Opinion

Weekly transmissions from the blogosphere

US cuts and ‘impact’ demands recall the UK’s, says Felipe Fernández-Armesto

Malcolm Gillies on the benefits of collaboration in the wake of VAT reform

Athene Donald warns referees about the unintended and potentially career-damaging effects of using certain words to describe women

Les Ebdon tells the government to keep its hands off the widening participation funding - it's too important to lose

Anti-immigration policies, an Indian student's murder - the UK government needs to forge better foreign links, urges Keith Vaz

Weekly transmissions from the blogosphere

A sales tax dividend could be just the ticket for a US sector hit by wave after wave of state cuts, opines Hamid Shirvani

Students are suffering from survey fatigue - as are we all, says Sally Feldman

Allowing universities to cherry-pick the scholars they submit for assessment is bad news for transparency, argues Miles Hewstone

Combining funding and regulatory roles is hard, says Roger King. To do it successfully, Hefce must adopt a more autonomous stance

Weekly transmissions from the blogosphere

Occupy has won more minds than hearts among the public, and that includes scholars and students, says Sunil Manghani

Like capitalism, science has flaws, but it’s the best we’ve got, says Kevin Fong

Weekly transmissions from the blogosphere

European universities should look to the US for a route back to excellence, argues Santiago Iñiguez de Onzoño

Richard Partington fears that the way in which comparative data are presented may deter disadvantaged prospective undergraduates

Alan Ryan on how California’s famed system might work in the UK

Weekly transmissions from the blogosphere

If you're sick of HR's endless, dubious employee surveys, says Adrian Furnham, there's a fiendishly simple way to fight back

Government policies that push universities to recruit only top achievers are bad for diversity and equality, warns Tessa Blackstone

A new generation of politically savvy scientists is needed to ensure that STEM delivers the benefits the UK needs, argues Ian Gibson

In a reformed sector, marketers should play a role in the creation of degrees - but academics must remain in charge of the process

The 'core-and-margin' policy will cost colleges dear - another unforeseen result of coalition plans, says Philip Davies

Weekly transmissions from the blogosphere

Wes Streeting argues that a truly independent watchdog would back upfront cash for low-income students, not 'fee waivers' for the state

Soul-crushing email causes stress and slows work. Oliver Double proposes some ways to cut the burden. Email-free Friday, anyone?

Felipe Fernández-Armesto finds little joy in Christmas hymns and carols

Academia must follow the Church’s lead in debating ethics, says Malcolm Gillies

Many state school pupils miss the chance to learn a foreign language. Universities must offer them the opportunity, insists Julia King

Journalism with academic analysis can create material with impact - but will the REF consider it? asks John Mair

The LSE made mistakes in its links with Libya, as Lord Woolf found. Judith Rees, its director, says it will learn from those failings

Weekly transmissions from the blogosphere

Aaron Porter says that in a high-fees world, the sector must do more to involve an increasingly diverse student body in decision-making

Impact gives science a way to keep the public onside, says Stephen Curry

The EPSRC's new strategy intends to strengthen research to attract extra funding in future, explains David Delpy

Universities need to learn how to present themselves and their work to the public to ensure mutual understanding, says Paul Manners

Weekly transmissions from the blogosphere

Why is it that when young people express frustration at the bleak future they see ahead, we respond with another kick in the shins?

The Netherlands has a workable system from which the UK could learn, says Paul Benneworth. But, be warned, it will involve compromise

As a cancer survivor, Sally Feldman has been a research object and participant

Weekly transmissions from the blogosphere

Demonstrators are not the only ones with profound if unarticulated questions. Stefano Harney says we owe students more than teaching

Students want to be better people; current policies hinder them, argue Paul Ashwin, Andrea Abbas and Monica McLean

Weekly transmissions from the blogosphere

In its reckless rush for change, the government is endangering the charitable public-interest mission at the sector's core

The best careers advice? Follow your enthusiasms, says Kevin Fong

How much? When? The fee loan repayment system needs to be spelled out to would-be students, says Martin Lewis

Professional development for lecturers is vital - students deserve it and universities' reputations depend on it, advises Herb Marsh

On the many problems that confront our members in these dark times, our record speaks for itself, says the UCU's Sally Hunt

Alan Ryan on Occupy Wall Street, a refreshingly rational anarchist movement