EDUCATION
Decision time for overseas students
BBC
16/01/2010
This article considers whether tougher immigration rules will affect overseas student recruitment.
Education funding overhaul plan
BBC
18/01/2010
A major independent review into how funding in Wales is allocated to schools, colleges and universities is to be carried out.
Unleashing Aspiration: The Government Response to the Final Report of the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions
BIS
18/01/2010
The Government’s response to Unleashing Aspiration: the final report from the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions, agrees to implement the vast majority of the panel’s 88 recommendations to ensure that people with ability, creativity and talent can succeed in the professions, regardless of their social or economic background. Recommendations to be implemented include creating an online National Internship Service, a guarantee for 130,000 of the brightest young people from low-income backgrounds to benefit from structured assistance at secondary school from 2012, and a new Social Mobility Commission to provide expert evidence on trends and policy on social mobility.
Government abandons key proposals in Milburn report on social mobility
Guardian
18/01/2010
Key aspects of Alan Milburn's report into social mobility have been rejected by the Government, including parental vouchers in failing schools, closure of the government's careers advice service, and reform of the cadet service.
EDUCATION - FURTHER EDUCATION
16-19 Statement of Priorities and Investment Strategy 2010-11
DCSF & LSC
19/01/2010
This document outlines the government's investment strategy for further education following the transfer of responsibility for planning and funding from the Learning and Skills Council to Local Authorities from April 2010. It sets out key issues to be taken into account in planning and commissioning education, and the available funding. Included in the strategy is the announcement that funding will be withdrawn from more than 1,000 qualifications from 31 July 2010.
English language schools fear new visa rules
Guardian
19/01/2010
The thriving English language school sector has been put at risk by proposals to tighten student visa rules. English UK, the language schools' industry body, estimates that up to a third of language students could be excluded under the new rules.
EDUCATION - HIGHER EDUCATION
Academy's freedoms threatened as libel law lands scholars in dock
Times Higher Education
14/01/2010
There has been an increase in the number of libel cases over academic and scientific articles and opinions, perhaps due to the UK's growing reputation as the libel capital of the world.
Cap fits, reform loan repayments instead
Times Higher Education
14/01/2010
Million+, which represents newer universities, has published a report on higher education funding. Proposals include raising the tuition-fee cap, changing student loan repayment arrangements, and calls for loans to be available to part-time students.
Conservatives promise to make teaching 'elitist'
BBC
18/01/2010
The Conservatives have launched their draft education manifesto which includes the promise that there would be no financial help with teacher training for those who failed to get at least a second-class university degree.
Cut ‘failed’ ex-poly humanities departments, says peer
Times Higher Education
17/01/2010
Opinion was divided in this week's House of Lords debate on reductions in higher education spending.
Deficits threaten final-salary schemes for support staff
Times Higher Education
14/01/2010
Final-salary pension schemes for support staff are under review at numerous higher education institutions.
Devil is in the detail of Cameron's announcement
Guardian
18/01/2010
The Conservative's plan for a panel to determine which university is classed as a "top university" has angered the academic community. This is to assist with their policy of paying off the student loans of top university science graduates who become teachers. The list would not include former polytechnics.
Global impact tasters show REF will be no picnic
Times Higher Education
14/01/2010
A report commissioned by Hefce highlights the challenges of assessing the social impact of research under the new research excellence framework.
It's all about them
Times Higher Education
14/01/2010
The Times Higher Education has published the results of its student experience survey.
Pay deal grudgingly accepted
Times Higher Education
14/01/2010
All five of the UK's higher education unions have finally withdrawn their objections to last year's 0.5% pay rise. Institutions will now be able to increase salaries, backdated to 1 August 2009.
Too many cooks, not enough cash
Times Higher Education
14/01/2010
A Research Councils UK report suggests the UK needs to consider whether it has too many academic staff in the current economic climate.
Tory government would postpone REF, Willetts reveals
Times Higher Education
14/01/2010
The Conservatives would delay the research excellence framework by up to two years to allow time for a thorough review of the plan to measure the wider social and economic impact of research.
Universities will benefit from tighter budgets in the long term
Guardian
19/01/2010
Peter Mandelson, writing in the Guardian, responds to the Russell Group's claim that the university sector will be "brought to its knees" by planned budget cuts. He suggests that the relatively small cut in public funding does not mean a lack of commitment to higher education.
EDUCATION - SCHOOLS
Classroom bans: an "abuse of power"
Times Educational Supplement
15/01/2010
New regulations will make it more time-consuming and bureaucratic for schools to allow pupils to miss normal lessons. The regulations aims to close a loophole that allows head teachers to send difficult pupils on behavioural improvement classes off-site without the parent's permission.
Smacking pupils in part-time schools could be banned
BBC
18/01/2010
Children's Secretary Ed Balls has asked the government's child safety adviser to urgently review the rules on physical punishment in schools. The request comes after MPs have expressed concern that the ban on corporal punishment does not cover schools where lessons are taught for fewer than 12.5 hours per week.
