Blog

Scholars of feminism attract an overwhelming amount of intimidation; their right to explore controversial issues demands explicit protection, say Alice Sullivan, Judith Suissa, Holly Smith and Lesley Gourlay

Effective teaching requires lecturers to stay on top of their research. But this is labour that often goes unpaid, says Tom Cutterham

Universities normally resist being used by states to further an ideological goal. Why should it be any different when it comes to the EU? asks David Matthews 

Universities need to be honest to students about what academic level is required to take a course and, as a result, unconditional offers will come to an end, argues Tom Richmond 

Improving policymaking is a vital contribution to society, but academics need more time and funds to do so, says Tom Sasse

Are you a student, a candidate or something else? Whatever title you choose can have an impact on how academia views you and how you see yourself, argues Jenny Mak

Higher education must reconcile its commitment to open access information with good cybersecurity principles, argues Martin Vincent

David Green outlines how his institution has successfully worked to close the gender pay gap 

The three people vying to be the next leader of the UK’s University and College Union explain in their own words what they’ll do if elected

The time and financial costs of attending academic conferences discredits higher education’s desire for greater equity, says Race MoChridhe 

Katherine Firth breaks down the different meanings of ‘hard’ and gives tips for how students can persevere 

Timetabling should be at the heart of curriculum development and business strategising, argues Gill Sinclair

Zeireen Fuzurally interviewed students from Oxford and Cambridge and found that the nuance in their experiences is often overlooked in the national conversation about mental health

The combined practical and theoretical knowledge students will gain in the UK’s newest qualification make them a realistic alternative to A levels, says Andrew Kaye 

Karan Khemka weighs up the economic and moral returns on paying for a place at a top-ranked institution 

More independent research centres would mean more jobs for researchers and more scientific progress, says Thomas Fink 

The advance of the ‘business model’ of university governance has disempowered academics, diminished their decision-making authority and weakened their ability to innovate, says Michael Shattock

Universities have a duty to act swiftly and decisively to protect their staff when student bullying occurs, says Dirk Lindebaum 

They’re not all selfish and corrupt Gordon Gekkos, say Riina Koris and Anders Örtenblad

Solutions to the funding crisis will depend on universities’ abilities to build new business partnership models supported by new ways of working, says Mike Boxall  

Researchers Masha Krylova, Rodney Clifton and Gabor Csepregi argue for greater awareness around the negative academic impacts of students’ overusing mobile phones 

This year’s ERA identified another rise in the amount of world-class research being done, but it ultimately damages the country’s long-term competitiveness, argues Frank Larkins

Institutions must retain neutrality and academic freedom while working with businesses, says Max Lu

If Americans lose faith in alternative routes to success, entry to top universities could become as cut-throat as it is in South Korea, says Stephanie K. Kim

In these days of virtual learning environments, face-to-face classes promote the endangered art of meaningful human interaction, says Joe Moran

Republicans in Congress are far less ideologically driven to avoid deficits and increase military spending this time, writes THE’s North America editor Paul Basken

Prejudice against working-class academics threatens the academic integrity of universities, argues Jack Adams 

A consultation of UK universities shows they are committed to protecting the value of degree qualifications, says Janet Beer

Impostor syndrome, feeling misunderstood and pressure to stay on top can plague many academics. Magdalena Bak-Maier advises how to prevent them derailing your efficiency  

Elite US universities’ history of acknowledging hereditary advantage at least came with a sense of social obligation, says Amanda Louise Johnson

And it’s time for government policy on post-study work to change, says Nick Hillman 

The interdisciplinary advisory panel spent 18 months debating the best way to define and assess interdisciplinary research in the REF. Now it’s up to the research community to decide if we are right, says Athene Donald 

Matthew Reisz considers the work of researchers who have shed light on the ‘invisibility’ of social class in US universities

Deep political division suggests that post-Brexit negotiations around research collaboration and talent mobility with the EU will drag on, says Chris Husbands 

Sal Jarvis identifies the catch-22 universities can find themselves in as they aim to widen participation and tackle grade inflation

The advice offered to PhD students by career diversity programmes often isn’t picked up by faculty members. Here Alfredo Cumerma proposes three tools faculty can use to make their students more visible to employers

Regional networks and corporate collaborations built up over decades will help universities weather the Brexit storm, say Alex de Ruyter and Vangelis Tsiligiris

Matthew Reisz meets an expert on tracking the movements of animals which are sometimes fierce and virtually impossible to catch  

Subsidising accommodation and providing bursaries for student essentials can go a long way in helping care leavers realise their potential, says UK universities and science minister Chris Skidmore

Any reduction in university fees will hurt students from under-represented backgrounds the most, argues Colin Bailey 

The progress of science will not be impeded if the number of flights academics take is reduced, argues Jürgen Gerhards

Universities’ openness, broad research remit and long-term local commitments are at risk when they align too closely with ever-changing industry, says Jason Owen-Smith

Higher education is constantly evolving – and so is THE, says Trevor Barratt 

The hidden costs of application fees could dissuade low-income students from applying to postgraduate courses, says James Muldoon

As the cost of higher education rises, the onus is on universities to show their community that they are using public and private investments effectively, says Liz Bromley 

In the wake Sally Hunt’s resignation and pay ballot turnout, the UK’s University and College Union needs to come together to discuss its long-term strategy, says Matt Waddup 

Record turnouts and consistent support for industrial action in the past two pay ballots is something to celebrate, says Jo McNeill 

So far the negotiations have had minimal impact on cross-border research opportunities, but any dismantling of education links would be detrimental to both countries, says Denis Simon 

Openly discussing academic successes and failures is the first step to alleviating impostor syndrome among women in academia, says Ashley Vaughn 

Bradley Moon says that without access to a higher education diploma course, he wouldn’t now be considering a career in research 

Philip Rodenbough sets out a rule to help those writing up research dial in a balance that can pique public interest without boring scholarly peers

The increased scrutiny of university finances and governance is proof that universities continue to play a critical role in society and economic growth, argues Robert Van de Noort

Despite talk about Australia’s international education boom, the country’s sector has reason to be wary, as Phil Honeywood explains

If UK universities are serious about improving the diversity of their staff, they must begin by assessing their recruitment strategies and interviewing processes, says Roshan Doug 

Trans people deserve visibility that recognises them as unique individuals, not whether they fit society’s expectations of them, says Pippa Catterall 

If history has taught us anything, it is that out of conflict comes collaboration, says Carel Stolker

Universities should take more action to highlight and nurture talent in young women, says Jane Turner

The new technology is further evidence of the consumer model of higher education and will result in lecturers adapting how they teach, says Jim Butcher 

Paul James Cardwell considers the alternatives to staying outside the Erasmus+ programme if the UK has no national student mobility strategy 

To earn the hashtag, universities must include a pledge to give due attention to curriculum design and the student experience, argues Rafe Hallett