better but ‘lessons have been identified’ By Helen Packer 11 June
