The newsroom blog

For UK universities, there seems to be an endless flow of crises to be overcome. But what if this is not just a tough spell, but the new normal?

The REF may no longer be the only game in town, but it remains a dominant force in UK research. So as the REF 2021 results are released, is it still fit for purpose?

While those new to commercialising research often obsess about owning IP, seasoned unicorn breeders find a more relaxed approach is most effective

War has helped to fan inflation and wither universities’ resources. With scant prospect of let-up, all eyes are watching the horizon for hopeful signs

With the future of globalisation in question, are long-debated divisions over institutional autonomy and academic freedom inching closer to reality?

The latest cataclysm is a reminder that certainties about the world, and even about international research collaboration, aren’t certain after all

After a four-year wait, views vary on whether the government’s Augar response can usher in a truce on university funding in England

Higher education systems that are free to evolve have improved and adapted as times change, but more are seeing ministers determined to set the course

Higher inflation is set to challenge higher education everywhere, and all but the well-endowed elite will feel the bite and face difficult choices

Universities are autonomous in principle but their financial reliance on the state means conflict is inevitable – and suppression is a very real threat

Higher education looks to be beset by any number of challenges in 2022, not least more Covid disruption. Resilience may again be the year’s watchword

After a second year of social distancing, how strong are the ties that bind us together and what is it that makes us a community, in society and HE?

As competition for international students grows more intense and complex, the traditional anglophone giants face a host of new challenges

How can academics be free to speak out and enquire when the principles of robust open debate are under attack from without and within?

Amid a recognition of numerous threats, leaders remain convinced that their institutions will be OK

With funding crunch time looming, some UK policymakers seem set on limiting education opportunities while advocating their benefits to society

Some would argue that there are too many international students but it’s a problem many universities would like to have, for financial and other reasons

Online teaching, freedom of speech and minimum entry requirements are all caught in the strange disconnect between government and universities

Block grants need to be divided up, but UK research quality does not depend on a regular national audit

The humanities can seem to struggle in our science-dominated world, but even a utilitarian view must hold them as foundational to a decent society

All will hope that predictions of the pandemic’s retreat are correct, but that won’t stop universities preparing plans A, B and C

Student satisfaction fell as the pandemic disrupted campus life, and while assessment wasn’t singled out, it’s worth assessing how fit it is for the future

With AI threatening to ramp up the plagiarism arms race, we must plan for the future – and deal with the present

We must challenge carping about the bottom-line worth of university study by reiterating that other paths’ pay-offs in no way denigrate a degree’s value

The UK government needs to back up its commitment to investing in ‘science superpower’ status with a focus on the entire funding ecosystem

It may feel as if the media is out to get universities. But a positive, pragmatic relationship is possible – and vital to public trust

Integrating local, national and global interests could be key to aligning the many competing social and environmental agendas in this era of upheaval

After a uniquely difficult year, a return to campus is on the cards and we can anticipate the thrill of rediscovering small delights

The disconnect between the UK’s ambitions to be a science superpower and threats of cuts to its research base will cause lasting harm

The HE policy debate may shift, but in England the idea that we might be over-educating is always lurking – it’s a hydra that needs decapitating again

International student mobility was the rock on which universities built their empire. With Covid turning prior certainties into unknowns, what now?

Academia jettisoned decades of orthodoxy about how to teach and research overnight when the pandemic hit. What’s stopping it making other transformations?

Academics might have scrambled to adjust to online teaching but their expertise has taken flight and merits a global platform to share it

Universities have developed a Covid vaccine; helping to restore economic purpose to hollowed-out regions like the US Midwest is no less urgent

Amid geopolitical and research power shifts, the world will be watching to see whether leaders can learn from the mistakes and triumphs of 2020

No one would want to repeat 2020. But perhaps there are ways it will leave us better prepared for the future

The pandemic has hit university finances, and further challenges lie ahead. But the case for supporting higher education and research is overwhelming

This tumultuous year has shown universities can adapt rapidly and radically, but the reimagining mustn’t pause amid continuing disruptive pressures

In the post-Trump, pandemic era, universities must redouble efforts to change the narrative, win back public trust and help heal divided societies

Despite the world’s apparent boredom with evidence and truth, it’s clear that universities’ expertise and principles are more vital than ever

As Covid-19 stalks student halls, universities are accused of allowing intolerance to infect ideals of academic freedom. But is the criticism fair?

Decisions about whether to reopen campuses must weigh up factors such as opportunity costs and the level of risk that is acceptable

Inequality in higher education, magnified during the pandemic, is not new – what has changed, perhaps, is a rising urgency to do something about it

The global nature of higher education is its greatest strength, which is now under threat from the effects of Covid, nationalism and industry competition

The loss of international income makes the improvement of universities’ online offerings all the more urgent

Some argue that accolades for individuals are outmoded in an age of team science, and reinforce old hierarchies and biases as ‘friends reward friends’

If policymakers are worried about the cost of degrees, why aren’t living expenses taken into account?

Coronavirus-induced workforce shedding has exposed the chasm in Australian university employment arrangements, says John Ross

Michael Jordan was a superstar, but he didn’t play alone. Science, like basketball, is a team undertaking, and must continue to refresh its roster

Matthew Reisz reflects on the researchers who have brought us powerful stories about how gender manifests – from remote Himalayan villages to the nightclubs of the French Riviera

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

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

With lockdowns in force around the world, deciding the way ahead demands a delicate balance of clarity and compassion from people and institutions

The coronavirus crisis is forcing everyone – including universities and THE – to reassess and revise long-standing assumptions and practices

The coronavirus crisis has knocked everyone sideways, including universities. And while they have no quick, easy answers, they are central to tackling it

The government may be putting a new emphasis on universities and the role of research, but the attention may also bring new demands for delivery

International mobility defines many academics’ careers – but how should we weigh the costs and benefits to individuals, and their adopted homes?

Working to the exclusion of all else is unhealthy, but a one-size-fits-all limit is hard to set when careers and reputations are on the line

As China’s influence grows, UK scholars question how best to collaborate. A post-Brexit transition may offer change to more than our EU relationship

Letting go of acrimony is not easy after three years of trench warfare. But post-Brexit Britain needs academics and their evidence-led approach