Academic life

With academics feeling the strain from higher workloads, the days when scholars had time to write novels or run businesses seem increasingly distant. Lincoln Allison suggests that universities have far more to gain than to lose by allowing their academics to broaden their experience and earn extra income

The unexpectedly musical background of many sociologists might explain their academic success, Glasgow professor argues

The nectar of power and prestige is sweet, but modern editors have to swallow an embittering volume of hard graft, too, says Adrian Furnham

As academics are replaced by religious scholars, those that remain fear the worst, while student interest is plummeting, says an Afghan observer

Twenty-two institutions win awards for innovation and excellence in teaching and research

The American University in Cairo’s first Arab leader on helping people reskill, serving the community and taking on the ‘necessary evil’ of administration

Economic barriers and power outages harming sector’s reputation, but some leaders say country is continuing to hold its own, despite problems

Union and employer association welcome delay to resolve ‘unintended consequences’

From dedicating time for brainstorming to taking inspiration from their dog, five writers explain how they are changing their approach to academia and life as another academic year begins in the northern hemisphere

Annual meetings should be reimagined as spaces that enable connections – including with practitioners and the media, says Noam Schimmel

WeWork-style project seeks to replicate some of the benefits of having a university in higher education ‘cold spots’

Homicide rate may have been about 50 times higher than modern-day standards, study suggests

Arthur Conan Doyle’s maverick detective embraced science but also tapped into suspicion and resentment towards academia, a scholar argues

Over the past century, capitalism, relativism, egoism and social advocacy have fuelled the decay of traditional academic commitments, says Bruce Macfarlane

Experiences in the Congo and the US Congress taught Stephen Weissman that adventurous academics need self-examination and thoughtful adaptation

Initiative intended to check office requirements redesigned after privacy panic

University managers’ doomed pursuit of unattainable ideals turns staff into martyrs who see work as sacrifice and suffering. It explains much about why so many feel stressed, harassed and miserable, says Joe Moran

Departmental hierarchies, job precarity and institutions’ need to protect their star professors enables bullies to thrive in Britain’s top universities, says Wyn Evans

‘Narrow-mindedness’ over China in US universities driven by fear of losing government funding, says Denis Simon

Possibility of tensions flaring again on first anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death sparks attempts to keep students away from campuses

Jobs forum popular with economists accuses researchers of ‘hacking’ after locations of users exposed

As students in many countries receive their final degree marks amid perennial concerns about grade inflation, three scholars reflect on their experiences of being pressured to mark more leniently, while one considers how to enhance the fairness of marking outcomes

I want my research to fuel change and make a positive impact on the world, and I do not want to suffer in the process, says Heidi Green

When faced with a real, full-bore crisis, this generation of supposed snowflakes just got on with it and coped better than I did, says Joe Moran

Some incidents are inevitable, but, as all security guards know, de-escalation is a lot less painful than the alternative, says George Bass

As world’s most famous archaeologist makes his last big-screen outing, real-life researchers reflect on how the character and his famous hat and whip have influenced their discipline

The ‘Presidential Platitude’ and the ‘Forty-Minute Conference Paper’ are among German historian Philipp Stelzel’s concoctions

Sector leaders and academics from across the UK are recognised in the first King’s Birthday Honours list

Unions and management should strike ‘grand bargain’ to resolve issue that ‘casts a shadow’ over the sector, says outgoing leader

Historian vice-chancellor Evelyn Welch has faced criticism for marking final-year dissertations personally

When she was BBC Newsnight’s top booker, Sam McAlister persuaded Prince Andrew to give his infamous interview about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. She tells Jack Grove how academics can avoid shooting themselves in the foot and what TV producers want from expert guests

University ‘reviewing’ fair work umpire’s decision to reject clarification that ‘contemporaneous consultation’ means ‘within a week’

Universities may well accept a 1 per cent funding penalty as a cheaper option, compared with paying money owed to lecturers

Janina Ramirez, one of the UK’s best-known historians, reflects on gender fluidity throughout history, transphobia and Twitter trolls

Faculty groups say ‘we are already seeing staff and faculty leaving the state’ in response to proposed legislation

Reaching out to a trusted community reminded Karen Spierling why she values academia enough to defend it in the public arena

Restructure proposal follows enrolment crash and sub-inflation boost to teaching subsidies

Analysis finds those working in higher education often enjoy better benefits than elsewhere but precarity leaves many excluded

As hopes of reaching agreement fade, department heads are under pressure to pass all those who took classes taught by graduate workers before they walked out in March

Bill to enforce two-year participation ‘meant to target critics at home rather than defend country’, scholars warn

Case prompts renewed concern over plight of lecturers on temporary contracts

Former minister says major reforms to governance and disciplinary rules needed after exit of ex-dean Martyn Percy

Buildings and academic positions endowed by the US family linked to US opioid crisis will be renamed

Outsourcing firm used by UK’s largest academic pensions scheme targeted in cyberattack

As dozens of student-athletes come under investigation, expert predicts major harms on campus from national embrace of sports betting

‘Infinite’ research budgets have allowed industry to surge ahead of academia, but scholars will be essential for steering new technologies towards common good, say experts

Cost-of-living crisis has driven many more to find paid work alongside studies, with universities reassessing practices as a result

Good people who fail to put themselves forward are in no position to carp about their ‘overlords’, says Bruce Macfarlane

Universities have focused on impact on assessments, but internet pioneer tells THE conference changes must extend to teaching and research

Government policy is ‘a lot of hot air’ given lack of support for female faculty, says scholar

‘Creeping authoritarianism’ and university expansion behind Ryan Craig’s play, after academia largely absent from UK stage since 1980s

But academics express scepticism, saying policy does not tackle ‘root’ of problem behaviour

Just as deans and provosts start to realise their visions, they are often gone, leaving everyone else to pick up the pieces, says Elizabeth Lehfeldt

Amid rising tensions between West and Western-educated Chinese elite, experts counter claim that universities ‘fail to instil Western values’

In ongoing awakening, several large universities act on evidence that marginalised students fare better with greater feelings of community

Alliances with university colleagues can be inspiring and life-affirming but may also be grounded in little more than ambition or survival instinct. Six writers reflect on the joys and challenges of having friends in academia

The Dutch scientist on the physics of surfing, his re-entry into additive manufacturing and how he’s ‘drinking from the firehose’ as dean of sport

Doing admin is a poor use of your time as an expert. Make sure you invoice for it at your highest rate, says Andy Farnell

Purdue University accused of trying to force maths academic to retire after concerns about his Covid-era teaching

Disciplinary pay gaps prompt large protests by arts and humanities scholars