UK Higher Education News

• Labour halts Tory law on freedom of speech in English universities July 26, 2024
  Education secretary ‘to consider options’ including repeal of controversial powers introduced by last governmentUK politics live – latest updatesPowers introduced by the Conservatives to protect freedom of speech in universities have been halted by the new government in a dramatic about-turn, paving the way for ministers to scrap the legislation.Only days before it was due […]
  Sally Weale and Ben Quinn
• Ucas personal statements weren’t read by academics | Letter July 23, 2024
  A reader who was a university programme director responds to the news that personal statements are to be scrappedRe your article (Farewell, Ucas personal statements: I won’t miss your hackneyed, cliche-ridden prose, 20 July), while I was the director of an interdisciplinary (combined honours) programme at a Russell Group university, the most common question I […]
  Guardian Staff
• Send us your old Ucas personal statements July 23, 2024
  To mark the end of the personal statement for university applications in Britain, we would like to see your old onesThe Ucas personal statement has long been a dreaded stage in the university application process for teenagers.But from next year, the 4,000 character statement will be replaced by a set of questions on why students […]
  Guardian community team
• English universities should not expect government bailout, Phillipson says July 22, 2024
  Education secretary acknowledged crisis in sector with many institutions facing severe financial difficultiesUniversities in England facing severe financial difficulties should not expect a government bailout, the education secretary has said, despite warnings from the sector of thousands of job losses, course closures and even bankruptcies.With 40% of institutions projected to run budget deficits this year, […]
  Sally Weale Education correspondent
• Chinese university sacks professor after social media accusation of sexual harassment July 22, 2024
  Doctoral student at Renmin University of China school of liberal arts in Beijing posted recordings on WeiboA top Chinese university has fired a professor, a day after a graduate student accused him of sexual harassment on social media in a rare public allegation and posted recordings as evidence, drawing widespread support.The woman, who identified herself […]
  Associated Press in Hong Kong