̽����Ƶ

These signed drawings of pigs, many of them dated between 1903 and 1910, are held in the archives of the Royal Northern College of Music.

Ministers have introduced a system of "due diligence checks" for private higher education providers, it has emerged, as new figures show that the number of their students accessing state-funded loans has nearly doubled in a year.

'No scientific content' the sticking point as second mathematics treatise is retracted. Paul Jump writes

The president of a flagship research university in Saudi Arabia will emphasise his institution's role in creating jobs for the country's burgeoning youth population in the Higher Education Policy Institute's annual lecture.

This graph, from a Higher Education Statistics Agency report, shows how institutions in the four nations of the UK rely on very different types of student for their tuition fee income.

Economic benefits are 'by-products' of teaching and research, says Sir Leszek. Elizabeth Gibney writes

Unity confirmed, but Russell Group's new chair will have to deal with Gove. John Morgan reports

Opposition to tuition fees among German students is waning as they reap the benefits of extra educational funds, a conference has heard.

Leading social scientists are distilling some of their biggest ideas into an easily digestible series of podcast interviews.

But publishers dismiss Willetts’ suggestion as not a ‘game changer’. Paul Jump reports

Middlesex fellow faces 'Kafkaesque' scenario over failure to win Follow-on cash. Paul Jump writes

Peer-reviewed scholarship takes on demons and ghosts. Matthew Reisz prepares for an encounter

Matthew Reisz meets a refugee academic given new life, just like the one saved by THE readers' support

Jack Grove reports from Tokyo on De Montfort's canny cultural diplomacy

But still no sign of higher education bill. Simon Baker and David Matthews report

Universities’ overseas activities should come under closer scrutiny in the new risk-based quality assurance regime, England’s funding council has proposed.

By Susan Woodward for

By Mitch Smith for

The vice-chancellor of the University of Wales, Newport, is to resign from his post for personal reasons at the end of this academic year.

A group of leading scholars has presented a petition to Oxford University Press calling on the renowned publisher to uphold what it describes as “basic scholarly standards”.

Reforms instigated by the Bologna Process are damaging German universities and producing lower-quality graduates, a conference has heard.

The different means-tested bursary and fee-waiver schemes introduced by universities to mitigate the impact of higher tuition fees on poorer students will create “further complexity”, including “cliff edges” where support disappears at particular income levels.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.