BREAKING: Royal Society to reconsider expelling Elon Musk Violent rhetoric in address to anti-immigration rally pushes science academy to reassess billionaire’s fellowship (Free to read) www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...

Universities may face extra £25,000 bill for TEF. Office for Students estimates cost of potential government funding withdrawal amid Teaching Excellence Framework shake-up. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Significant. A lot of eyes will be on the outcome of that meeting. 👀

Ian Chapman: ‘I join UKRI at a crucial and exciting time’. Writing exclusively for Research Professional News, new UKRI chief says the funder’s role is amplifying and accelerating the impact of UK researchers. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...

QR drops by 16.5% in 15 years, Russell Group warns. @sophieatrpn.bsky.social reports on worrying trends in QR and HEIF funding. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Universities ‘have lost voice in wokeness arguments’. Leicester vice-chancellor urges universities to make their voices heard and regain their public reputation. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

University of Leicester staff to strike as students return to campus. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Two-tier REF causes concern amid rumours of ‘radical’ changes. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

The government intends to shift public funding away from low-quality, low-volume research, according to Universities UK’s new president. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Greenwich and Kent merger ‘could create REF powerhouse’. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Provoking some chat.

Greenwich and Kent to form ‘super university’. Institutions reveal plans to merge and form London and South East University Group. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Important work by @eicathomefinn.bsky.social and @hetanshah.bsky.social. Sad news if, in some areas, only students who can afford to travel long distances have access to some disciplines.

Asked if the political upheaval of the last week will delay the publication of the eagerly awaited post-16 white paper, skills minister Jacqui Smith says "I very much hope not".

A pleasure to be at the launch of the 2025 OECD Education at a Glance report. Coverage here: www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u... (via @sophieatrpn.bsky.social)

REF pause ‘worst decision’ for university research teams. “For REF managers, this is possibly the worst decision: no guidance but no extension.” www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

BREAKING: Liz Kendall to replace Peter Kyle as science secretary in reshuffle Kyle goes to business while skills brief taken out of Department for Education, reports suggest www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Yet more REF news. The Research Excellence Framework team is exploring the possibility of a “multi-track” approach, meaning that less research-intensive institutions could be subject to a lighter touch approach to assessment. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Busy day for R&D news.

Vallance💬 Ref pause will cause “some degree of instability…and uncertainty” Changes will mean REF measures “the things that we know we want it to measure” Aim to “minimise bureaucracy...you don’t want this to be more complicated than it has to be” www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Further delays to REF on the cards? Three-month pause announced but minister says results will still be in 2029. Free to read on link below.

Important story, this. Good scoop.

Labour MPs pressure ministers on fee levy ‘damage to science’. The minister for higher education is set to meet more than 20 Labour MPs worried about a proposed levy on English universities’ income from international student fees. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Unwelcome news at Edinburgh and Sheffield. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Proposed REF changes ‘a step backwards’, says Wellcome boss. John-Arne Røttingen lobbies science minister against reduced people, culture and environment element. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Researchers, have your say! We want to hear from researchers, UK-based or otherwise, for our Research Offices of the Future study. The anonymous survey will contribute to a special report on the support researchers receive. Take part here: proquest.iad1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

University efficiency drives may have opposite effect, study finds. The administrative burden in Australian universities is most keenly felt by teaching and research staff, according to a study from the University of Melbourne’s faculty of education. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-aust...

A busy summer for REF news.

UCU ballot lays ground for strike action over pay. Nearly two-thirds of respondents to consultative ballot back industrial action. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Asked what percentage of graduates would not go to university if they could make the choice again, the public guessed the figure was 40 per cent, whereas the actual figure is just 8 per cent.

Academics should be limited to one publication every year, or even every two years, as a solution to the “publish or perish…mania”, two business researchers have suggested. Most-read on our site just now. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-worl...

Alan Turing Institute to “step up” its national security work. It comes after science secretary Peter Kyle said the Turing could lose funding unless it refocused on defence. Turing leaders also confirm details of redundancies. Free to read: www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Concern over plunging demand for arts and humanities A-levels. The British Academy and the Royal Society have expressed concern about the falling number of students taking some arts and humanities courses at A-level. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...

Gradual recovery in UK student visa applications continues. Statistics show 4,000 more study visa applications in July compared with same month in 2024. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

A-level results: Surge in offers from selective universities. In the last 10 years, the number of students heading to the most selective institutions has increased 29.5 per cent. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

📣Have your say! We would love to hear from those working in research services roles for our Research Offices of the Future study. The anonymous survey takes under 10 minutes. We’d be grateful if you could share your views. Take part: proquest.iad1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

A-level results: Surge in offers by most selective universities. ‘Flight to quality’ is destabilising finances at less prestigious institutions, experts say. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Breaking: Record number of young people offered a place at university. Thousands of students in the UK have received their A-level results, with a record number of 18-year-olds being set to enter higher education. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Our Research Offices of the Future survey is closing soon! Take 10 minutes to share your thoughts 👇

Minutes from a REF briefing with senior academics show that the REF team is considering splitting the 4-star research rating—the highest rating awarded in the exercise for “world-leading” research—into two categories by creating a new ‘4-star plus’ rating. Good idea? People not convinced.

Staggering.

International student fee levy ‘will cut funding for research’ Higher Education Policy Institute finds research-intensive universities would lose most cash if measure goes ahead. Here's who could be most affected. Full story: www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

“While UK universities continue to make progress in embedding & advancing inclusive research cultures, the reality is that the political climate & public attitudes are shifting...[scaling] back PCE criteria saves provoking further political scrutiny.” www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Research culture element of REF 2029 set to be shrunk. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Uni leaders being briefed that the people, culture and environment part of @ref2029.bsky.social will shrink from 25 to 20% of overall scores Cue eye-rolling and teeth gnashing Big question is: why? Until now, Research England have been robust about how central research culture is to excellence

A lot of REF news here from @chrisjparr.bsky.social: * People, Culture and Environment weighting to be scaled back * PCE to move closer to 2021 environment statements * REF team considering creating a new ‘4-star plus’ rating www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Important REF 2029 news: new people, culture and environment element set to have its weighting reduced, @resprofnews.bsky.social @chrisjparr.bsky.social learn. Sector leaders had raised concerns about what they saw as delays/lack of clarity on PCE. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

The Office for Students should investigate so-called “bible colleges” under new free speech legislation, according to former Durham University vice-chancellor Chris Higgins. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

The education secretary Bridget Phillipson visited just two universities in her first eight months in the role, Research Professional News can reveal, following a protracted freedom of information request process. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Calls to run REF 2029 on old rules intensify. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...