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Seher Asaf

@seher-education.bsky.social
21 followers 31 following 3 posts

Europe reporter covering education at Times Higher Education. Ex-BBC journalist & SCMP editor in Hong Kong. Got a news tip? seher.asaf@timeshighereducation.com

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Reposted by Seher Asaf
Chris Havergal @chrishavergal.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Kurdish academic faces trial in Turkey over US doctoral thesis www.timeshighereducation.com/news/kurdish... via @seher-education.bsky.social
timeshighereducation.com
Kurdish academic faces trial in Turkey over US doctoral thesis
Germany-based sociologist Güllistan Yarkin has been accused of ‘public denigration of the Turkish state’ over passages relating to treatment of Kurds and the Armenian genocide
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Reposted by Seher Asaf
Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
An anti-war charity helping Russians flee the military says the number of former students seeking its help has surged over the past six months, from just a few cases to as many as 50 a month, reports Seher Asaf #highered #deserters ow.ly/7Rik50ZG4QI
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Reposted by Seher Asaf
Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
As Western nations seek economic growth, many are pondering whether to direct their research budgets towards industrial priorities. That is a policy Ireland has pursued since the 2008 economic crash. But researchers are divided on its wisdom. Seher Asaf writes #academisky ow.ly/QXu950ZCnrn
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Reposted by Seher Asaf
Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
A group representing black academics has called on the UK press regulator to examine the media coverage surrounding Jason Arday’s private life before his death
timeshighereducation.com
Black academics condemn ‘ridicule and vilification’ of Arday
Coverage that went beyond ‘legitimate’ questions of academic integrity should be investigated, says group of black leaders
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Seher Asaf @seher-education.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
“I’ve been shocked over many years with the assumption that if one has studied Russia, they can easily understand Ukraine, when Ukraine is culturally and historically very different,” said Rory Finnin, who teaches Ukrainian Studies at Cambridge www.timeshighereducation.com/news/ukraini...
timeshighereducation.com
Ukrainian studies in ‘crisis’ despite rising demand in Europe
Most universities still treat Ukraine as a marginal topic even as need for specialists with deep knowledge of the country rises
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Reposted by Seher Asaf
Chris Havergal @chrishavergal.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Hungary has begun recruiting new members for boards overseeing its foundation-run universities as part of efforts to meet the European Commission’s conditions for unlocking frozen funds www.timeshighereducation.com/news/hungary... via @seher-education.bsky.social
timeshighereducation.com
Hungary begins revamping university boards to unlock EU funding
Overhaul aims to satisfy EU requirements, while giving the government time to come up with a replacement for controversial foundation model
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Reposted by Seher Asaf
Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
TU Delft plans to set aside 132 of 440 places in its aerospace degree programme for women to address decades of under-enrolments #highered #genderequality #edusky www.timeshighereducation.com/news/d…
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Reposted by Seher Asaf
Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
A rare decision to revoke the doctorate of one of France’s most famous science communicators after an investigation found evidence of plagiarism has fuelled calls for greater transparency in how universities investigate research misconduct #plagiarism #academicsky ow.ly/EoXI50ZfT9Z
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Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Belgium’s French-speaking universities have criticised a controversial tuition fee increase approved by parliament, warning that students are being asked to pay more for a chronically underfunded system #highered #studentdebt #edusky ow.ly/rU6p50ZbTIJ
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Chris Havergal @chrishavergal.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Proposed €7 billion cut to Horizon budget will damage Europe’s competitiveness and innovation ambitions, universities warn www.timeshighereducation.com/news/eu-woul... via @seher-education.bsky.social
timeshighereducation.com
EU would ‘regret’ Horizon Europe budget cuts ‘for years’
University groups say plans to reduce funding for flagship research programme an ‘astonishing act of political incoherence’
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Reposted by Seher Asaf
Chris Havergal @chrishavergal.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
“Academic freedom depends not only on institutional structures but also on whether critical thinking and academic work can function free from political pressure.” www.timeshighereducation.com/news/hungary... via @seher-education.bsky.social
timeshighereducation.com
Hungary ‘must change institutional culture’ in governance shake-up
Country’s efforts to satisfy EU demands on academic freedom need to go beyond legal changes, experts say
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Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
French bill ‘could trigger bankruptcies’ at for-profit providers: success of new legislation aimed at curbing poor-quality education will depend on whether institutions lose access to public funds, experts say ow.ly/GBaO50Z5zSC
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Reposted by Seher Asaf
Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
Long read: New rules mandating higher tuition fees for non-EU students have sparked debate on whether France’s universities have abandoned their egalitarian principles and may soon charge far heftier fees for all, writes Seher Asaf #highered #tuitionfees #edusky ow.ly/NkrT50Z53cx
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Seher Asaf @seher-education.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
I spoke to several academics who cited concerns over data privacy, their opposition to travel bans and the general political climate under the #Trump administration #AOM
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Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Ukraine’s State Tax University considers how to restore campus to its former glory after more than half was destroyed in first weeks of Russian invasion www.timeshighereducation.com/news/t…
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Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Young scholars should not have to move institutions or countries to advance their job prospects, according to proposed “minimum standards” for research careers that also recommend harmonising salaries across Europe ow.ly/8AXT50Z2C6C
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Reposted by Seher Asaf
Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
More than 1,000 scientists urge European Research Council to reverse resubmission rule, reports @jgro-the.bsky.social #edusky #research www.timeshighereducation.com/news/m…
timeshighereducation.com
More than 1,000 scientists urge ERC to reverse resubmission rule
Plans to limit reapplications to European Research Council will penalise bold and original proposals and early career researchers, senior researchers claim
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Reposted by Seher Asaf
Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
With polls predicting defeat for Viktor Orbán in Sunday’s elections, will Hungary rip up its authoritarian playbook for universities, asks Seher Asaf ow.ly/TSIr50YFw7b
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Reposted by Seher Asaf
Chris Havergal @chrishavergal.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Academic freedom has deteriorated in 50 countries over past decade while improving in just nine, says annual Academic Freedom Index, warning decline in university autonomy in US faster than in Hungary, Turkey and India www.timeshighereducation.com/news/unusual... via @seher-education.bsky.social
timeshighereducation.com
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Seher Asaf @seher-education.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
Users could paste their work into Grammarly & get AI-generated feedback from academics & well-known authors like @neildegrassetyson.com and @stephenking.bsky.social (it appears without their consent). The company is now facing a lawsuit. CEO Mehrotra told me the feature had “missed the mark"
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