HE and Me

The inventor with a penchant for clocks talks KitKat wrappers and kettles

The entrepreneur and philanthropist on not going to university, student start-up mistakes and Brexit

The Leicester space physicist on winning Astronauts, exploring uncharted mountains, and scientists’ social skills

The new chair of the Campaign for Social Science on ethnic minorities, the similarity between law and academia and universities swallowing the management textbook

The Coventry chancellor talks about being inspired by protest, managing a rap artist and being a pioneer as a black woman in law

The chief executive-designate of the UK’s new sector agency discusses her West Country roots, the roles of academics and administrators, and escaping to the country 

The Warburg professor discusses folk practice, emptying Milwaukee’s bins, and bargain cinema tickets

Digital media democracy expert on tension between control and engagement, and need for less interesting research in his field

The ex-footballer explains why his PhD means more than his Wales cap, and how his Cardiff Met team reached the verge of Europe

The chief executive of the Alan Turing Institute discusses his career in higher education, making the case for the humanities, and the nascence of the Russell Group

The academic psychologist talks testosterone, gender and the joy of being paid to read and write

The Italian scholar discusses how Machiavelli might have appraised current politics, the benefits of birdwatching and discovering Stevie Wonder

We discuss the challenges facing early career researchers, parenthood and tearful graduations with the award-winning University of Massachusetts Amherst geoscientist

We talk internationalisation in the face of Brexit, as well as the “alien” concept of fun for academics, with the international relations professor

We talk race, taking advice from Seamus Heaney and poetry’s vital place in society with the US’s next Poet Laureate

We talk poverty, political correctness gone mad and the comfort of whisky with the outspoken historian

We talk emergency responses to terrorist attacks, geekiness and happy memories of the Olympic Games with Surrey’s professor of medicine

We talk about academia as a refuge for artists, curtailed basketball careers, and escaping Michigan’s “shire” with the multifaceted music composer

We talk doping, ‘slithering’ through university and breaking world records with the former double Olympic champion

We talk diversity, the joy of family meals and Professor Stephen Hawking with the new Cambridge college master

We talk about the importance of women-only colleges, academics’ role in policymaking and personal tragedy with the noted political scientist

We talk mind-shaping, global citizenship and racial tolerance with the former BBC senior manager

The award-winning professor discusses Yugoslavia’s war, women and engineering, and how nationalism hurts research

We talk to the neuroscientist and sex researcher about prudish attitudes, personal threats and what goes on in a sex research lab

The leading forensic anthropologist discusses her Presbyterian work ethic, remaining detached in the face of human suffering, and unhelpful advice from a PhD supervisor

We discuss realising what it means to be black in the UK, dealing with insomnia, and institutional racism in the academy, with the renowned race and black identity scholar

The former leader of the House of Lords talks inequality, widening access to higher education and keeping on top of technology

The former Archbishop of Canterbury discusses religious leaders’ obligation to promote equality, the challenges of meeting controversial heads of state, and concerns about the growth of populism

The noted theatre director talks about dispelling drama school preconceptions, reducing tuition fees and negotiating with local gangs

The eminent philosopher talks of academics’ vanity, the place of philosophy in a ‘post-truth’ world and her reservations about the TEF

We talk misconceptions about quantum physics, the importance of global research collaboration and Nobel prize aspirations with the award-winning Canadian physicist

The fashion designer talks about treating a university education like a nine-to-five job, the importance of student interaction and defying graduation clothing convention

The comics researcher discusses ‘Mickey Mouse’ degree accusations, lessons on wartime alliances and the perils of eating cheese before bedtime

The author of The Entrepreneurial State discusses misconceptions surrounding innovation, rethinking the role of the public sector and her aims as founder of a new innovation institute at UCL

We talk to psychiatrist Vikram Patel about delivering healthcare in low-resources communities, how academics can learn from acting, and the hippy lifestyle of Goa

The acclaimed novelist and distinguished writer-in-residence at the University of Surrey talks about teaching, researching her novels and why she skipped all her lectures

Birmingham City University’s new chancellor talks about his experiences as a mature student, how education is a right, and why the British public rock

We talk about the social responsibilities of universities, crime scene investigation and attracting talent to the North East of England with the vice-chancellor of the University of Cumbria

We talk about mathematical misconceptions, public engagement and lecturing with tigers with the recent winner of the Euler Book Prize

The psychologist who signed up for a PhD aged 17 talks about proving her teachers wrong, keeping an open mind, and the biggest misconception about psychology

We talk student protests, forgotten heroes and lessons from history with Northwestern University’s next provost

The Olympian and chancellor of Oxford Brookes University talks about camaraderie between athletes, competition in the HE sector, and how her academic and athletic careers have complemented each other

We talk to the new chancellor of Bath Spa University about censorship, Brideshead Revisited and why campuses should be a place for outrage

The incoming dean of arts and humanities at UCL speaks about tuition fees, snobbery in film studies and making Margaret Thatcher likeable

We talk with the new president of the European University Institute about the politicisation of British universities, being a European citizen (whether you like it or not) and having no regrets

We talk with this year’s winner of the THE Lord Dearing Lifetime Achievement Award about the decline of student politics, what Michael Gove is getting wrong and bacon sandwiches

We talk about armed police, rowing and challenging stereotypes with the first police officer to head an Oxbridge college

We talk with the UN medal winner about the commercialisation of research, the merits of transnational scholarship and why scientists are like used-car dealers

We talk women’s equality and emancipation, the necessity of HE investment in developing countries and eureka moments in the Himalayas with the new head of the Asian University for Women

We talk blue-sky thinking, academic mobility and not ‘sweating the small stuff’ with the new Australian Research Council funding director

We talk to the renowned crime author about the challenge of writing, professorial aspirations and how long it takes to finish The Times crossword

We talk about growing up in the North East of England, alcohol consumption advice and international cricket aspirations with Newcastle University's new head

Would you prefer to live as a badger, an otter, a swift, an urban fox or a deer? We speak to the academic who did all five

We talk doctor supply, the importance of medical research and impostor syndrome with the new Medical Schools Council chair

We speak to Hergé biographer Benoît Peeters about the growing acceptance of graphic novels as a serious literary genre, the rich history of francophone comics and his favourite Tintin books

We speak to the head of Nanyang Technological University about the rise of Asia, what it’s like being a European leading a Singaporean institution, and barbecue chicken

We talk civic engagement and the dream of all academic subjects incorporating the arts with St Andrews' new theatre chief

We talk government-university relationships, protecting Welsh students’ finances and the highs and lows of supporting Cardiff City FC, with the former politician

We talk Australian wildfires, the emerging field of environmental humanities and rock musician aspirations with Bath Spa’s new interdisciplinary professor