Features

After a period of turmoil at Plymouth University, an external review is pending, and the findings may have implications for the sector, writes John Morgan

Student numbers will be uncapped from 2015. Chris Havergal examines arguments for and against expansion

An academic talks about her experience, the impact on her work and the long road to recovery

Massimo Mazzotti on the legacy of the 1964 movement

John Sutherland, Sarah Churchwell and others pick books that capture truths about the sector

Jon Marcus examines the decline of all-female institutions in the West and their rising popularity in the developing world

Without a system for sharing assessment practice, it’s nonsense to assume that a 2:1 is the same everywhere, says Chris Rust

Matthew Reisz talks to academics about their experiences of teaching older learners, while Holly Else analyses the decline in the number of mature students

THE speaks to former UUK president, Sir Steve Smith, four years on from the tuition fee protests

Richard Sugg explores ghoulish stories about things that go bump in the night

Andrew McGettigan visits one institution, using it as a case study to explore concerns about the coalition’s policies

As giving grows in importance, universities need to engage seriously with the topic, says Charles Keidan

As monitoring of scholars’ performance, time and output increases, so do reservations about its value and effectiveness

Martin McQuillan takes a whistle-stop tour of the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat events

Scholarship can be a fearsome activity, as Chris Walsh discovered when he set out to investigate the figure of the coward

In his new book, Scott Herring aims to ‘depathologise’ hoarding. He talks to Matthew Reisz

Amanda Goodall and Andrew Oswald examine the state of the disciplines

The academic discipline is invaluable in detecting and debunking myths about the past and future, say Jo Guldi and David Armitage

Four scientists reflect on the perks and drawbacks that go hand in hand with winning the most prized prize

In today’s brave new world of university learning, students aren’t allowed to be shy, says Bruce Macfarlane

Education systems in England are reinforcing divergence in wealth – we must guard against it

Dale Salwak on how he creates a space where students can focus, safe from life’s distractions

Students who want to do master’s degrees are stymied by a lack of state finance. Paul Jump investigates how funding can be fixed

What do students learn at US colleges? Not much, found Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa in Academically Adrift. Their sequel follows the same cohort into adulthood

Students and lecturers no longer seem able fully to engage with each other, writes Tom Palaima

Nicholas Till acknowledges his debt to Margaret Thatcher and explains why he regrets his Cambridge degree

Male and female scholars speak frankly about juggling parenting and research

The economist urges the UK to study a shift to subjects that lead to highly paid jobs

Fred Inglis on the obligation of academics to speak truth to power

Tuition fees are rising for overseas students. If the cap on undergraduate fees is lifted, will they follow suit?

Tanya Bunsell’s immersion in the world of weightlifting yielded insights into steroid use and ‘muscle worship’

The two winning entries in our competition explore the arguments for and against independence and what it might mean for the academy

Five students on how doctoral study changed them and their futures

We must change the way we educate students to counter rising scientific misconduct, say Tim Birkhead and Bob Montgomerie

Reconsider long working hours, says Patience Schell, for leisure is vital for mind, body and productivity

Elisabeth Kendall’s work on jihadist poetry led to tribespeople seeking her expertise

Academics who have made disclosures reflect on the long-term impact on their careers

Uncapped student numbers will test the relationship between universities and their local communities

Scholarly superheroes and campus life often feature in comics, but do they capture the real-life dramas of academia?

Five youthful institutions that have jettisoned tired thinking are blazing their own paths ahead

Matthew Reisz reports on Anglo-Israeli scientific collaborations against the backdrop of a campaign for a boycott

Is it time to stop picking over the scandals of Paul de Man’s life and focus on his critical work? asks Martin McQuillan

We asked scholars about the topics they find hardest to teach

A $1 billion buyout of a UK biotech firm netted founder David S. Latchman just $709. He offers advice on seeking investors

What happens to scholars’ papers and unfinished works when they die? Matthew Reisz on the guardian’s dilemma

A. W. Purdue on the battles among academics over the conflict’s place in history

Six academics share their experiences of university life overseas

David Mould on fine-tuning the work of a global group of novice researchers

The power of immersive research, and what it is like to be an academic who spends months at sea

The provost-elect of Gresham College examines the institution’s long and surprising history

Whatever the result of the referendum, the impact on Scottish higher education will be considerable. David Matthews talks to advocates for both sides

Bradley Garrett, whose fieldwork was seized and used in court against the urban explorers he studied, says researchers need clear support

While a legal fight led to the unravelling of promises of confidentiality, some researchers argue that there is a silver lining

Tim Birkhead offers hosts a 10-step guide on how not to behave

The capital’s lure is irresistible, but with its unique attractions come unique challenges

A postcolonial scholar began a troubling quest after learning about his father’s role in counterinsurgency in India

Academics hit their creative peak in their fifties. Amanda Goodall and John Montgomery say universities must adapt

How are universities dealing with upheavals in the training of key workers, from teachers and nurses to police officers and social workers?

Can students teach their lecturers a thing or two? Austin Fitzhenry thinks so

A leading light in the study of culture fought many battles that now need to be fought again