Elsevier acquires Aries Systems, Elsevier vs EU Consortia standoff updates, and NGC closes. Higher education’s growing priority to put quantity over quality. McKinsey & Company demystifies blockchain. Plus more in Higher Education, Technology, and From Our Own Pens.

Royal Society of Chemistry and MIT have inked the first US “publish and read” agreement. Edwards Brothers Malloy closes its doors after 125 years in the printing business. China gets serious about policing research misconduct. Plus more in Higher Education, Technology, and From Our Own Pens.

NIH releases a strategic plan to accelerate biomedical and medical breakthroughs. China on track to surpass US on spending on scientific research. Two philosophies in tech: a must-read. Microsoft acquires Github – for $7.5 billion. Plus more in Technology, Science, and From Our Own Pens.

Springer Nature prepares for an IPO, issuing a warning to investors on future regulatory changes related to OA. EUA’s Big Deal survey, with an eye-popping data point on APCs. An insightful analysis of OA journals that don’t charge an APC. For university presses, news isn’t too good.