Ministers are facing a strong challenge to their plans to privatise student loans, with academics and student campaigners criticising the proposals. The policy is part of a wider government plan to sell off around £3 billion worth of assets.

Most people in Britain want an end to tax-breaks for fee-paying schools, with the money raised used for education more widely, according to a poll published today. 56% support the change with only 23% against.

If there's anything more disheartening than this week's report on social mobility, it's the government's response to it. Their timid proposals for higher education are unlikely to do anything to challenge the way that the education system functions to maintain privilege and inequality.

Students across Britain yesterday joined protests against universities' links with the arms trade. They called for an end to university arms investments and to the involvement of arms companies in academic research.

A report published today (Tuesday) has revealed that 26 top UK universities have received contracts for at least £725 million over six years in sponsorship by arms companies and public military bodies with over 1,900 projects funded in this way

US civil rights leader the Rev Jesse Jackson, speaking at the launch in Oxford of a programme aimed at increasing the number of black students in higher education, has challenged universities to reflect the diversity of society.

Universities with Church of England foundations have been told to emphasise their Christian credentials to make it easier to dismiss staff who don’t share those values, reports The Times Higher Education Supplement.

Students from across the UK will gather together this coming weekend at the Student Christian Movement's annual conference to explore the theme of Reading the Bible - against a backdrop where there is increasing public concern aout the way religious texts are often abused by extreme and fundamentalist movements.

The heads of a university closely aligned to the Church of England plan to ban civil partnership ceremonies on campus.