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Health advice to the overweight is often based on bad science, says dietitian. Paul Jump reports

This tin box of glass eyes mounted in aluminium, which attempts to classify a wide variety of colours into 16 categories, forms part of the Galton Collection at University College London.

An Indian student who won his Sheffield place in a TV contest has just graduated, writes Neha Popat

Jonathan Adams explains why, in his opinion, THE's are so important

A long-awaited analysis of the state of US research programmes has resulted in controversy after it arrived three years late and produced a novel form of ranking.

Dozens of complaints were lodged against universities with the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman last year but few were upheld, a new report reveals.

Tuition fees may need to rise to more than £7,000 a year to compensate universities for the cuts in teaching funding being considered by the coalition government, the president of Universities UK has warned

The coalition government has been criticised by Labour’s shadow business secretary for attacking its goal of widening participation in higher education.

By Scott Jaschik for

Botswana’s expulsion of academic flouted African Charter, says ruling. Rebecca Attwood reports

Canada, Japan, France and UK are home to just a quarter of forecast prizewinners, writes Paul Jump

David Willetts tells the British Academy that the government values its work. Matthew Reisz reports

Council minutes say outcome of audit of student numbers is 'risk to university'. Simon Baker writes

Offa chief suggests cash should go to outreach in schools instead, writes Rebecca Attwood

Although it may look more like a slice of cake or the world's most elaborate pizza topping, this is in fact a paint sample from the dado rail in the coffee lounge of St Pancras Chambers.

Business contacts must be cultivated in the age of austerity, academics argue. Hannah Fearn writes

Delight in US, gloom in Europe and scratching of heads in Australia. Phil Baty assesses reactions

Report advocates an 'efficient and fair' alternative to the student loans system, writes Hannah Fearn

Matthew Reisz on startling research into the role facial features play in our opinions of other people

Are you on the shortlist?

Publish data to show reality of study and prospects, says quality chief. Rebecca Attwood reports

Ministerial 'bungle' distracts attention from sector's major problems. Simon Baker writes

Business secretary still seeks progressive system linking payments to earnings. Simon Baker reports

Global ethics guidelines set out researchers’ duties to be clear and above board, writes Paul Jump

Vince Cable used a fringe meeting at the Liberal Democrat party conference to defend his stance on cutting some science funding in the forthcoming public spending review.

The “artificial” barriers between universities and further education should be swept away in a bid to a create a “revolution” in post-16 education and training, Vince Cable has told the Liberal Democrat party conference.

One of Britain’s best-known physicists has attacked government plans to severely cut the science budget as “ludicrous”, warning of a devastating impact on the UK economy.

By Steve Kolowich for

A coalition government agreement to abolish tuition fees in England and replace them with a system closer to a graduate tax is near and simply needs edging “over the line”, Simon Hughes, the Liberal Democrats’ deputy leader, has said.

Europe’s first major academic school of government, which opens today at the University of Oxford, has been bankrolled by one of the largest philanthropic gifts received by the institution in its 900-year history.

After two years of staff losses further reductions will hurt quality, universities warn. Hannah Fearn writes

Postdoctoral research scientists should look elsewhere for fruitful careers as the financially stretched academy increasingly cannot accommodate them, delegates at the British Science Festival heard this week.