Higher education news for libraries and librarians

This report contains information on UKRI’s historic annual spend on studentships and fellowships, alongside associated starts and stock at aggregate and council level. IntroductionThis publication provides information on UK Research and Innovation (UKRI’s) historic annual spend on studentships and...

Unchecked UK and UCL Policy Lab have produced a guide to how vulnerable the UK’s scientific and regulatory bodies are to political interference, based on the latter’s report last autumn. The new guide rates 44 bodies in domains including how senior leadership appointments are made and the degree to which priorities can be set independently of government. Both UKRI and the Office for Students are assessed as being at medium risk of political interference.

Cassandra Hugill argues that more needs to be done to support students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to thrive during their postgraduate studies 

A measure to monitor learners starting pathways - courses and subjects - that are more likely to lead to priority occupations in priority growth sectors.

Government promises to deliver a “new deal for young people” with real opportunities to work and renewed social contract where hard work pays off

• The Independent Inquiry into White Working Class Educational Outcomes finds that severe absence, academic performance, sense of belonging, and relationships between families and schools are all markedly worse for white working class pupils.
• These gaps emerge early, widen through primary school, and accelerate during the transition to secondary, where engagement often collapses.
• Many white working class pupils and families do not believe that doing well in school reliably leads to opportunity, financial security and a good life.
• Working class families do not have fair access to high-quality early education and are demotivated by the absence of apprenticeships in their communities.

International students’ experiences of English language requirements

Glen Noble gets across what the Chinese government’s recent five-year plan means for international scientific collaboration and UK universities Glen Noble gets across what the Chinese government’s recent five-year plan means for international scientific collaboration and UK universities

Following a consultation, the Office for Students is introducing a new quality assessment system to provide students with a clear view of the quality of teaching and learning delivered by every registered university and college.

Thousands of open-text survey comments go unread every cycle. Daniel Robson and Helena Lim argue that AI can help universities hear what students are actually saying, and act before the next survey closes.