Management and governance

Covid-19 ushered in a very different first 100 days for new University of Auckland head Dawn Freshwater

Covid-19 has underlined the need for more coordinated and comprehensive engagement with policymakers, say David Price, Sarah Chaytor and Andrew Wathey

Former Ohio State president pledges focus on pandemic, race and environment

Manchester v-c also calls for rethink on REF and predicts UK will not join next EU research programme

Universities are in a powerful position to help societies address history in a way that informs the present and shapes the future, says Andrew Thompson

Insurance now being offered at same time students pay tuition fees, but it would not have protected those looking for refunds over online switch

Reflecting on his legal ordeal, Australian academic hopes his experience will help cultivate a culture of speaking out

Volatility has become part of university managers’ new normal, but the effort won’t quickly become wasted, says David LeFevre

Aoife Mac Namara dismissed by Nova Scotia College of Art after less than a year in charge

Has the online transition worked out? How far are student numbers likely to decline? Will governments still have money to invest in universities and research after the pandemic is over? And what does all that mean for staffing? These are just some of the issues explored by our survey of 200 university leaders from 53 territories. Paul Jump runs through the results

Erin Hatton draws on an ‘odious comparison’ to illuminate the extraordinary powers coaches and supervisors can wield over their students

In the wake of the George Floyd killing, institutions should prioritise health and well-being over armed enforcement, says Michael Sierra-Arévalo

But local experts lament that recommendations in the US-produced document may be easier said than done   

With Covid-19 imposing huge strain on universities’ digital course development, collaboration is the obvious solution, says Alexandra Mihai

Engaging students in institutional planning and enhancing their work placement opportunities could cushion the impact of the virus, says Craig Jeffrey 

Critic to remain on Australian university’s senate, as institution promises review of governance processes

An inadequate response to the death of George Floyd will diminish universities in the eyes of their increasingly diverse students, says ’Funmi Olonisakin

Nations are increasingly making conscious efforts to propel a subset of their universities into the global elite. But are such aspirations ever met? And, if they are, is that a blessing or a curse for those institutions denied entry to the club? Simon Baker examines the issues and the numbers

Media coverage has made it difficult to 'untangle' misconduct allegations from freedom of speech claims, chancellor says

Move to reject Obama policy seen costing 200,000 borrowers some $11 billion

More women than men named John are chancellors – but only just

Staff over 50 might well wish to stay out of front-line contact with students until a vaccine is found, say Andrew Oswald and Nattavudh Powdthavee

Plea, without specific rationale, risks alienating students and political allies

The secretary of higher education for the state of New Jersey talks about her path to a career in policy, family history and handling racist attitudes at college

Why shouldn’t universities decide what to teach based on annual student demand, then hire temporary instructors, wonders Thomas Schneider

Former biotech chief cooperating in expanded investigation

Improving remote learning may be smartest move universities can make, quality chief advises

National move to reconciliation tests boundaries of academic freedom, say some observers

‘Classic risk management tools’ helped protect the University of Tasmania, says its former management consultant boss

Course cancellations offer chance to boost internationalisation by aligning Japan’s calendar with many other developed nations

A 2017 speech by Emmanuel Macron on European identity has led to the creation of an initial 17 pan-continental consortia involving 114 universities. But do they amount to anything more than yet more vacuous memoranda of understanding? David Matthews reports

The Covid-19 pandemic offers universities a once-in-a-generation opportunity to put their dysfunctional strategies behind them, argue Timothy Devinney and Grahame Dowling

Protecting the European research budget offers better long-term hopes of saving the European project

Anticipating a renewed coronavirus outbreak, California State University plans for semester online

While overhauls of workforce and institutional architecture beckon, Australian report predicts esteem for expertise in post-pandemic world

Investigation concerns ‘potential serious or systemic misconduct and maladministration, not corruption’

Australian university’s losses ‘less than our east coast counterparts’, acting v-c tells staff

Coordinating across two jurisdictions during a pandemic is difficult, but the effort should pay off, says Yusra Mouzughi

Covid-19 crisis the suspected trigger, as university offers no reasons for chancellor’s resignation or vice-chancellor’s leave of absence

Lawyer warns over alleged meeting between institutions on foreign students

University finances are supposedly staring into the abyss – but we shouldn’t get giddy, says Paul Jump

Inter-university collaboration to develop core online curricula may be the only way to preserve quality, says Matt Jenner 

The transformation of high street branches offers lessons on how universities may need to adapt when lockdown is lifted, writes a UK university professor

Some institutions have made serious efforts to protect staff welfare during the Covid-19 crisis, while others have implemented – or said they plan to implement – job and pay cuts

Virtually all modern university courses end with a request for feedback. But are students’ reactions even useful for improving future course design, never mind assessing lecturers? Seven academics discuss their experiences

University managers must accept that business as usual is not an option for many university staff, says Petra Boynton

University pulls move to consider ‘other traditions of academic freedom’ in overseas partnerships after outcry

A new HE system based on the UK model should ‘promote rather than regulate’ universities 

The government must guarantee the sustainability of universities, say Richard Watermeyer, Aline Courtois and Hugh Lauder

Six months of devastating and unprecedented destruction has brought home the reality of climate change to many Australians. But with time for mitigation short and some politicians still in denial, what more can universities do to save the ‘lucky country’ – and the rest of the planet? John Ross reports

Coronavirus crisis may make institutions more eager to please to students, but ‘tensions’ already in evidence

Swift decisions are needed on contact hours, attendance and assessment, says Benjamin Tak Yuen Chan 

Death of legendary Australian educator recalls missed opportunity to integrate tertiary education

‘Levelling up’ research spending may imperil regional universities’ sustainability, warn Grace Gottlieb and Graeme Reid 

Campuses see economic woes mounting, but full assault on Covid-19 more urgent

How a young institution in a tiny Japanese city created the country’s first fully bilingual campus 

Holistic sustainability concept meshes with ‘moral purpose’ of institution in Melbourne’s unfashionable west

OfS decision to block loan access at Bloomsbury Institute over quality concerns was lawful, court says

The sudden closure of university campuses across China and elsewhere has necessitated the virtual delivery of vast numbers of courses. And while there have been inevitable teething problems, observers are wondering whether the future might just have become the present. Joyce Lau reports

Governing bodies play an important role in universities, but how can institutions ensure they are functioning at full capacity?