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Removing fees not enough to make system accessible to talented would-be applicants, says research group

Hopes were high that the end of the far-right Law and Justice Party’s eight years in power would herald a new dawn, after needed reforms to research assessment were undermined by politicisation. But, two years in, scholars are getting restless. Emily Dixon reports

As wellsprings of intellectual thought, universities play a crucial role in shaping democratic nations’ national confidence and identity, says Peter Gluckman

Reduction in inflation compensation adds to pressures on higher education and research, universities say

Universities can’t be expected to absorb escalating financial risk forever. Funders must share the burden, says Stephanie Smith

Can AI match the insights of human referees? We don’t know. So before implementation, let’s run the experiment, says Sheldon H. Jacobson

Research intensive universities warn steady decline of excellence-related funding is ‘undermining’ their work and adding to financial pressures

Views becoming more entrenched on both sides, with roughly equal numbers positive and negative about new technologies, poll finds

National AI institute looks set to forge ahead with focus on defence work despite leadership changes and Cabinet reshuffle

Research support staff are crying out for a more supportive funding and regulatory environment, says Ross McLennan 

Three-month review of Research Excellence Framework could trigger more radical rethink on institutional priorities and spending, sector figures warn

Aston and Leeds plan to create resources and training tools for students, supervisors and examiners

Departure of Peter Kyle as science secretary raises hopes that his successor Liz Kendall will offer a more sympathetic ear on research concerns

Association would have ‘a multiplier effect on research resources and scientific effort’, advocates say

Legal protections and sustainable funding key for Europe to be ‘beacon of open and free science’, guild says

Research England hopes transparency pilot could lead to more accountability but critics fear bureaucracy and government control

Responding to early-career researchers’ honest questions with accusations of misconduct is a travesty of open science, says Madeleine Pownall

The three-month pause to re-examine the assessment of ‘people, culture and environment’ could prelude a welcome reversal, says Alice Sullivan

Research England to use REF pause to consider whether institutions must meet baseline performance measures as a condition of receiving funds

Exercise ‘triggered a lot of work that’s still got to be completed’ but succeeded in being ‘provocative’, according to country’s former chief science adviser

Using REF to tackle research culture risks making it too ‘bureaucratic and burdensome’, university leaders warn as Vallance rethinks changes to weightings

Digital Science said its investigation showed how weaknesses in research and publishing systems can be systematically exploited

Ian Chapman backs ministers’ calls for more research specialisation by universities in first public comments since taking over at £9 billion-a-year research funder

Outgoing chief says it is ‘right time for new leadership’ after political pressure to switch to defence focus

Country in second for starting grants but remains some way behind Germany, with UK nationals receiving smaller share

Science secretary wants institutions to use their ‘colossal resource’ to lead innovation drive, expressing concern about research cuts

Science minister announces review of controversial changes to research environment assessment

Country will lack the expertise to achieve next-generation priorities if funding left at mercy of undergraduate enrolments, Academy of Science analysis finds

Analysis of publications shows influence of research on government, with under-pressure humanities departments often having the most impact

World in ‘flux’ makes it very difficult to predict what’s coming but research-intensive grouping ‘prepared for anything’, according to Daniel Jutras

Portraying ChatGPT as a playground for plagiarists is a timid response to AI’s ability to enhance research in all subjects, argues Agnieszka Piotrowska

Trump security crackdown risks undermining US collaboration, with China now said to be more concerned with protecting its own research than prying into others

Performance-based research fund also faces overhaul, as Wellington embraces least disruptive and costly aspects of landmark review’s proposals

Honest and open-ended conversations over how AI can be productively used in the learning journey are needed, not ChatGPT bans, says Ava Doherty

With academics at ‘increasing risk’ of arbitrary detention, governments and universities must tackle cases in a ‘proactive’ way

Government’s budget also aims to boost welfare of academics but scholars note lack of action on ‘mushrooming’ private sector

Decline in degree programmes, student interest and graduate jobs likely to hold back development of UK’s semiconductor industry as government looks to boost economy

Migration of talent ‘already under way’ as experts predict decision will still delay development of vaccines that could save lives

Disappointing offers which ‘miss financial reality’ faced by UK higher education have heightened speculation that institutions will ditch proposed deals

UKRI handed more cash for betting-related research but campaigners claim ‘industry-friendly’ funding call stops ‘fresh start’ from old regime

Researchers observe shifts in behaviour among mathematicians as they approach breakthrough point

Amid claims outcomes of long-anticipated talkfest have been orchestrated in advance, expert says precursor events promise ‘substance’

AI institute pledges to support national goals and ‘deliver innovation’ on a level not possible in individual universities

Warnings UK failing to keep up with international competitors as real-terms research expenditure declines

Review finds strong support for dissemination of results rarely followed through in practice

As an editor, I am receiving submissions from spurious authors consisting of previously published papers altered by AI. But why, asks Seongjin Hong

The failings of peer reviewers, editors, journalists and authors led to a 15-year struggle to retract an article that should never have been published in the first place. But does the withdrawal of a paper for reasons other than misconduct set a dangerous precedent? No, says David Sanders

When big publishers buy smaller publishers, they also acquire their book lists â€“ but not always the relevant copyrights, says Harvey Graff

Huge dividends from Denmark’s weight loss drug industry are result of high tax and high investment economy, says Nobel prizewinner Morten Meldal

Researchers hope examining history of scientific academy can help create a more â€˜just’ organisation in the modern day

The recent Germany-UK Treaty provides a platform to build on existing links and boost success in the next Horizon Europe, say Chris Day and Michael Hoch

Omission of northern institutions from fund to attract top researchers does not add up, says select committee chair

UK science academy adopts ‘subscribe to open’ model, with libraries being asked to back transition

Systems in place to deal with fraud struggling to keep up, increasing risk of research becoming ‘completely poisoned’

European universities’ overcompliance with data protection rules is making social research increasingly difficult, say Carine Vassy and Robert Dingwall   

Economic reform begins with injecting order into the hotchpotch of research programmes, and enticing more locals into higher study, according to Australian body

For two decades, Germany has spent billions of euros on boosting the research capacity of its top institutions. As selection proceeds for another six-year Excellence Strategy, Emily Dixon examines whether greater competition and stratification are having the desired effects

Sector lobbyists may be partly responsible for the Public Accounts Committee’s over-emphasis on commercial outcomes, says B.V.E. Hyde  

Simpler ‘publish-as-a-service’ agreements in the frame as sector eyes ‘pivotal year’ for removal of research paywalls

New programme at Northumbria helps those with lived experience take more active role in researching mental health