Research

Nokia’s runaway success may have rung off a decade ago, but the Nordic nation hopes to dial up its tech prowess by increasing state investment in R&D by 80 per cent, putting the nation among the world’s top spenders. Jack Grove travels to Tampere to hear about academics’ role in the innovation nation

Social scientists must work hard to verify their conclusions. Too many that do not are rewarded anyway, says Martyn Hammersley

Centres of Research Excellence, officially launched today, will also strengthen the UK’s leading position in biomedical sciences, says Patrick Chinnery

Current health data is largely based on Western studies and Western participants, leading to potential data gaps for Middle Eastern citizens

Closer relationships with companies needed to produce more relevant scholarship, summit hears

Larry Ellison’s foundation expands partnership with top-ranked university that aims to address ‘humanity’s greatest challenges’

Long timeline for review heralded almost a year ago by another review

If we rely on industry to bankroll research, we lose sight of problems that do not interest industry, technologist warns

The new commission must answer the big questions without delay and consult universities, say Jan Palmowski and Kurt Deketelaere

Authors say findings support idea that researchers will increasingly use AI tools to design more effective experiments

There’s no silver bullet when it comes to interdisciplinary success, data from inaugural THE ranking show

The president of Technical University of Munich explains his recipe for breaking down silos while retaining deep disciplinary strength

Academics who rely on the British Library’s unmatched collection are still feeling the impact of a devastating cyberattack a year ago. Jack Grove hears from those affected and considers how another catastrophic breach might be averted

Freely available tool performs strongly in trials against human interviewers and traditional online surveys

Researchers identify emergence of ‘China English’ as legitimate version of language

Outpost to build on London university’s existing partnerships in West Africa

Dame Karen Holford tells MPs that financial stress caused by visa restrictions are hurting R&D ecosystem while Aria bosses outline their strategy to Lords

Framework for UK health funders will require applicants to explain how they will consider and distinguish sex and gender in their work

Top universities project evolving to focus on interdisciplinary work and longer-term measures of success as 10-year anniversary nears

Pressure to publish seen as pushing up frequency of common errors including ‘reserach’, ‘pubic health’ and ‘casual inference’

But we must be sure to protect research and future subscription budgets, as well as building a sensible authentication system, says Cathy Foley

Plagiarism accusations that led to the downfall of black US academics and politicians have sparked criticisms of ‘sloppy’ writing practices. But these controversies actually reveal how academics are struggling with the many writing technologies now essential to their jobs, argues Genevieve Creedon

Many researchers opting against trying to publish replication efforts, survey finds

Science secretary voices ‘intense frustration’ at having to apologise for pausing ‘unfunded’ £800 million exascale computer project

Highly ranked UK university sets up first physical presence on other side of the Atlantic

Devolving research and skills funding to metro mayors would allow universities to drive innovation-led economic growth, says Neal Juster

Sheffield-born laureate on his hometown’s influence, his PhD struggles and why social media should be taxed like smoking

Alternative to traditional principal investigator-led approach aims to bring different voices to the fore

Research institutes ‘unprepared’ for impact of growing focus on national security amid geopolitical shifts, survey finds

With its focus on breakthrough research and innovation, Manuel Heitor’s plan for European research should be commended, says Jan Palmowski

Liverpool vice-chancellor argues that conducting more research outside London and south-east of England would improve healthcare and educational outcomes

Donald Trump’s election as president in 2016 prompted a slew of academic books grappling with how such a figure could have been chosen to lead the free world. But what are the chances that any of those bleak tomes will dissuade American voters from re-electing him next month, asks Matthew Reisz

Expert in early years development at the University of East London discusses working with children, translating his work for a TV audience and why more scholars should consider leaving the research intensives

Former Conservative business secretary, now based at University of Warwick, believes Labour’s proposals will underscore higher education’s vital role in growth

Few physical sciences researchers are sharing their results in a way that can be easily used by other scholars, analysis finds

Departure of British-educated Nobelists will resurface questions about UK’s ‘passive’ efforts to keep top talent, say experts

Group of experts advises European Union to embark on huge new investment in research

Lord Vallance says UK must not ‘rest on its laurels’, but signals that new Labour government will not interfere with direction of blue-sky science

British-Turkish team behind the 2012 book Why Nations Fail awarded Nobel prize in economics

In this age of widespread mis/disinformation, non-scientists need help to better grasp which claims bear rigorous scrutiny, says Gary Atkinson

Biochemistry professor David Baker and Google DeepMind scientists Sir Demis Hassabis and John Jumper awarded the 2024 prize

Open access champions make ‘the perfect the enemy of the good’ by opposing chief scientist’s plan

Institutions are setting the scene for a thriving international system post-war

No elite US university finishes in the top 50 for the international outlook pillar, a category that is dominated by the United Arab Emirates at the top and the UK lower down

University of Manchester physicist hits out at critics who claim Nobel-winning discovery has not yet delivered

Newcastle vice-chancellor says shared approach needed to prevent ‘bad practices’

‘SWAT team’ of finance experts and science writers helps university secure more federal research funds than any other US institution, says its vice-provost for research

Abandoning ‘bureaucratic’ exercise now would save universities £430 million, according to UK Day One

Experts fear ‘high-risk strategy’ as universities urged to double down on existing strengths and retrench from other areas

New immigration policies introduced to attract foreign scientists as country struggles to compete in talent race

Papyrologist Roberta Mazza faced intimidation and legal threats when she blew the whistle on the multimillion-pound trade in illicit papyri

But radical thinking is needed to make its collaborative instruments more effective and convince sceptical governments of their value, says Jan Palmowski

Body proposed by former government was seen as a way of upskilling workforce and growing the economy

With the audiobook industry booming, university publishers are turning everything from hot new scholarly titles to Karl Marx’s catalogue into engrossing listening. Matthew Reisz speaks to academics, producers and publishers about what makes a great audiobook and where the industry goes next

Code-of-silence mentality encourages blunt measures that hamper benign activities while overlooking legitimate threats, says expert

The Fulbright Commission’s insistence that fellows return home is senseless in a country dismantling its science base, says Nicolas Mongiardino Koch

Science minister says he took job in DSIT because he ‘didn’t feel like shutting up’

Sector leaders fear ‘catastrophic’ damage to scholarship as overseas academics and students leave

The president of McMaster University discusses the importance of nuclear power, dealing with a sexual misconduct scandal and limits on student recruitment

University umbrella groups welcome report’s emphasis on research while critiquing some proposals