BU Research Blog

Monday

Russell Group

Greg Clark has told Russell Group universities that they must step up efforts to attract talented pupils from the northern regions and areas of low achievement. Research by The Times and the Sutton Trust revealed that all but one of the 20 councils that send the most children to the top third of universities are in London and the South East. Academic apartheid against north must end, leading universities told (The Times).

Tuesday

Fall in High Skilled Jobs

Britain’s economy has shifted more towards low-skilled jobs compared with other European countries, according to Oxford university research. High-skilled jobs hard to find as graduate pool grows (The Financial Times).

REF Results

The way universities have been presenting their REF results has been highlighted. One observer counted 14 universities tweeting that they were in the top 10, prompting claims that universities are crunching the numbers to present the results in the most favourable way. Universities worry about fallout from research ranking, (The Guardian).

Wednesday

North/South Divide

An interesting comment piece on the findings that all but one of the 20 council areas that send the most children to Britain’s top universities are in London and the southeast has been released. The piece suggests that one course of action is for universities to help close the gap in information and understanding, which often deters students from applying to university or results in poor decisions about institutions and courses. ‘Tackling the north-south university divide’ (The Telegraph)

Thursday

Gender Gap in HE

UCAS figures show that students’ choice of degree is becoming increasingly polarised along gender lines. The figures show that nearly 58,000 more women entered university this academic year than men. The figures also reveal that there are more women than men in about two-thirds of subjects; these include subjects allied to medicine and education. However, male students strongly outnumber female students on engineering and computer science courses, with 20,300 more men doing engineering and 17,300 more on computer courses. Gender gaps among students revealed by Ucas (THE), Women students shun science  (The Times).

EU Students

The Times Higher Education shows how much higher education investment there is in different EU countries. It reveals that the UK spends the second most per student at €16,500 only behind Sweden which spends €20,520.  Analysis: are EU students feeling the squeeze? (THE).

Friday

Labour – £6000 fees

Analysis into why Labour may not commit to its £6000 tuition fee cap proposal highlights universities’ concerns. The article suggests that whilst Labour has promised to make up the difference in institutions’ income, universities are concerned where this money will come from and how it will be distributed. Why lowering tuition fees is more complicated than you think (BBC News).

International Students

Analysis of HESA figures showing where international students are coming from to study in the UK, reveals that the continued growth in the number of Chinese and other East and Southeast Asian students is making up for the drop in students from elsewhere. Hard Evidence: is immigration policy discouraging foreign students? (The Conversation).