Recruitment agents mis-selling courses to students, OfS finds. researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-uni…

This (as you'd expect from Anna Grey ) is very good indeed. REF (like politics) is the art of the possible.

Fieldwork can show engineers if they’re really helping. Poor understanding of users makes many research projects self-serving, say Michael Berthaume (@mberthaume) and Nicola Bailey (Nicola Bailey). researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-vie…

What do people want to see? A fix for university funding, REF reform and financial support for students, according to Chris Parr

Recruiters are mis-selling courses to students, OfS finds. researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-uni…

UKRI has focused on “worst-case-scenario planning” for a university “exiting the market”, while Research Fortnight understands it has set up a body to explore the potential impact of the sector’s funding crisis on research. researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-res…

An increase in tuition fees to between £12,000 and £13,000 per year would represent a “fair” settlement for universities in England, the vice-chancellor of King’s College London has said. But he acknowledges this would be unpalatable. researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-uni…

Report ‘shows universities part of UK growth infrastructure’. UUK-commissioned study estimates economic impact of teaching, research and innovation to be about £158bn. researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-uni…

Germany dominates ERC’s latest Starting Grant round. researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe…

Universities need tuition fees of £12,500, says VC. However, KCL chief acknowledged that requesting such an increase might make universities seem "out of touch and clueless". researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-uni…

Poular this week. UKRI launches second round of interdisciplinary research funding. researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-res…

University of Edinburgh ‘in dialogue’ with ministers on axed supercomputer. Vice-chancellor meets science secretary after £800 million investment shelved, as Tories go on attack. researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-pol…

Fact that university funding crisis is danger to UK research has always been implicit; this makes it explicit: UKRI board minutes show it planning for scenario of a university "exiting the market" (free to read) researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-res…

Now free to read: UKRI plans for the scenario of a university exiting the market. Board discussed “worst-case” planning, while sources suggest UKRI has created “observatory” on university finances. researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-res…

Peter Kyle: “I wouldn’t wish a doctorate on my worst enemy!” Science secretary highlights the importance of his PhD studies in his work as a politician—but also recalls how tough PhDs are. Free to read. researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-pol… Peter Kyle

As someone who did a PhD and didn't go into academia, I still wonder whether it was all a waste of time (and money in lost earnings). Peter Kyle talking about "life-changing" skills he gained in his PhD making me feel slightly better. researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-pol…

UKRI chief executive admits workloads ‘impacting staff’. UKRI staff have raised concerns about bullying, overwork and burnout to senior management, according to notes from internal webinars obtained by Research Professional News. Free to read: researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-res…

Research England finds ‘big backlog’ in lab and estate repairs. A Research England investigation into the state of laboratories and other research buildings is set to unveil a significant backlog of repairs across the country’s research estate. researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-uni…

Peter Kyle: ‘I wouldn’t wish a doctorate on my worst enemy!’ UK science secretary says PhD study was tough, but the skills he gained play a vital role in his government work. researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-pol…

OfS chief: regulator must ‘go further’ to engage universities. The chief executive of the Office for Students has promised that England’s regulator will “work hard” to improve its relationship with universities. researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-uni…