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.
Story? [email protected]
Reposted by Fiona McIntyre
REF changes ‘to help deliver new UKRI objectives’, says chief executive Ian Chapman.

Research Excellence Framework should help the agency achieve its new objectives, which have been tied closely to government priorities, he says.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
REF changes ‘to help deliver new UKRI objectives’, says Chapman - Research Professional News
National funding agency handed targets tied to government priorities as part of R&D revamp
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 27, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Is Haldane dead? The short answer is “yes”. Richard Burdon Haldane died in 1928.

But the Haldane principle is very much a live issue for researchers, writes @chrisjparr.bsky.social.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
Is the Haldane principle under threat? - Research Professional News
Increasing political direction in the allocation of research funding is alarming some policy experts
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 27, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Reposted by Fiona McIntyre
Calls for higher education funding review grow after levy decision.

Funding maintenance grants with levy is “risky and unsustainable”, British Academy president says.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
Calls for higher education funding review grow after levy decision - Research Professional News
Funding maintenance grants with levy is “risky and unsustainable”, British Academy president says
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 27, 2025 at 2:31 PM
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.

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

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

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

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

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...
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
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
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
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-worl...
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
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
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?
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...
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.

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

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
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
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
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
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
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”
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
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