Strike warning as increase in USS pension contributions backed Joint negotiating committee says scheme members should contribute 9.6 per cent of their salaries, up from 8.8 per cent currently By Chris Havergal 22 August
The week in higher education – 22 August 2019 The good, the bad and the offbeat: the academy through the lens of the world’s media By THE reporters 22 August
Abuse case professor ‘could have been stopped sooner’ Former colleagues call for investigations to disclose what Strathclyde and Heriot-Watt universities knew about Kevin O’Gorman’s conduct By Nick Mayo 22 August
Paul Clough, 1948-2019 Tributes paid to ‘socially committed’ expert on Africa and the Mediterranean By Matthew Reisz 22 August
No more guitar heroes? Questions over attractiveness study Male guitarists may be disappointed to learn that a study showing they are more attractive to women may be unsound By Jack Grove 22 August
Hong Kong university leaders urged to stand up for protesters New term may force vice-chancellors to confront issue of mass demonstrations, experts say By Jack Grove 22 August
Lesley Wilson: universities are more connected than ever before The outgoing secretary general of the EUA explains what turned her into a European, what annoys her about universities and the importance of shutting the office door By David Matthews 22 August
Careers intelligence: how to avoid ‘death by PowerPoint’ There are plenty of pitfalls to be aware of when using slides in a presentation – academics in the know give their top tips By Nick Mayo 22 August
University stops barring graduations over outstanding rent More than 2,000 students affected by Liverpool’s ‘academic sanctions’ in two years By Chris Havergal 21 August
AI bot poses as essay writer for hire to catch contract cheaters Essay mill expert likens Georgia Tech’s tactics to entrapment By Anna McKie 21 August
Male economists more likely to accept papers by other men Gap in acceptance rates for major European conferences entirely down to behaviour of male referees By Nick Mayo 21 August
Fresh warning on Australian universities’ China exposure Institutions assume they will be bailed out if enrolments fall because they are ‘too big to fail’, says report By John Ross 20 August
Czech totalitarianism institute faces questions over research Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes has often been at the centre of contemporary political battles over the country’s communist past By David Matthews 20 August
Tory ‘rebalancing’ from HE to FE a ‘policy and political project’ Director of Onward thinktank says polling showing public opposition to university expansion justifies shift in emphasis By John Morgan 20 August
Morton Schapiro: sacking fears ‘silence US university leaders’ Northwestern head says declining terms of presidents leave serving leaders wondering when they will be pushed out By Ellie Bothwell 20 August
Can mapping curricula shed light on teaching and academic impact? Columbia University project reveals which texts are set most often on university courses around the world By Anna McKie 19 August
Minority students ‘may be penalised’ by learning analytics shift Universities split over whether data on achievement and engagement should be used to encourage learners to switch majors By Paul Basken 19 August
Australia resurrects master’s degrees for PhD preparation ‘Macquarie model’ credited with cutting attrition and accelerating completion, and is now being emulated elsewhere By John Ross 19 August
Melbourne focuses on ‘shared challenges’ in India strategy Top Australian university to boost collaboration with India and Indonesia as China concerns wrack sector By John Ross 19 August
Researchers struggle to defend web against ‘deepfake’ videos Academics are wary of directly verifying whether videos are faked, and warn they need social media companies to cooperate By David Matthews 18 August
Canadian university baulks on huge tuition hike for rejects Massive fee for those narrowly missing acceptance seen as warning of abandoned principles By Paul Basken 17 August
North American professors slow to embrace sharing research data As academics fault journals on open access, data suggests significant responsibility also lies with professors By Paul Basken 16 August
Australia Universities Forum: Domestic students feel more isolated than foreign learners says v-c International students feel “at home” while locals feel left out on outsized Australian campus, says Michael Spence By John Ross 16 August
Top universities replace UK school-leavers with foreign students Non-European Union recruitment likely to widen resources gap between elite and rest of sector By Anna McKie 16 August
A-level results day 2019: UK university acceptances down again Reduction driven by shrinking of school-leaver population By Chris Havergal 15 August
Schoolchildren less convinced of importance of university Social mobility charity says 11- to 16-year-olds in England and Wales may be increasingly aware of apprenticeship options By Chris Havergal 15 August
The week in higher education – 15 August 2019 The good, the bad and the offbeat: the academy through the lens of the world’s media By THE reporters 15 August
New research alliance cements global split on AI ethics Europe and Japan take different approach to US and China on potential risks of technology By David Matthews 15 August
Ágnes Heller, 1929–2019 Tributes paid to ‘one of Europe’s most revered philosophers and outspoken dissidents’ By Matthew Reisz 15 August
Sarah Garfinkel: nothing beats the excitement of new results The neuroscientist discusses how she was born into research, her fascination with the human heart, and the joys of drawing graphs By Rachael Pells 15 August
Master’s fees tipped to rise further if bachelor’s bills cut First Complete University Guide survey since Augar review raises prospect of domestic master’s fees overtaking annual charges for undergraduates By Simon Baker 15 August
US science chief sees need for even-handedness in China crackdown National Institutes of Health’s reasons for pursuing scientists reflect behaviours long tolerated among domestic academics By Paul Basken 15 August
Teaching intelligence: making assessment inclusive Relying on exams and essays to assess students excludes those with disabilities and ignores the real purpose of higher education, Ruth Payne writes By Ruth Payne 15 August
Alaska governor halves ‘severe’ university budget cut Under pressure, state leader spreads smaller reduction over three years By Paul Basken 14 August
Australia Universities Forum: performance funding ‘needs legislation’ Legal structure could offer opportunities for horse trading on proposed scheme By John Ross 14 August
Australia Universities Forum: practical barriers ‘thwart industry collaboration’ Campus no place to meet industry partners because ‘you can’t find the building’ By John Ross 14 August
Long commutes make students more likely to drop out Travel time negatively affected progression at three of six London universities studies By Anna McKie 14 August
Boss of UK’s biggest student housing firm paid £2 million Unite Students’ executive pay deals prompt union criticism of ‘massive rises funded by public money and student debt’ By John Morgan 14 August
‘Weaker’ research ties outside Europe pose Brexit challenge Data underline strength of links built via EU framework programmes and highlight amount of work needed to develop ties further afield By Anna McKie 14 August
Labour backs post-qualification admissions system for England Abolishing predicted grades system would help poorer students, says Angela Rayner By John Morgan 14 August
Australia Universities Forum: rankings-driven ‘fantasy’ has had its day, says v-c Sydney’s Michael Spence says increasing competition, growing costs and changing expectations mean institutions need to change tack By John Ross 13 August
Michael Arthur to step down as UCL president Leader, who will relinquish post in September 2020, credited with leaving institution in ‘very strong’ position By Nick Mayo 13 August
Flipped classroom ‘fails to improve student performance’ Authors of randomised control trial study warn that popular approach could be exacerbating achievement gaps between different groups of learners By Anna McKie 13 August
Francis Collins: science’s great survivor – and cheerleader Despite reservations over staying on in Trump administration, National Institutes of Health director is glad he did By Paul Basken 13 August
Fear of unfair punishment under Australian performance funding Diverse measures guard against unintended consequences but suggest few universities can achieve top marks By John Ross 12 August
US campuses report surge in student mental health woes Four out of five presidents in survey describe escalation in recent years By Paul Basken 12 August
Goldsmiths bans beef in bid to go carbon neutral New warden of London institution also announces levy on single-use plastic By Juan Rubio Gorrochategui 12 August
THE Live 2019: programme announced Two-day event to focus on how UK universities can ‘change the story’ By THE reporters 12 August
Cardiff in recruitment drive for fixed-term ‘brilliant lecturers’ University says scheme will give junior academics ‘opportunity to experience life as a full-time lecturer’, but critics suspect REF link By Nick Mayo 12 August
UK’s first ‘dean of place’ turns civic thinking into action Newcastle’s Jane Robinson wants to work strategically with local partners to help address north east’s post-industrial challenges By John Morgan 12 August
Taiwan technology merger eyes Asian university race But academics question the logic of consolidating three institutions in different locations By Ellie Bothwell 12 August
Men with low marks ‘better off at college’, but not women Gender determines whether university study is in directionless students’ interests By John Ross 11 August
California academics quit Elsevier journals in open access row Resignations follow loss of access to company’s titles By Paul Basken 10 August
Australian teaching costs ‘not well understood’ Deloitte report suggests teaching costs have accelerated as funding stalls By John Ross 9 August
Athena SWAN equality charter could cover ethnicity and disability Consultation options look to reduce administrative burden of flagship scheme By Nick Mayo 9 August
‘Substantial gaps’ in African education research Inadequate funding and lack of interregional collaboration hindering much-needed scholarship, report says By Anna McKie 9 August
Australian leaders resist training reforms Vocational training funding freefall to continue as governments bicker By John Ross 9 August
UK promises fast-track visas post-Brexit and makes ERC cash vow Research leaders welcome announcements but warn of impact of no-deal departure By Chris Havergal 8 August
Compulsory Dutch looms for foreign students in the Netherlands Universities, already facing upheaval on several other fronts, fear imminent plans could make it far harder to recruit students By David Matthews 8 August
University of Queensland to offer Western civilisation courses Agreement with controversial Ramsay Centre follows divisive internal debate By John Ross 8 August