Blog

The focus of research evaluation on papers and grants excludes far too many vital contributions. We must change that, says Simon Hettrick

Online teaching could have been much better if institutions had previously taken a communal approach to digital evolution, says Doug Specht

Restrictions are rare, but the Russell Group is putting its commitment to the open and rigorous contestation of ideas beyond doubt, says Tim Bradshaw

Tough choices and bold strategies are needed if universities are to navigate the perilous landscape that lies ahead, argue Michael Braun and Scott Latham

The pandemic has curtailed urgent discussion of open access’ impact on scholarly societies, says Frank James

The woeful environmental record of the UK’s research-intensive universities illustrates a lack of leadership and incentives to cut emissions, says Bill Spence

A failure of imagination and aversion to networking is preventing doctoral students finding rewarding careers outside academia, says Max Horder

Qualities of silent endurance and self-containment embodied by the Duke of Edinburgh are unlikely to resonate with, or help, a generation of students faced with adversity, says Adrian Furnham

Merging metrics for the REF, KEF and TEF would free up time for academics to become researchers once again, says Robert MacIntosh

The pandemic experience shows universities of all kinds are willing to be partners for policy delivery, says Debra Humphris

Allowing tattoo parlours and drive-in cinemas to reopen before universities illustrates how students have been ignored during the pandemic, says Olivia Winnifrith

Minor tweaks to repetitive tasks can free up hundreds of hours of academic time for better things, says Andy Grayson

Nearby communities are the priority – but impact is maximised via universities’ crucial global networks, says Dawn Freshwater

Research is for public benefit. The UK’s next deal with Elsevier must accelerate the abolition of journal paywalls, says Paul Boyle

Long-term public and economic health depends on empowering universities, businesses and health systems to work together, says Michael Spence

The Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities added to the scepticism but, done properly, training makes a difference, say Jules Holroyd and Jennifer Saul

A strategic rejection of digital instruction is akin to France’s short-sighted attempt to prevent invasion in the 1930s, says Robert Zaretsky

Attempts to impose the IHRA definition have prompted the formulation of an alternative that respects academic freedom, says Bahram Bekhradnia

A writing group has become a vital support network for female academics facing everything the pandemic can throw at them, says Sorcha MacLeod

The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Covid-19 have buried the idea that learning for learning’s sake is enough, says Nancy Gleason

Pratap Bhanu Mehta’s resignation from Ashoka underlines that financial autonomy doesn’t remove fear of government anger, says Saikat Majumdar

Anonymising applications and reserving studentships and starter grants for Black researchers would go a long way, says Daniel Akinbosede

The cuts will hit organisations helping women and girls to evade violence and access justice, say Christine Chinkin and Sanam Naraghi Anderlini

The use of the messaging app for cheating is apparently rife, bringing the whole viability of online exams into question, says Daniel Sokol

As physical retail declines, universities can keep high streets vibrant by moving into vacated shops, says Matthew Andrews 

Without audit studies, we would have an impoverished understanding of discrimination, say S. Michael Gaddis, Charles Crabtree and nine others

Healthcare education must re-evaluate the importance of learning academic values versus meeting competence measures, say four academics

Student services aren’t enough. Academics are universities’ engine room, so must be the driving force of mental health reform, says Geoff Mills

The shortfall will damage the UK’s reputation and halt projects that are making a real difference to communities worldwide, says Joanna Newman

The pandemic has exposed the limits that commercial models impose on libraries’ ability to facilitate access, says Gauthier Van Malderen

Universities must ensure that academics who contribute to the vast online encyclopedia are given the credit they deserve, says Piotr Konieczny

Events at the University of Leicester suggest an always tense relationship may be turning toxic, says Ursula Huws

The emerging online demand for expert content offers an opportunity to scholars working outside formal academia, says Anton Howes

Trusting in the continuing power of prestige to open employers’ doors is a dangerous strategy, say Alejandro Caballero and Sean Gallagher

Autocracy starts with the violent repression of students and academics, say Matteo Fumagalli, Achim Kemmerling, Youngmi Kim and Luicy Pedroza

Digitisation opens up a world of possibility but it doesn’t compensate for the loss of physical interaction, says Mark Griffin

Grim statistics on single-honours enrolments belie an explosion in joint-honours provision, says Katherine Astbury

Progress is being made but much still could and should to be done to boost women’s advancement, says Helen Bartlett

The brutal cost-cutting demanded by Covid-19 may finally see intercollegiate athletics cut down to size, says Bruce Svare

Putting the onus on students to maintain honour can be effective but it takes time to assimilate the mindset, says Sara Pervaiz Amjad

Local and international collaboration will allow institutions to tackle the challenges of sustainable development, says Tawana Kupe

The crackdown on ‘Islamo-leftism’ is a purely political move to court right-wing votes in the coming election, says William Barylo

Worries about Islamo-leftism in France and free speech in England reflect disciplines’ straddling of science and activism, says Alexis Artaud de La Ferrière

The Chicago Principles are powerful partly because they are linked to institutional history and values, say Carolyn Evans and Adrienne Stone

Too many trustees misunderstand or forget their fiduciary responsibilities and become co-opted by institutional presidents, says James Koch

A global recession will accelerate the latest shift away from high-cost study destinations, say Janet Ilieva and David Pilsbury

Why shouldn’t marketing staff have ongoing input into the brand perception they work so hard to cultivate among prospects, asks Victoria O’Malley

Sir Michael Barber’s blueprint can help digital delivery enhance learning rather than acting as an inconvenient stopgap, says David Puttnam

Awareness campaigns, support services and coordination with local authorities and transport providers are all needed, says Maya Tutton

Universities need to review the unhelpful websites and unwittingly ageist admissions procedures that prevent older people becoming doctoral students, says Alison Etches

Trauma suffered by lecturers who were forced to teach in-person during coronavirus spike should not be dismissed, say Paul Hanna, Carl Walker and Mark Erickson

Pausing the assessment timetable for tenure and promotion may seem helpful, but it will actually deepen disparities on campus, says Jennifer Greenfield

No institution will be able to make it alone amid the pandemic-induced tumult, so let’s make shared values the antidote to the crisis, says Ferruccio Resta

At a time when marketised models are dominant, we must build on initiatives that put the stress on social justice and community engagement, says Peter Mayo

Knock-backs are frequent and unavoidable. But treating referees’ comments with a hard-headed pragmatism lessens the sting, says Adrian Furnham

Different university groupings should have strong, distinctive capabilities that address specific markets, says John H. Howard

Scrutiny is inevitable but universities should do more to promote their teaching and their place in civil society, says Rosemary Bennett

A national ‘great debate’ in England would be more effective than imposing free speech champions and threatening fines, says Dennis Hayes

The idea that the First Lady’s doctor of education degree is any less worthy than a PhD or MD is utterly misguided, says Vipul Sharma

In Thailand, even school leavers with UK connections are starting to look elsewhere, says sixth-form head Sadie Hollins