Arts and Humanities Alliance

NEW on Wonkhe: Have universities got the capacity and cash to respond to the government’s agenda? buff.ly/PaSmspS

This #InternationalPodcastDay tune into ‘Confessions of an Early Career Researcher’ – a new guide to the world of academia post-PhD.

The first three episodes of the podcast are available now. Subscribe for our next episodes, live on 15 October: https://bit.ly/4pNaTp1

British Academy responds to government announcement on university maintenance grants The British Academy has issued a response to the government's announcement on using a proposed levy on international students to fund maintenance grants.

Read our response to the Government’s announcement that university maintenance grants will be reintroduced for certain courses, funded through a levy on international student fees
https://bit.ly/4gPz7uO

Universities ‘must not forget EDI obligations’ amid REF pause - Research Professional News Labour 2025: Oxford’s chief diversity officer says most Britons “believe EDI is a good thing”

Universities ‘must not forget EDI obligations’ amid REF 2029 pause.

University of Oxford’s chief diversity officer says most Britons “believe EDI is a good thing”. #Lab25

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Arts and Humanities Alliance | LinkedIn Arts and Humanities Alliance | 72 followers on LinkedIn. An association of learned societies working together to promote the arts and humanities in UK higher education | The Arts and Humanities Allian...

We are now also on LinkedIn! Join us over there for updates and news 🗞️ www.linkedin.com/company/arts...

"GuildHE represents many of what Research England refers to as “less research-intensive and smaller specialist institutions”, so our interest was especially piqued by proposals to explore differentiated tracks and lighter-touch assessments for these providers. There is good intention here." 1/3

Cold spots: Mapping inequality in SHAPE provision in UK higher education This British Academy report reveals that many parts of the UK are becoming subject cold spots – areas with no provision in a subject within a commutable distance. These are often in rural, coastal or ...

Hot off the press, the British Academy's Cold Spots: Mapping Inequality in SHAPE Provision in UK Higher Education report. Read it if you care about universities or access to the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences for the rising generation. 1/5

Arts and humanities cold spots ‘depriving whole areas of courses’.

Shape subjects are a “bellwether” for financial pressures on higher education, British Academy warns.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Shock university ‘merger’ announced The Universities of Kent and Greenwich are set to ‘merge’ in a shock move affecting thousands of staff and students.

Major university merger announced. The start of a wave?

Greenwich and Kent announce merger to form 'super-university' Universities are facing ongoing financial worries, with the regulator saying other mergers could follow.

'The Office for Students (OfS), England's higher education regulator, welcomed the move and suggested more universities may explore similar options as they battle economic challenges, with 40% of English universities now believed to be in financial deficit.'

The names of panel members for the criteria-setting phase of REF 2029 have now been announced on our panels pages. 2029.ref.ac.uk/news/expert-...

The four UK higher education funding bodies confirm the pause in the criteria setting and publication of final guidance for REF 2029 for a short period, as announced by the UK Science Minister Lord Vallance today at the Universities UK conference. 2029.ref.ac.uk/news/pause-t...

University crisis is forcing the REF to lower its expectations - Research Professional News When dauntingly complex plans meet cash-strapped institutions, something’s got to give, says Anna Grey

The REF has been paused for 3 months as policymakers scratch their heads to figure out how to resolve various tensions. This prescient piece by @annamgrey.bsky.social lays out those complexities
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...

Interpreting and language services in the courts: Public Services Committee report The House of Lords Public Services Committee’s March 2025 report highlighted perceived issues affecting court interpreting services, including the remuneration and support for interpreters, court tech...

In a busy semester this passed me by - but delighted to see some of my @artsandhums.bsky.social research with @aberuni.bsky.social colleagues cited in the House of Lords report on interpreting and language services in courtrooms lordslibrary.parliament.uk/interpreting....

Colin Kidd · Lumps of Cram: University English What is the missing noun to which English refers: literature, language or both? If both, does English belong with the...

‘What is the missing noun to which English refers: literature, language or both? Is its primary concern with literature in English or with the culture of Englishness?’

Colin Kidd on English studies: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

Senate House Library announces relaunch of Visiting Research Fellowship Senate House Library and the Friends of Senate House Library are delighted to report that the Visiting Research Fellowships programme has been relaunched.

📣Applications still open for the Senate House Library Visiting Fellowships 📣

In 2025-6 up to two awards of £1500 will be allocated to support a fellowship of up to two weeks.

Deadline: 15 September 2025

More info 👇
https://tinyurl.com/ykudv9tn

Spanish surpasses French in popularity among students in historic first for language studies, according to the British Academy. New GCSE data shows that Spanish has overtaken French for the first time as the most popular language choice among students, following a sustained rise in entries of nearly 25% since 2020. Spanish entries increased from around 109,594 in 2020 to 136,871 in 2025, while French uptake remained steady - climbing slightly from 132,036 in 2020 to 134,651 in 2024 before dipping to 132,808 this year. The data is released today by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) and has been analysed by the British Academy, the national academy for the humanities and social sciences. It reveals wider trends in student choice across the curriculum. SHAPE subjects (Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts for People and the Economy) continue to make up more than half of all entries (54%) - a figure that has remained consistent since 2019.

Bit more on the Guardian liveblog here
www.theguardian.com/education/li...

NEW on Wonkhe: All the numbers and all the action from JCQ results day in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland buff.ly/5CKDVt8

Quote from a story on changes at the U of Chicago that notes they are "pausing" doctoral eduction in Classics, Comp Lit, Germanic studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Romance languages and literatures, and South Asian Studies.

Wow. The University of Chicago, a world-class institution whose humanities faculty in the past has included Homi Bhabha & Lauren Berlant & Ralph Ellison & Hannah freaking Arendt, is getting rid of basically every graduate department involving the acknowledgment that other cultures & languages exist.

Case studies | The English Association We support the teaching, learning, and enjoyment of English at all levels of education, from early years to further and higher education and beyond.

Congratulations on all receiving A-level English Language, Lang & Lit, Literature results! 💫 And to all their teachers ! We commend the fantastic opportunities that study of these subjects offer 🥳. Find out what English studies brings ! englishassociation.ac.uk/case-studies/

Image of badges 'Trust Me I'm a Historian' with the caption: Fellowship of the Royal Historical Society We warmly welcome applications to join the Fellowship Fellowship recognizes the scholarly contribution of historians working in all sectors of professional history or as independent scholars. Next closing dates: 11 August and 13 October 2025

The Royal Historical Society welcomes Fellowship applications from historians working in higher education and many other sectors, as well as independent researchers.

Fellows make original contributions to historical understanding via research, public history and heritage bit.ly/4iOu51g #Skystorians

'Leicester’s UCU branch, meanwhile, has announced that it will open a strike ballot after it said the institution failed to rule out compulsory redundancies.

Staff in chemistry, history, geography, film studies and modern languages have been informed they may face redundancy'. 3/3

'At Lancaster, the union won a consultative ballot in favour of strike action after the university announced plans to cut 400 full-time equivalent positions by July 2026 in a bid to save £30 million.' 2/3

Three more English universities face strikes over job cuts Staff at Liverpool Hope announce 10 days of action at start of academic year, while union members at Lancaster and Leicester vote on taking action

'At Liverpool Hope, UCU objected to previously announced plans to make 39 compulsory redundancies across three of its faculties; education and social sciences; creative arts and humanities; and human and digital sciences.' Figure now reduced to 11, but 30 more remain at risk of redundancy. 1/3

Tuition fees in England and Wales rise to £9,535 Maintenance loans have also gone up, meaning students can borrow more to help with living costs.

The first fee increase since 2017. Compare this to water bills...

The disastrous dismantling of the humanities in Australia’s universities has begun A crisis is unfolding for the humanities and social sciences at universities across the country.

Gutting humanities and social sciences means, “The erosion of intellectual diversity, the neglect of vulnerable students who find their voices and futures within these fields, and the abandonment of the university’s commitment to a more just and inclusive society.”

www.crikey.com.au/2025/07/31/a...

@ucflangs.bsky.social The University Council For Languages (UCFL) responds to welcome a new @hepi-news.bsky.social report and joins them in calling for urgent action on revitalising language learning university-council-for-languages.org/2025/07/31/n...

New HEPI report calls for urgent action on revitalising language learning UCFL welcomes the release of a new HEPI report, sponsored by Duolingo, that highlights the urgent need for action to support and improve the uptake of languages at school level and beyond. It empha…

Read UCFL's reaction to the new HEPI report on languages: university-council-for-languages.org/2025/07/31/n...
The recommendations for HE are particularly welcome, as are those around equality of access and social justice. @emmacayley.bsky.social @cforsdick.bsky.social

The Creative Industries has a huge economic value on a global scale 🙌 Thanks to our partners @creativepec.bsky.social for the latest study on the value of international collaboration 🌍

Social sciences, medical research, humanities and arts largest sources of ANU's National Institutes Grants | Region Canberra The Australian National University's recently published 2024 annual report has shown that the social sciences brought in the most National…

“These redundancies will not just deprive staff of their livelihoods, but also restrict what students can study.” ANU student Finnian Colwell said

“We are demanding that the cuts stop, that Bell resign and that the government commit to full funding for universities”

region.com.au/social-scien...