By Peter Scott. Part-time student numbers have collapsed as older, less privileged learners become victims of university commercialisation. Universities sometimes seem to have few political friends — unlike their debt-laden students. It is not hard to tell why. It is not only that individuals have the vote and institutions don’t. At times university leaders give the impression that all they care about is hanging on to the extra cash that higher fees have generated, even if this means their graduates face a lifetime of debt and the government has to pick up the bill for those who never repay their loans in full (and other public services have to suffer even greater cuts as a result). More...

By Kim Thomas. For many professions, on-the-job training is a far better route into work than university – and you won’t be out of pocket. More...

By Abby Young-Powell and Natalie Gil. Young people are struggling with the cost of renting – and many see home ownership as a pipe dream. More...

By Daniel Hurst. Australian experts describe fear of losing ‘everything that we’ve worked for’ in a standoff between the government and the Senate over a crucial funds extension. More...

By Helena Pozniak. Her discovery led her to co-found a popular blog called beautybythegeeks.com, which explores the science behind beauty products. When she graduated from Newcastle University last year, she decided to turn it into a business. More...

By Luke Georghiou and Sarah Jackson. A new report suggests more sharing of research equipment may be a better way of getting more bang out of the science funding buck than clawing back ‘efficiency savings’ out of grant funding. More...

By Allison Dickinson. From developing new skills to helping those in need, there are lots of good reasons for students to get involved in volunteering. More...

By Tess Reidy. Not everyone will secure pupillage within the existing time limit. Some students believe this is unfair. More...