Opinion

Publications must always permit debate on the quality and relevance of research – plus the efficacy and costs of derived policy, says Robert Dingwall

Recent attacks on high-profile scholars by government and by a university executive should give us pause, say Christopher Vaughan and Daniel Ncayiyana

University teaching should be refocused on promoting the common good, say Al Martinich and Tom Palaima

It makes no sense to oblige students to risk their own and others’ health by travelling long distances and converging on campus, says Brian Wong

Corporate leaders are uninterested in academic research but do respond when told there is a better way to conduct their business, says Oliver Sibony

Members of the Athena SWAN review steering group write an open letter in response to the plan to cut the link between the equality charter and research funding

Inequality in higher education, magnified during the pandemic, is not new – what has changed, perhaps, is a rising urgency to do something about it

Many students believe that if their instructors did not want them to cheat, they would not make it so easy, say three academics

A willingness to lie and manipulate beyond what most people can imagine can do wonders for a career, notes Irina Dumitrescu

Following the BethAnn McLaughlin and Jessica Krug revelations, Rachel Moss offers her tips for spotting online fakers

The focus on conducting research in independent institutes is holding the country back, say four academics

Instilling graduates with a global outlook is a mission more vital than ever, says Duke Kunshan University vice-chancellor-elect Alfred H. Bloom

Having dropped out of university because of loneliness and depression, Hayley Mulenda argues that effective use of data analytics and greater diversity of academic staff are crucial

The global nature of higher education is its greatest strength, which is now under threat from the effects of Covid, nationalism and industry competition

Seeking out students for personal tutoring in socially distanced times is the labour-intensive but necessary task that may defeat universities, says Michael Wynn-Williams

Dismissing plagiarism as a low-level academic misdemeanour ignores the potentially deadly consequences of letting cheating go unchecked, says David A. Sanders

A coalition of US universities is freely sharing technology and intellectual property related to coronavirus, but this approach must not stop at the pandemic, writes Moo Hwan Kim

Bavaria’s rules to keep university tutors on precarious contracts unfairly penalise those who want to work, says a lecturer caught out by red tape

University teaching will change as a result of the forced switch to online, but in-person interactions will still have enduring value, argues Rebecca Blank

Confining students with disabilities to ‘special-education castles’ within Chinese universities does not provide true opportunity, says Zhang Yuexin

Higher education institutions are inherently global and they thrive because of their openness, not in spite of it, says Duncan Maskell

Amazon’s and Netflix’s obsessive focus on using customer data to improve user experience has valuable lessons for universities, argues Mike O’Connor

Economic revival in the wake of the pandemic will require all sections of society to play their part, says Janet Beer

Rosalie Minnitt calls on institutions to offer greater support to those struggling to find work in the midst of a pandemic

Covid-19 offers universities a chance to accelerate the transition towards a more digital, open and inclusive research environment, says Cisca Wijmenga

Vilified abroad and distrusted in their homeland, Chinese students overseas have been marginalised as a result of a geopolitical struggle beyond their control, says Brian Wong

International collaborations should focus on building institutions rather than individuals, say Adam Habib and Imraan Valodia

Those who fear a resurgence of coronavirus as campuses reopen can take heart from how Taiwan’s universities maintained in-person teaching throughout the pandemic, explains Cher Chiu

The pandemic has shown how public investment in research and healthcare pays off, argues Ana Mari Cauce

NYU Abu Dhabi’s vice-chancellor explains how her institution kept its campus open during the pandemic and what others can learn from this experience

The pivot to online learning during the coronavirus pandemic has shown why university educators should embrace artificial intelligence, says Y. J. Jang

Scholars should not face official censure for making provocative statements on social media, but they have a responsibility to embody academic values of empathy and self-reflection in their online posts, argues Chris Barker

David McClough reflects on whether higher education should take to the morally higher ground

The A-level grading fiasco has highlighted the limitations of using exam results to assess undergraduate preparedness, says Suleiman M. Sharkh

Dread of ‘selling out’ and heroic figure of ‘struggling artist’ cause many creative arts graduates to persist with dead-end jobs rather than maximising their skills in alternative careers, says Martha Bloom

The loss of international income makes the improvement of universities’ online offerings all the more urgent

Obliging women to adopt ‘male’ characteristics is not just unfair – it also impoverishes university management, says Corinne Houart

Not all academics are in a position to churn out endless papers during lockdowns – and not all should, argues Michael Marinetto

Practical help for students and universities left exposed by the A-level results chaos is needed, not political point-scoring, says former Ucas chief executive Mary Curnock Cook

Even with a rock-star border collie on side, allowing students to flock back takes careful planning, says Neil Quigley

System consolidation, regulatory simplification and undergraduate flexibility are positive steps, says Pushkar

Some argue that accolades for individuals are outmoded in an age of team science, and reinforce old hierarchies and biases as ‘friends reward friends’

Bullying and harassment is still widespread in our institutions, and this must change, say science leaders

It is wrong for UK ministers to set up higher and further education in opposition to one another, says former education secretary Justine Greening

Male security guards are the workers most at risk of dying from Covid, but George Bass is happy to be one of the ‘expendables’

The halting of trials for a coronavirus treatment following the publication of dubious data highlights the perils of opacity, says Ron Iphofen

Falling staff-student ratios and low quality in some graduate programmes are prompting concern that more will mean worse, says Zhang Ruomei

Now is the time to build a research infrastructure that harnesses and nurtures the energy, creativity and enterprise of the third sector, says letter

Teaching-focused institutions need to concentrate on the aspects of faculty research that contribute to the student experience, says Neil Clarke

Higher education is no panacea, but critical thinking is the best antidote to inequality, say Chris Cunningham and Colin Samson

The lockdown has illustrated that we don't need to sacrifice academic interaction to save the planet, says Adnan Ajšić

If policymakers are worried about the cost of degrees, why aren’t living expenses taken into account?

Physical events are not going away but they must open up and embrace the best of the digital world, says Jim Woodgett

Daily tweets, cake baking and discussion of James Bond film titles have all helped keep Anthony Smith sane

Still on mute? Then let’s begin, says Emma Rees

Academic research is not having any significant impact on the national economy or health of society, laments Tahir Shah

The government’s tinkering with red tape is welcome but it won’t be enough to overcome Covid-19 uncertainty, says James Pitman

Young scholars’ lack of reputation and digital prominence risks seeing them excluded from online conferences, says Scott Rich

Covid-19 has underlined the need for more coordinated and comprehensive engagement with policymakers, say David Price, Sarah Chaytor and Andrew Wathey

The pandemic is accelerating debates about fundamental issues that universities cannot brush aside if they are to keep politicians and the public on their side