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Almost a quarter of students and school-leavers in the UK intend to study abroad, with the main motivators being a desire for adventure, plans for an international career or financial worries about pursuing university at home, a survey has found.

The president of Universities UK floated proposals for uncapped tuition fees to be paid by private investors in return for a proportion of a graduate's salary, it has emerged.

Minister keen to improve global mobility ranking, but students will face costs. Matthew Reisz writes

Sarah Cunnane on the former Kingston employee taking terpsichorean aim at a 'circle of corruption'

Fees could rise at lower end as pool shrinks, while ABB allows expansion at top. David Matthews writes

Government's confused and 'negative' social mobility strategy attacked. Rachel Williams writes

Academics must be more involved in decision-making, David Matthews hears

Institutions get targets on 'economic relevance', income and dropout rates. David Matthews writes

Universities are beginning to find the price of sporting glory too high to bear, writes Jon Marcus

These images, held in the archives of the University of Strathclyde, come from the papers of William J. Ireland (1924-2002), a graduate of the Scottish School of Physical Education who went on to become a well-known teacher of country dance.

REF and students' desire for insider insights spur career-switch scheme. David Matthews reports

Institute will study the appeal of death-camp tours and kitsch tourist traps. Matthew Reisz reports

Sector prepares to repel raids on research budgets as spending review looms. Paul Jump writes

David Willetts has reaffirmed his support for full open-access publishing and has drafted in the Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales to advise the government on how best to make the transition.

By Jennifer Bennett for

Teesside University has had its licence to sponsor international students reinstated after it was suspended in early February.

Imperial College London on 30 April announced that is to create two leadership roles of “president and rector” and “provost” in a shift to a US-style senior structure.

By Libby A. Nelson for

Former prime minister Tony Blair has called for UK higher education to be seen as “a major export” – but warned that universities risk being “left behind” if they do not adjust to change, including public-private partnerships.

A committee of senior Harvard academics has urged the university’s staff to publish in open access journals amid concern that the cost of journal subscriptions is becoming “untenable”.

The government has announced that uncapped recruitment of the highest-achieving students at A-level will be extended to the ABB threshold in 2013-14, while a further 5,000 places will be allocated to cheaper institutions through the margin system.

The Million+ group of post-1992 universities has appointed Patrick McGhee, the vice-chancellor of the University of East London, as its new chair.

Staff don't see that sector needs initiative and funds, says Charles Clarke. David Matthews writes

Cengage's plans to digitise the 19th century could open up a whole new world, finds Matthew Reisz

As annual tuition fees treble to a maximum of £9,000, Jack Grove looks at the elements that affect prospective students' choices

Higher education MBA fetes 10th year as sector's need for 'strategy' rises. David Matthews writes

Wi-fiand en-suite facilities are a must, but so is a sense of community - and universities are working hard to accommodate students' needs, finds Olga Wojtas

Academics at the Rothamsted Research laboratory have launched a direct appeal to protesters not to trash a trial crop of genetically modified wheat at a protest planned for later this month.

The countdown to the eighth annual ̽����Ƶ Awards begins this week, with a call for entries from universities across the UK.

In trying to attract students, institutions must be clear about what they are offering - and careful not to make promises they can't keep. Jack Grove reports

Suzanne Bearne examines the reasons for a split between arts and science students

The overreaction of university managers to the impact agenda is narrowing the kinds of research scholars feel able to carry out, academics have warned.

BIS/Treasury face-off over AAB policy is near an end, report David Matthews and Rachel Williams

Higher education may become a prime target for government cuts unless the sector presents a compelling case for its importance within the wider economy, the head of England's funding council has warned.

More traditional US institutions are playing for-profits at their own game by offering short professional courses. Jon Marcus reports

Dense, wordy, wooden, Foucault-flaunting prose? There is another way, scholar tells Matthew Reisz

Universities may be forced to use swipe cards that monitor student attendance to comply with tough new immigration rules, a vice-chancellor has warned.

As the internationalisation of higher education increases competition between institutions, universities risk losing sight of their true academic values, according to a report by the International Association of Universities.

This photograph features a scene from the 1904 revival at the Moscow Arts Theatre of Maxim Gorky's play The Lower Depths, about a group of impoverished Russians living together in a shelter by the Volga river.

Critics decry plans for an alternative medicine chair funded by 'holistic' clinic. Paul Jump writes

The proposed "concordat" on research integrity will impose more burdensome regulation on social science, even though the disciplines show no evidence of misconduct problems, according to the Academy of Social Sciences.

Many universities are improving the experience for their students, as our survey shows. And they are achieving it by making the effort to understand their students’ particular needs. Zoë Corbyn reports

QAA agrees that degree-awarding powers will move with institution. John Morgan reports

Only one in five offers by the New College of Humanities has gone to a person from a state school so far, according to A.C. Grayling, the master of the new institution.

Liam Burns has been re-elected as president of the National Union of Students

Two Islamic societies at London Metropolitan University have launched a scathing attack on “undemocratic, ill devised and misleading remarks” by the vice-chancellor, who proposed banning alcohol from parts of the campus in case it offended Muslims.

The Northern Ireland government has issued the region’s two universities with a checklist of targets as part of its higher education strategy.

The University and College Union has called on the governors of London Metropolitan University to “intervene and re-direct” the institution after a survey returned a 91 per cent vote of no confidence in the vice-chancellor.