The revelation that four out of five bidders for the 20,000 cut-price undergraduate degree places are further education colleges may be disguising the fact that many are simply bidding to "stand still".
The new head of the 1994 Group has marked the start of his tenure with an outspoken attack on the coalition's higher education policy, arguing that it "lacks ambition".
Universities could see recent record financial surpluses wiped out if the decline in applications from some sections of the international-student market continues, the chair of governors at a Russell Group institution has warned.
British academics working in the UK for wealthy US institutions are being urged to unionise to improve pay and to counter "potential threatening behaviour" from employers.
A Turner Prize-winning artist has criticised a decision by a university art school to concentrate more on digital-based courses in a restructure that threatens around a dozen jobs.
A professor of English studies at the University of Strathclyde has been named as the new director of research at the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Universities in the UK should be wary of any attempts by the European Commission to take greater control of higher education policy as it could present a threat to institutional autonomy, a vice-chancellor has told a House of Lords committee.
Any attempt to legislate to make it easier for private companies to take over universities could be challenged by one of the government's own watchdogs, it has emerged.
Teaching in universities that are usually ranked towards the bottom of higher education league tables is more consistently of a high standard than instruction at institutions towards the top of the rankings, a study has suggested.
The University of Leeds International Textiles Archive includes embroidery, fibres, stencils and pattern books, slides of processing equipment and stunning fabrics from places as far afield as Indonesia and Italy.
A risk-based approach to quality assurance could lead to more rather than less red tape for universities because the government's reforms are likely to put pressure on standards.
Nationally agreed criteria for the appointment of external examiners are to be introduced, along with a greater role for students in scrutinising the system.
The vice-chancellor of an Australian university is to step down along with his deputy over irregularities that helped a close relative to secure a place at the institution.
The Astronomer Royal has called for a system of scientific research funding which puts far less stress on improving efficiency in the office management sense and sets out to maximize the chance of landmark achievements.
Universities that do not demonstrate extensive school involvement in their initial teacher training provision may cease to be able to offer such courses.
A total of 27 universities and colleges have applied to lower their tuition fees in 2012-13 so they can compete for some of the 20,000 cut-price places being created by the government.
The head of outreach programmes at the University of Cambridge has said that students at the institution are "appreciably better" than they were 20 years ago.
