Fiona McIntyre

London

Features Editor at Research Professional News

Features editor at @ResFortnight. Previously @ncedigital. Story? [email protected]

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Articles

Could university mergers solve the funding crisis?

2 weeks ago | researchprofessionalnews.com | Fiona McIntyre

Insiders involved in sector mergers discuss potential for “leaping across boundaries” and “asset stripping”“I probably [used to] do a merger every five years…whereas last year I did three in one year,” said Gayle Ditchburn, a partner at Pinsent Masons law firm who has worked on recent mergers in higher education, including the merger between Writtle University College and Anglia Ruskin University (ARU).
Time spent on REF ‘justified’ despite financial challenges

2 weeks ago | researchprofessionalnews.com | Fiona McIntyre

Image: Grace Gay for Research Professional NewsResearch England boss keeping a “watching brief” over burden of the Research Excellence FrameworkUniversities spending time on the Research Excellence Framework despite dealing with other significant pressures can be justified as the assessment distributes “an enormous amount of money”, Research England executive chair Jessica Corner has said.
Research England to assess ‘aligning’ QR with growth mission

3 weeks ago | researchprofessionalnews.com | Fiona McIntyre

Image: Grace Gay for Research Professional News RPN Live 2025: Jessica Corner says funder is looking to improve transparency around quality-related fundsResearch England is considering whether it should match quality-related research funding for universities to the “current objectives of government”, its executive chair has said.
Virtual beers and covert breastfeeding: how researchers remember lockdown

3 weeks ago | researchprofessionalnews.com | Fiona McIntyre |Research Europe

Image: Grace Gay for Research Professional News Half a decade on from the first stay-at-home orders, how has the pandemic changed research? Five years ago, day-to-day life changed beyond recognition as the world scrambled to slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus by imposing strict rules on when and why people could leave their homes. University campuses became eerily empty as lockdowns forced students to swap lecture theatres for their laptop screens.
Funding crisis fuels ‘challenging’ talks on big publisher deals

1 month ago | researchprofessionalnews.com | Fiona McIntyre

Universities “want something different” in upcoming negotiations with five biggest publishers, says senior Jisc directorThe next round of “big deals” with major publishers must be “more innovative” as universities grapple with financial pressures and frustration at slow progress on open access, according to a senior figure at Jisc, which is leading talks on behalf of institutions.
REF team ‘balancing’ job fears for early career researchers

1 month ago | researchprofessionalnews.com | Fiona McIntyre

Image: Getty Images Research England acknowledges concerns that changes to 2029 assessment could make moving jobs harderResearch England has indicated it could modify plans for the 2029 Research Excellence Framework amid concerns that changes to the assessment exercise could make it harder for early career researchers to move jobs.
REF decoupling an ‘injustice’ with so many UK jobs at risk

1 month ago | researchprofessionalnews.com | Fiona McIntyre

Image: Getty Images Breaking the link between staff and outputs could impact arts and humanities researchers, groups claimSplitting researchers from their outputs in the next Research Excellence Framework could allow universities to submit the work of staff they have sacked, a group of industry bodies have warned.
Philanthropic giving could help ‘keep wheels turning’ for research

1 month ago | researchprofessionalnews.com | Fiona McIntyre

University of Surrey fundraises £70 million for research and scholarships as sector battles financial problemsBuilding a US-style culture of philanthropy in the UK could “keep research going and keep the wheels turning” as higher education finances come under pressure, according to a senior leader at the University of Surrey. Last week, Surrey announced it has raised £70.3 million to fund research and scholarships as part of a three-year campaign designed to boost its income from donations.
How to keep more women in research

1 month ago | researchprofessionalnews.com | Fiona McIntyre |Research Europe

Image: Grace Gay for Research Professional News Ahead of International Women’s Day, four female researchers discuss the barriers and opportunities they faceLast month, the European Commission issued a stark warning that “Europe’s innovation potential is at risk”. The reason was not a lack of funding or political support.
‘Most of us won’t find jobs in academia’

1 month ago | researchprofessionalnews.com | Fiona McIntyre

Staff share fears of brain drain and shrinking research time as cuts blight UK universities Last week, the University of Edinburgh added its name to the long list of higher education institutions announcing staffing cuts, as universities respond to huge pressures on their bottom lines.