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• Qualifications 'domino effect' to leave GCSE students without college place UCU today warned that a qualifications 'domino effect' could leave GCSE students without a place at college this year.

• £3m university pension payouts prompt fresh call for all-member ballot on reduced benefit plans Seventy-one investment staff at the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) shared bonus payments of £2.89m in the year to the end of March 2010. The USS board recently voted to remove a final-salary pension scheme for new entrants and to raise the retirement age because of apparent financial problems.

• Government's 'insulting' answer to university crisis - students should 'aim lower' Union says minister's advice to students to lower their university ambitions makes a mockery of Nick Clegg's social mobility pledge.

• University of Reading row over job advert in department hit by compulsory redundancies The University of Reading is under pressure to withdraw plans for compulsory redundancies in its Film, Theatre and Television department.

• More than 70 prisons to be hit with strike action in contracts row Prison educators at more than 70* prisons and young offender institutions will be on strike on tomorrow in a row over terms and conditions. Members of UCU are taking action against The Manchester College (TMC), which runs courses throughout England, in protest against the introduction of new contracts.

• Academy warns government to drop plans for private universities UCU today (Monday) warned the government that encouraging the growth of private universities would damage the UK's international reputation and invite serious questions about standards.