Academic life

‘Vast majority’ of promised research commercialisation fund falls outside spending commitments, estimates committee also hears

The Bourne films had it right. ‘Look at us. Look at what they make you give,’ says Donald Earl Collins

Senior academics who flatter juniors and promulgate a high-minded vision of higher education are all in recruitment mode, says Harvey Graff

With both Oxford and Cambridge seeking new vice-chancellors, Rosa Ellis examines the unique pressures of leading these prestigious universities and the qualities that successful candidates will need to do the job

Accurate reporting of results is important, but meaning is rarely distorted by orthographic or grammatical slips, says Adrian Furnham

Perhaps it is only by recasting an agreement as an adventure that professors can respond to the urgency of our times, says Robert Zaretsky

The historian raised in a military family talks about her interest in both war and community, and the formative class which shaped that

Staff and students voice concern over CUHK’s condition that union can be reinstated only if it pledges not to break law

The Maastricht University president and rector is shifting the emphasis away from only research, despite pushback from Nobel laureate

Julie Lydon and Sarah Springman recognised alongside vice-chancellors, UUK chief executive and former UCU leader

Ontario parliament demands documents over university’s unprecedented bankruptcy, though analysis may turn to realities of bankrolling remote communities

Two years after student was beaten to death by classmates, calls for institutions to take more responsibility

As the season of goodwill comes around again, warm words about collegiality and fellowship have been dutifully corralled into all-staff missives from university leaders. But in an era of management, metrics and industrial unrest, does the image of the academy as a commonwealth of scholars still bear scrutiny? Seven academics have their say 

The escalating pressures of university life are resulting in all manner of exotic new psychological disorders. Adrian Furnham opens his casebook

Star professors who abuse their positions escape censure because universities fear hit to reputations and funding, says union report

But silence on flagship Discovery scheme leaves an estimated 3,000 applicants facing Christmas limbo

Conscripting industry players into research assessment roles will also turn the grant application process into ‘Frankenstein’s monster’

Unclear guidelines, screen-tanned conspiracy theorists and government party animals: none of them is helping campus security, says George Bass

Commonwealth auditor general asked to review grant administration for the second time in three months

Times Higher Education journalists name the academics and administrators at the heart of the sector’s biggest debates

Thousands of researchers face Christmas crisis as grant announcements languish

Survey of staff in 10 different countries also suggests general satisfaction with moves overseas, alongside lack of understanding from ‘onshore’ campus staff

Mediocre but arrogant academics who appropriate successful projects are a threat to education and collegiality, says Manuel Freire-Garabal 

Negative connotations attached to ‘liberal’ and ‘arts’ have created a misleading perception of a transformative education model that delivers for students, say Barbara Altmann and Jeffrey Nesteruk

High levels of personal optimism block decisions to depart a dysfunctional workplace or halt a failing project, say Alexander Clark and Bailey Sousa

Inviting people to share their full selves on campus promotes mental health, diversity and intellectual stimulation, says Kyle Sebastian Vitale

Shifting fields takes courage, but if a tenured professor can’t take the leap to address the ecological emergency, who can, asks Adam Aron

Quite apart from the injustice, institutions that fail to act on complaints undermine trust across entire disciplines, says Irina Dumitrescu

Shrugging is not good enough. Victims must be supported to speak out – and conference organisers must act, says Kirsten England

The pandemic has demonstrated that air miles are not a prerequisite for building international partnerships, says Aimee Ambrose

Graduation days are students’ days. Why can’t they be all-singing and all-dancing, asks James Derounian

As refereeing requests multiply, the demands on willing academics’ time are becoming unsustainable, says Adrian Furnham

The half-hearted pursuit of dust bunnies was less scary than teaching online, but it was no match for life on campus, says Jeffrey Susla

Universities must give credit for the broadened skill sets that the pandemic has prompted academics to acquire, says John Tregoning

The tactful approach can be effective but it risks obscuring the necessity and urgency of improvements, says Chris Moore

Sector should be ‘cyber-savvy’ but embrace Chinese STEM PhDs, conference hears

The ‘dark academia’ fashion trend underlines the stereotype of the slim, pale, serious woman dressed in black, says Rachel Moss

Evolution of indexes closely tied to development of universities, says author, who outlines how they have been used for centuries to settle scholarly scores

Academics have acclaimed the Netflix series. But how many have noticed the absence of non-tenure-track faculty, asks Tian An Wong

A new term is beginning in the northern hemisphere, and many campuses are reopening. But are academics relishing a return to relative normality or fearful of unvaccinated students? And what has the Covid experience taught them about their approach to teaching? Six scholars offer their perspectives

Bullies and snakes can only wreak havoc via the support – conscious or otherwise – of those around them, says Irina Dumitrescu

As freshers make up for forgone alcohol experiments during lockdown, George Bass won’t be surprised to see more hair ransoms on Instagram 

This article does not require your immediate attention, says Emily Kane

Scholars offer a range of views on the popular and much-anticipated Netflix series

A major new study reveals that, across the world, work-life balance issues hold women back, say Elaine Howard Ecklund and Di Di

Fears for physics pipeline as 32 researchers relinquish up to A$22m for citing preprints

The amazing work of university staff during the pandemic has created unrealistic expectations, argue Martha Diede and Michelle Pautz

ARC says it communicated rule change clearly, but applicants say it forces them to plagiarise to qualify for funding

Allowing access to study engagement data would provide employers with more useful insights into a graduate’s character, argues Chris Moore

Communal leisure activities can have a big impact on campus life, paper argues

Universities can cut plagiarism by working with students’ unions to raise awareness of contract cheating and the value of academic integrity, says Aaron Yaverski

Students are not being pushed to consider imaginative ideas that would truly tackle global warming, argues Peter Sutoris

Academics’ reading lists are increasingly directed by algorithms. But are the recommendation services of platforms such as Google Scholar, ResearchGate and Mendeley distorting science? And might AI ultimately lead it to a disastrous echo chamber? David Matthews reports

A resulting sense of obligation often leaves women unable to relocate for better or more secure jobs, says Lara McKenzie

Institutions that want to help their staff have children should focus on the factors that drive postponement, says Pamela Mahoney Tsigdinos

Sydney academic orchestrated campaign after striking resistance to course closure

Economist’s ordeal highlights the risks of lone advisory roles in unstable countries

We all need to be strategic about where we devote our service time – especially those of us most inclined to say ‘yes’, say seven academics

Hagoromo Fulltouch Chalk moves some scholars to near ecstasy but may have lost its rationale in the shift to digital education

The summer marking marathon is among the most dreary of academic duties. Thank goodness students can appeal, says Brian Bloch