Harriet Swain

London

Freelance Reporter at Freelance

Journalist writing mostly about higher education

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Articles

Mustn’t grumble - Research Professional News

1 week ago | researchprofessionalnews.com | Harriet Swain

Sector leaders reflect on the implications of last week’s spending reviewIt is now around 10 days since chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the outcome of her Comprehensive Spending Review, and sector experts have been digesting what it means for universities. Their conclusions were widely discussed at a Universities UK conference yesterday on political affairs in higher education, while the review was also the focus of a webinar held by the National Centre for Universities and Business.
Doubt cast on summer target for HE funding reform plans

1 week ago | researchprofessionalnews.com | Harriet Swain |Chris Parr

Policy experts suggest much-anticipated skills white paper could be pushed to autumnThe head of Universities UK has said it is “unrealistic” that plans to reform higher education funding will be published before the summer parliamentary recess. The government was expected to outline plans for reform in a long-awaited post-16 skills white paper on 22 July.
Hepi place - Research Professional News

2 weeks ago | researchprofessionalnews.com | Harriet Swain

The Higher Education Policy Institute’s annual conference predicts big changesThe mood among attendees at the Higher Education Policy Institute’s annual conference yesterday wasn’t exactly cheerful, but it wasn’t uncheerful either.
OfS fee increase to cost English universities £100,000 next year

3 weeks ago | researchprofessionalnews.com | Robin Bisson |Harriet Swain

Upcoming 3.9 per cent rise in Office for Students fees latest hit to institutional financesUniversities in England will collectively pay around £100,000 in extra registration fees to the Office for Students in the next academic year, according to a Research Professional News analysis. On 30 May, university administrators received a letter from the Department for Education, detailing a 3.9 per cent increase in OfS registration fees coming into effect on 21 June.
UUK efficiency report urges ‘new era of collaboration’

3 weeks ago | researchprofessionalnews.com | Harriet Swain |Chris Parr

Report criticises previous push for competition in higher education and calls for collegialityUniversities UK Transformation and Efficiency Taskforce report has been published today.
Efficiency savings

3 weeks ago | researchprofessionalnews.com | Harriet Swain

Universities UK releases its efficiency report as the spending review enters its final phaseMPs return from the Whitsun recess today to the frenzy of a 10-day spending review endgame. While many decisions will have already been made on how the government will distribute money between and within departments, there is still a chance for higher education to grab the chancellor’s attention before she finalises the sums to be announced on 11 June.
Promises and compromises

1 month ago | researchprofessionalnews.com | Harriet Swain

An Institute for Fiscal Studies report examines choices around education in the upcoming spending reviewAs higher education prepares to hear its financial fate in next month’s spending review, it is worth remembering that the sector is not alone. The review, to be delivered on 11 June, will affect the future of every aspect of government.
Continental drift

1 month ago | researchprofessionalnews.com | Harriet Swain

Ministers make an announcement on 10-year budgets and negotiate an EU resetToday, the government outlines its plans for 10-year R&D budgets, although specific funding is still to be determined. Sophie Hogan has the lowdown. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology says 10-year budgets will be used beyond its own department and agencies, including by the national funder UK Research and Innovation and all departments and public bodies funding R&D.
Christopher Smith: ‘We need the arts to understand science’

1 month ago | researchprofessionalnews.com | Harriet Swain

Image: Impact Media Specialists / UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council boss discusses ‘complicated picture’ for subjects amid increasing financial pressuresWhat intrigues Christopher Smith about Rome’s early kings—the focus of his academic work for more than 30 years—is the story. “Romulus and Remus were not suckled by a wolf after having floated down a river,” says Smith, executive chair of the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Government ‘does not want repeat of previous ODA cuts’

1 month ago | researchprofessionalnews.com | Sophie Hogan |Harriet Swain

Research council leader says UKRI will “look after” its commitments after fears of in-project cutsThe government “does not want to repeat” the difficulties of the 2021 cuts to development spending despite having slashed the aid budget again, according to UK Research and Innovation’s international champion.