Fiona McIntyre
fionamcintyre.bsky.social
Fiona McIntyre
@fionamcintyre.bsky.social
Features Editor at Research Professional News, @resprofnews.bsky.social.
Previously at New Civil Engineer, @newcivilengineer.com.web.brid.gy.
Looking for tips on how to keep houseplants alive.
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Universities in England will pay a flat fee of £925 per student for each year of study under the new international student levy, today’s budget has revealed.

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International levy to be flat fee of £925 per student - Research Professional News
Budget 2025: Government sets out details of international student fee levy, including 2028 start date
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Keep an eye on our live blog for all the latest on what the budget holds for research.
The chancellor could reveal more about the levy on international student fees.

Today, skills minister Jacqui Smith defended the plan saying that linking it to maintenance grants helps build public support for HE.

Budget live blog: www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Autumn budget 2025: Live blog - Research Professional News
All the higher education and research news from the budget as it is announced
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Reposted by Fiona McIntyre
Science secretary unveils £8bn for R&D on ‘government priorities’.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
November 24, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Reposted by Fiona McIntyre
REF changes ‘to help deliver new UKRI objectives’, says Ian Chapman

National funding agency handed new targets tied to government priorities as part of R&D revamp

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REF changes ‘to help deliver new UKRI objectives’, says Chapman - Research Professional News
National funding agency handed new targets tied to government priorities as part of R&D revamp
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Reposted by Fiona McIntyre
MPs told collapse of UK higher education provider could happen by Christmas

Education Committee chair says situation is “not hypothetical”, but skills minister and regulator rebut claim

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MPs told collapse of UK provider could happen by Christmas - Research Professional News
Education Committee chair says situation is “not hypothetical”, but skills minister and regulator rebut claim
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November 25, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Reposted by Fiona McIntyre
Oxford v-c Irene Tracey with some carefully phrased caution/criticism around REF people, culture and environment metric, plus govt's international student fee levy, in interview with @resprofnews.bsky.social @francesjones.bsky.social.

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Oxford VC says REF ‘must do what it says on the can’ - Research Professional News
Irene Tracey also warns of “unintended consequences” from government’s planned international student fee levy
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November 17, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Reposted by Fiona McIntyre
Reposted by Fiona McIntyre
Opinion: Chaos is coming for scholarly publishing.

Buckling of commercial models alongside maturing of community-led efforts promises major shifts, says Caroline Edwards (@theblochian.bsky.social).

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Chaos is coming for scholarly publishing - Research Professional News
Buckling of commercial models alongside maturing of community-led efforts promises major shifts, says Caroline Edwards
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November 12, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Reposted by Fiona McIntyre
Early career researchers feel sharp end of jobs crisis.

As universities shed jobs, those setting out in academia are feeling pain of diminished prospects.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
November 12, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Reposted by Fiona McIntyre
I believe this is a first for the @resprofnews.bsky.social opinion section.
Well that was fast… apparently you can now BUY THE CHAOS IS COMING T-SHIRT thanks to my colleague @scholtom.bsky.social 🤣 chipsandgrady.uk/product/chao... #OpenAccess
November 12, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Scholars are split on the merits of post hoc reviewing as an answer to the increasingly “unsustainable” publishing system
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Post-publication peer review: remedy or risk for publishing? - Research Professional News
Scholars split on merits of post hoc reviewing as answer to increasingly “unsustainable” system
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November 6, 2025 at 5:34 PM
She also said Europe has a "strong democracy", in which "we discuss, we debate—we don’t have chainsaw politics".
November 6, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Is high ambition best fostered by providing peace of mind or by provoking funding fears?
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Embracing risk: precarity vs stability in research funding - Research Professional News
Is high ambition best fostered by providing peace of mind or by provoking funding fears?
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Reposted by Fiona McIntyre
Research hit by National Archives fears on GDPR, academic warns.

Talks over records access are ongoing, amid wider “conflict” between research and personal data laws.

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Research hit by National Archives fears on GDPR, academic warns - Research Professional News
Talks over records access are ongoing, amid wider “conflict” between research and personal data laws
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
October 29, 2025 at 10:04 AM
The HEIF, which is used by universities to fund their knowledge exchange work, will be ‘refreshed’ to drive government’s growth mission.

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HEIF funding ‘refreshed’ to drive government’s growth mission - Research Professional News
Funding formula to be changed as part of shake-up, while institutions will demonstrate EDI commitments
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October 29, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Reposted by Fiona McIntyre
A two-track REF 2029, seen as increasingly likely prospect, "could create a two-tier research ecosystem with major long-term—and unnecessary—negative consequences", one sector body warns.

@francesjones.bsky.social @fionamcintyre.bsky.social report www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Fears mount over looming ‘twin-track’ REF - Research Professional News
Model under which some institutions would not need to submit returns seen as gaining ground
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October 29, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Reposted by Fiona McIntyre
The recently departed leader of the University of Glasgow has said institutions across the UK must look at the “very substantial” governance failings of the University of Dundee “to make sure that we do not fall into similar traps”. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
Universities ‘must avoid same traps as Dundee’, says former VC - Research Professional News
Anton Muscatelli urges institutions to take governance failings that led to bailout “very seriously indeed”
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October 26, 2025 at 7:22 AM
Reposted by Fiona McIntyre
Another delay to the research culture metric planned for next REF - may raise more questions on its future.

PCE pilot results were due for publication by end of October - now not coming until REF pause ends in December.

By @robinbisson.bsky.social

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
REF team delays research culture pilot results ahead of ‘reset’ - Research Professional News
Pilot report pushed to December “to avoid pre-empting decisions”, with Research Excellence Framework on pause
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
October 24, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Reposted by Fiona McIntyre
Good thing then that this week's White Paper fails to recognise modern languages as a key skill for young people.
October 22, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Could be some significant REF reforms and changes to research funding on the horizon, according to the post-16 skills white paper.
October 22, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Reposted by Fiona McIntyre
The numbers are pretty ludicrous

If the UK didn't insist on the immigration health surcharge being paid upfront it would be a very different picture
October 21, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Reposted by Fiona McIntyre
Grateful to @resprofnews.bsky.social for doing a write-up of our call for action to incentivise the publication of negative results. Now looking for world-leading funders and institutions to show some leadership on this issue…
Research funders urged to drive culture shift on negative results.

Reform needed to improve trust in science, patient care and training of AI, advocates say.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-worl...
October 13, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Reposted by Fiona McIntyre
Economics Nobel awarded for work on innovation-driven growth.

Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt provided insights into scientific method and R&D funding.

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Economics Nobel awarded for work on innovation-driven growth - Research Professional News
Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt provided insights into scientific method and R&D funding
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
October 13, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Really enjoyed the @hiddenref.bsky.social
festival yesterday. Some fascinating discussion around how the research security agenda could change university roles... www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
Research security agenda ‘will change university roles’ - Research Professional News
Hidden REF Festival: Concerns around data security and dual-use technologies are challenging open science norms
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
October 9, 2025 at 4:31 PM