Impact and engagement

Policy institutes’ lack of strategic variation risks overheating the competition for airtime with national policymakers, says Diana Beech

Ten years ago, just a handful of UK universities had policy institutes. Now, amid the drive for impact, they are ever more common. But are they really the golden ticket to policymakers’ parlours? Are academics willing to be marshalled by them? And do they risk drowning each other out? Jack Grove reports

Support for 150 ‘venture science doctorates’ by 2029 aims to increase number of spin-outs developed by early career researchers in Germany

Laureate reflects on the threat posed by America’s new president, why AI should be regulated and how his student days at the University of York set him on the path to success

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

There are plenty of global examples of how academic expertise could be better applied to companies’ real-life skills deficits, says Sarah Gordon

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

As US pauses for Thanksgiving, sector debates how colleges can play a role in healing deep political divides

Researchers in countries most vulnerable to natural disasters say public communication is biggest challenge and most important part of the job

With vaccine sceptics taking top White House posts, there are concerns that attacks on scientists who counter misinformation may become more extreme

New LSE vice-chancellor discusses ‘Wild West’ US, dealing with campus protests and the personal turmoil that led him to make the switch to London

London Higher chief executive moves into new role focused on translating interdisciplinary research into public policy solutions

But simplicity is hard to produce in a complex world, Australian forum hears

Breezy assertions about what research shows undermine public trust as, however confidently stated, they are easy to challenge, says Rob Briner

England’s Knowledge Exchange Framework unfairly marks down an arts cluster whose impact is not directly reflected in cash, says Michelle Phillips

This year’s Maddox Prize nominations suggest that institutional challenges may be a bigger problem than online abuse, says Tracey Brown

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

Civil servants appreciate a relational approach that responds to their needs and convenes evidence they will actually find useful, says Sally Hogg

New Manchester vice-chancellor on why universities need to collaborate more closely, how to turn research into impact, and the ‘opportunity’ for the UK on international students

Under more favourable policies, ‘I could spin out probably four or five companies for every one I can’ currently, says Oxford vice-chancellor

Partnerships with the public and private sectors can be slow-going or episodic. Urgent challenges demand a step change, says Daniel Diermeier

Very large research-intensive institutions performed best overall, THE analysis finds

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

A £14.5 million revamp of the unusual Bloomsbury library has also prompted a rethink about its mission, says director Bill Sherman

Outgoing Erasmus University Rotterdam president discusses the underappreciated value of the social sciences, managing student protests and the differences between Dutch and German higher education

Future is ‘uncertain’ for UK in a Changing Europe, says director

Many modern universities have received top marks for local growth and regeneration in the latest Knowledge Exchange Framework

Institutions should make the case for their vital role in the proposed drive for more EU-wide coordination on skills and innovation, says Jan Palmowski

Research, innovation and education are recognised in the European Commission president’s manifesto, but let’s assert their wider relevance, says Jan Palmowski

After protest at Oslo Airport, Norwegian researchers say scientists have duty to sound climate alarm

My role in the National Trust’s slavery report led to so many threats that I couldn’t walk anywhere unaccompanied, says Corinne Fowler

Museums have enormous amounts of material to study and they are wide open to collaboration with university researchers, says Mark Walport

Cardiff professor works with comedian to explain how players of BBC quiz show can avoid dreaded ‘brain fry’

Extra financial assistance would support wider unseen benefits of university-led research, says science advocacy group

Experts can see that years of academic work and psychological preparation helped the football team in their recent victory over Switzerland, and could prove key against the Netherlands

Judge tells university to pay damages but rules there was no breach of Siouxsie Wiles’ academic freedom

Head of UK’s biggest PhD school says promoting impact in doctoral studies would make students more employable and research more visible

Nobel laureate says discussing vapid AI answers can help students understand true scientific rigour

Academics made 49 appearances on the weekly BBC debate show over a nine-year period – researchers explore what they and their universities gained

The science is ‘just physics’ and the human chemistry matters more, says academic behind a sustainable development programme that’s going global

Most initiatives are well-meaning but ‘short-term, scattered, uncoordinated and incoherent’

New thematic analysis reveals the countries and institutions that are walking the talk on sustainability 

Universities might be in the ‘sweet spot to redefine the future’, but they still need to work with government and business, says leader

A fixation on publishing in ‘academic comic books’ is subverting the values permeating business schools, conference hears

Universities have helped some countries become leaders in fields linked to specific SDGs, thanks to their outreach efforts, meticulous data collection and creative campus/community initiatives. Rosa Ellis reports

African participation doubles, while institutions outside powerhouse of South Africa are becoming more visible

As climate catastrophes gain steam, early warnings offer the ‘most effective’ safety shield, modellers say

University of Technology Sydney head on achieving impact on policy and sustainability by building partnerships, fossil fuel divestment and boosting Indigenous enrolment

More universities are adopting green financing. Their approaches must have verifiable outcomes and complement institutions’ overall strategies, says Anton Muscatelli  

Create a shared vision, set ambitious targets and celebrate loudly, advises Zoe Rodwell for keeping a sustainability strategy on track

Limiting sustainability courses to a subset of interested students will no longer work, warns Alison Taylor, as she shares how to prepare the next generation of business leaders

Local partnerships have been the key to our ability to deliver meaningful impact – as the THE Impact Rankings highlight, writes Clare Pollock

Achieving green goals isn’t easy at a centuries-old institution. Giacomo Bergamini and Simona Tondelli of the University of Bologna share their tips for embracing heritage while working towards sustainable development

Report into scandal highlights danger of relying on singular sources of knowledge, in contrast to inquiry itself, which utilised vast range of expertise to get to the bottom of what happened

Universities are struggling financially amid frozen domestic fees and growing political hostility to international students. But while the public finances are stretched, July’s general election could allow a policy reset. In the second of two articles (read part one here), three senior figures suggest what a new government might realistically do

Leading university technology transfer offices hope blueprint will lead to faster deals and rapid upscaling

Malaysian Cabinet member says universities should prioritise local needs over global reputation

Companies must understand that it is not the job of a university to conduct commercial product development, summit hears

European Innovation Council president says member states are struggling to turn good science into ‘game-changing innovations’

Sibrandes Poppema shares how his institution is strengthening links across countries and with industry and society