Most-read on our site this week: UKRI urged to be ‘transparent’ after adopting grant lotteries. The introduction of partial randomisation as an optional tool for making funding decisions prompts questions, and support, among research policy experts. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

It's Friday afternoon, so it must be time for our comedy Ivory Tower column! This week: The weak in politics. We've gained exclusive access to the diaries of education’s good and grating. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...

Tories would cut creative arts to ‘rebalance’ higher education. In ‘alternative King’s speech’, Conservative Party singles out creative arts as “low value”. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Australian Research Council bids vetoed on security grounds. Education minister nixes 13 applications to three of the funder’s schemes. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-aust...

BBSRC caps fellowship bids mid-call after surge in applications. Frustration as research council rejects preliminary submissions en masse due to “unprecedented demand”. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

UAL chief: ‘I feel the pain’ of universities facing arts crisis. Interview: www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Opinion: The Hidden REF is moving from demonstration to application. Next step is guiding universities on assessing non-traditional outputs, say Lyndsey Ballantyne and Michael Donnay. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...

EU member state governments have informally agreed a plan to “maximise the impact of science diplomacy” in promoting the bloc’s values internationally, including democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

Cranfield’s defence strength a boon for King’s, experts say. Merger seen as an “acquisition” by King’s due to Cranfield’s smaller size and financial challenges. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

King’s College London and Cranfield University agree to merge. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Here's another snap of @johnmorgan3.bsky.social from the awards last night, along with @francesjones.bsky.social who was shortlisted in the best writer in science and technology category Is that a prize bottle of English sparkling wine you see? Yes it is 🍾

🎉RPN acting editor wins prestigious journalism award🥳 John Morgan, acting editor at Research Professional News, has been awarded a prestigious prize at the British Society of Magazine Editors’ Talent Awards 2026. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-o...

Updated: England’s large research universities take financial hit. Now with further analysis of the OfS and Hesa higher education finance reports. Free to read. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Outrage over ‘Friday night massacre’ of US science board. Almost 2,500 people are calling on Congress to restore members of a key advisory board recently axed by the Trump administration. Free to read. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-usa-...

King’s College London and Cranfield University agree to merge. Cranfield to “become part of” London research-intensive institution by August 2027. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

🚨Breaking🚨 OfS publishes 2026 higher education financial health check report. Regulator says large research-intensive universities are holding back financial recovery, with positive signs elsewhere in the sector. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Free to read: Coalition S open access group appoints new director to lead strategy implementation www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

‘ERC ambition is not the problem—underfunding it is’ www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

‘More radical’ approach urged to cope with rising research grant bids. Universities must help ‘limit the flow’ of applications as funders grapple with volume, experts say. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

WooHoo! Huge congratulations to our very own John Morgan (@johnmorgan3.bsky.social) who has just been named Best Deputy Editor (B2B) at the BSME Talent Awards 2026! Thoroughly well deserved! 🥳🎉

The best of luck to @francesjones.bsky.social and @johnmorgan3.bsky.social in tonight's BSME Talent Awards 2026! 🤞

The UK must join Europe’s open access platform—or miss out. Ending hybrid funding without backing Open Research Europe will hit UK researchers, says Rob Johnson. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...

Nottingham job cuts ‘pose systemic risks to research’, union warns. Research-intensive university told it risks “intellectual stagnation” as 2,700 staff put at risk of redundancy. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

New Research Fortnight out today! Here are some of the highlights. 🧵 www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Australian budget boosts medical research and Csiro. Treasurer delivers positives for health fund and science agency, but university commercialisation programme is discontinued. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-aust...

My latest for Research Fortnight: 'A “highly successful” programme for using quantum technologies in fundamental physics research is in a state of limbo as decisions over its future hang in the balance, RPN understands.' Almost 50 postdocs have already been lost, according to project leaders.

I spoke to a few people involved in randomisation in research funding in some way for this piece, none of whom seemed to be aware that UKRI had moved towards lotteries being an optional tool in grant assessment Most were also supportive of the idea in general, but there were plenty of questions 🧵

‘World-leading’ UK quantum programme in limbo. Postdocs lost as quantum initiative for physics research caught up in wider funding uncertainty. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

UKRI urged to be ‘transparent’ after adopting grant lotteries. Funder’s quiet introduction of randomisation option across opportunities prompts questions, plus support for “innovative” action. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Analysis: ‘The era of norms is dead,’ so should peer reviewers be paid? www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-worl...

Opportunity profile: Building communities in data research. Two ADR UK funding calls seek academics to lead work with government departments. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-funding-i...

Headed to Holborn last week to interview @unioftheartslondon.bsky.social vice-chancellor Karen Stanton about arts education, the OfS and a few other things. Full interview: www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

EU institutions clash over design of next Erasmus+ programme www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

UAL chief: ‘I feel the pain’ of universities facing arts crisis. In our exclusive interview, University of the Arts London’s Karen Stanton discusses creative education and AI, plus OfS relations. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

I spoke to Ed Committee chair Helen Hayes about today's critical report on the government and the HE financial crisis. One thing she told me was that DfE needs to fight its corner against damaging policies from Treasury and Home Office. Full story: www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Research career improvement ‘must be a priority’ for Europe. Failure to improve careers “risks diminishing research workforce over time”, Science Europe warns. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

University autonomy under threat in Europe, leaders warn www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

My article on what the elections mean for higher ed for @resprofnews.bsky.social Plaid Cymru win lays groundwork for HE review, as electoral shifts across UK intensify pressure on universities www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

New: Lack of planning for university failure risks ‘lasting blow’ to R&D. Excoriating education committee report on HE finances warns government is not prepared for university insolvencies, with worrying implications for students and academics. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

University autonomy under threat in Europe, leaders warn. Senior figures call for more public debate, saying academic autonomy “not well understood”. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

New: Lack of planning for university failure risks ‘lasting blow’ to R&D. Excoriating education committee report on HE finances warns government is not prepared for university insolvencies, with worrying implications for students and academics. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Elections 2026: Plaid Cymru win lays groundwork for HE review. Electoral shifts across UK intensify pressure on universities to strengthen political and local engagement. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

British Academy head criticises ‘fragmented’ university policy. Among the most-read on our site just now. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...

Universities across Europe ‘face common funding challenges’ www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

Research career improvement ‘must be a priority’ for Europe, says @scienceeurope.org www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

Opinion: Paul Greatrix (@registrarism.bsky.social) and Smita Jamdar (@smitajamdar.bsky.social) argue that university governing bodies must embrace openness. Free to read. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...

UK universities urged to exploit EU programmes while they can. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Universities across Europe ‘face common funding challenges’. European institutions are tackling cost pressures, globalisation backlash and shifting research priorities, report says. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

Are researchers doing enough to boost trust in science? As public debate grows increasingly tense, some argue that scientists need more support with communication. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-worl...

Opinion: ERC controversy shows a research system failing to back good ideas. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...