MI5 warns UK academics have been aiding Chinese spies Tech British academics have been taking part in Chinese-funded research designed to enhance Beijing’s espionage capabilities, according to a dramatic intervention from the UK’s security services. Chinese intelligence tried to “covertly benefit” from British AI and technology research, security minister Dan Jarvis has warned, after MI5 accused a Beijing-linked institute of using UK academics to boost [...]
Mahmood unveils refugee sponsorship route as asylum bill faces Labour test Politics Home secretary Shabana Mahmood has unveiled plans for businesses and universities to sponsor refugees to come to Britain, as she seeks to shore up support for a wider asylum overhaul expected to face resistance from parts of Labour. The Home Office said it would introduce new “capped safe and legal” routes from later this year, [...]
London Tech Week day two: Talent alone won’t be enough Opinion The UK’s universities remain some of its strongest assets, but talent alone does not determine success, writes London Tech Week's Russ Shaw.
Starmer weighs cut to EU student fees in bid for Brexit reset June 6, 2026 Keir Starmer is considering cutting university fees for European students as part of a broader package designed to deepen Britain’s economic ties with the EU, in what could become one of the most politically sensitive concessions of his post-Brexit reset. Ministers are weighing whether to lower tuition costs for EU students attending British universities as [...]
UK rejoins Erasmus: British students to study across Europe from 2027 April 16, 2026 Six years after Brexit, British students will soon be able to study and work across Europe again, as the UK formally re-joins the Erasmus programme. The legal text, signed in Brussels on Wednesday, is intended to bring the UK back into the programme in 2027 after the UK pulled out of in December 2020 as [...]
How universities became a marketplace for academic slop March 11, 2026 Pressure to publish papers mean universities have become awash with fake papers and scientific fraud, writes Paul Ormerod.
Don’t blame universities for the graduate crisis January 30, 2026 Blaming universities for the graduate crisis is convenient, but it isn't true, writes Eliza Filby. Here's what's actually gone wrong.
Graduate crisis proves British universities are no longer fit for purpose January 28, 2026 It's time to accept that a substantial proportion of British universities are simply not fit for purpose, writes Paul Ormerod.
Why graduates face a brutal jobs market September 26, 2025 While students flung mortar boards in the air after receiving their degrees, not everyone had cause to celebrate. Graduation was supposed to be the golden ticket to a dream career: get a good degree at a good university, and jobs at professional service firms, banks and consultancies would be there for the taking. For many [...]
Industrial strategy vs journalism: The battle for UK university funding September 17, 2025 The future of journalism courses in UK higher education is under threat after the government confirmed plans to divert funding away from media and communications courses and towards subjects more directly tied to its industrial strategy. In May, ministers announced a £108m cut to the Strategic Priorities Grant (SPG) for 2025-26 – reducing the total [...]