Features

Diverging financial pressures are putting untold strain on common pay and pension arrangements. As recent pay awards constrain richer universities’ ability to reward their staff as they see fit while pushing others into further strife, might a breaking point be close? Tom Williams reports 

Providing a pathway from little-known community colleges to highly acclaimed universities, America's credit transfer system is internationally admired for driving social mobility and offering a vital ‘second chance’ for late bloomers. But opaque and complex university rules are undermining one of US higher education’s great achievements, argue Lauren Schudde and Huriya Jabbar

A merit-based admissions lottery and strict caps on how many private school pupils go to Russell Group universities are necessary for a more egalitarian society, argue Aaron Reeves and Sam Friedman

Junior scholars are urged to do all they can to build bridges with the people who can give them jobs and promotions. But how calculating should they be about who to approach? How should they do it? And isn’t it all a bit grubby? Six established academics explain their perspectives

Tormented by playground thugs as a child, Jonathan Taylor reflects on why the insidious bullying found in universities is similar but much worse

A new law permitting foreign universities to set up Greek outposts is seen by some as a first step to transforming a very statist system. But with doubts over the law’s constitutionality compounding the usual uncertainties of overseas ventures, will there be much interest, asks Emily Dixon

Many scholars loathe generative AI but it has immense power to engage the intellectual curiosity of students as long as academics truly embrace it, argues John Kaag

At a time of increasing financial constraint, jobs are being shed even in UK departments that ride high in the Research Excellence Framework, while time allocations for research are being cut. Can a loss-making activity like research survive outside traditional institutions, asks Jack Grove 

The 2029 Research Excellence Framework aims to assess ‘how institutions and disciplines contribute to healthy, dynamic and inclusive research environments’. But will panellists and university managers really move away from a focus on prestigious journal papers, asks Matthew Flinders

Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives have come under sustained attack from the political right, resulting in the shuttering of DEI offices and curbs on teaching and research. With affirmative action also banned, how might universities continue to support minority students and staff, asks Paul Basken

Summer schools are sometimes dismissed as money-spinning playgrounds for rich overseas students. But with academic life increasingly characterised by heavy workloads and regulation, faculty should cherish the freedom they offer to deliver truly excellent learning experiences, says James Gazzard

Years of tight funding settlements, exacerbated by high inflation and recent research cuts, have left New Zealand’s higher education and research sectors in a parlous state. Will the comprehensive reviews under way help them dodge the looming cyclone? John Ross reports  

Teaching UK degrees abroad promised adventure, sunshine and a regular pay cheque. But navigating an environment in which many students couldn’t speak English, senior academics acted like dukes and oversight from the UK was patchy at best left Anthony Killick disillusioned

Campuses around the world have been rocked by protests calling for financial divestment from companies linked to Israel. But while boycotts have a long history in academia, some believe that universities themselves would be better advised to keep out of politics entirely. Patrick Jack reports

Ever-expanding numbers of doctoral students may suit universities, but one’s twenties should be a time for broad learning and professional development, not for burying oneself in detailed research, says Lincoln Allison

A decade of rule by the Hindu-nationalist BJP has seen a combustible mixture of technocratic reform and political interference in higher education. But the party’s below-par showing in this month’s general election has left some academics daring to hope for quieter days ahead. Helen Packer reports

No British public university has ever had to close its doors, but funding pressures are leading to vast numbers of redundancies and fuelling dire warnings that some institutions are close to the edge. So what would a collapse actually mean for students, staff and wider economies? John Morgan reports

Having brokered some of the world’s biggest pacts on global warming, MIT climate scientist Susan Solomon tells Matthew Reisz why she is optimistic that environmental damage can be reversed

With the right support, academics with visual impairments are prospering, but barriers to true inclusivity remain, says Kate Armond, while a lecturer reflects on how practice on reasonable adjustments can fall short of policy

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

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 first of two articles (part two here), four senior figures suggest what a new government might realistically do

The importance of senior faculty advising junior colleagues on their career trajectories is increasingly emphasised. But is guidance – and the giving of it – being fairly shared? Should mentoring schemes be formalised? And are they really enough? Seven academics have their say

As the celebrated children’s historical sketch show marks its 15th anniversary, Jack Grove speaks to its head writer, history producer and PhD researchers on how scholarly sleuthing has been crucial to its long success

Anglophone scepticism about the value of language study had been rising for many years before anyone had heard of Duolingo or ChatGPT. But while some academics believe technology will kill off universities’ remaining language departments, others dare to hope it will be their saviour. Patrick Jack reports

A radical new manifesto for science communication is warning about the dangers of making arrogant claims that academic knowledge can explain the mysteries of the universe. Matthew Reisz meets its authors

England’s Department for Education has deaccredited some universities while approving a range of alternative providers and strictly defining course contents. But while defenders hail an evidence-based push for quality, others decry a level of political overreach that could spread to other disciplines

With the prestige of first-class honours degrees diminished, intellectually testing national examinations are needed to identify academic high-flyers, argues Lincoln Allison

The Universities Accord has underlined the importance of Australian universities that cater to non-traditional students. But getting that provision right is not easy when your every move has major implications across the regional economy. John Ross reports from the island state

The redundancies and course closures proposed at many struggling UK universities follow a decades-long drift away from the idea of higher education institutions as charities whose non-commercial public benefit needs to be supported by profit-making activity, argues Martin Mills

Two years on from Russia’s invasion, displaced institutions are still teaching in temporary premises and online, while many researchers work abroad. But with a host of urgent quality problems to overcome, is it time for Ukraine’s academic diaspora to come home? Emily Dixon reports

Attacks by the likes of Donald Trump and Narendra Modi on how the humanities are taught speak to the enduring political power of these subjects despite their precarity within the academy, says Saikat Majumdar

Innovations such as wearable tech and mobile apps are expected to revolutionise healthcare and generate fortunes. But which researchers and institutions are taking their 10,000 steps, and what should those steps be? To coincide with THE’s Digital Health Summit at Stanford, Jack Grove examines Clarivate’s data and talks to those going the extra mile

The feted urban sociologist Richard Sennett tells Matthew Reisz about how his former career as a cellist inspired his latest trilogy of books, why his ideal university would be more night school than Oxbridge college and why it helps him to imagine his readers as female biologists

The political maelstrom around US universities’ handling of pro-Palestinian protests reflects a right-wing campaign that is increasingly challenging higher education’s autonomy to determine its missions and run its affairs. Yet the sector appears to have no strategy to hold the line. Paul Basken reports

As Harvard University seeks a new leader following the short-lived presidency of Claudine Gay, the institution’s long-time president Derek Bok reflects on the need for elite US universities to react to the political maelstrom by abandoning questionable practices and improving the quality of their education

International student recruitment comes under scrutiny for raising immigration figures, but it is also valued for fostering allies among future global leaders. Yet if it really does so, why are the West’s largest source countries, China and India, becoming less Western-friendly? Patrick Jack reports

While UK universities are starting to address the challenges faced by new mothers, combining parenthood and academia remains a difficult task. Five writers give their experience of what institutions are getting right and wrong in supporting academic mums

As the domestic youth population plummets, Korean institutions are looking to international students to make up shortfalls. But can such a strategy compensate – and can it be enacted in time? Pola Lem reports from Korea

From satirical novels to US sitcoms and cop shows, academics have proved to be rich source material across many genres. Four writers argue the case for who can claim to be fiction’s greatest scholar

Long-frozen, loan-funded tuition fees are neither covering course costs nor, arguably, fairly recognising the benefits of higher education to society and employers. But is there an alternative that is politically and economically viable in a likely UK general election year? John Morgan reports

In John Gilbey’s seasonal tale, the sharks are circling the vice-chancellor of the University of Rural England. But the fishing village to which he flees is not as innocent as he depicted it in his doctoral thesis. And its power-brokers are every bit as terrifying as those on the Regional Economic Regeneration Committee

With academics feeling the strain from higher workloads, the days when scholars had time to write novels or run businesses seem increasingly distant. Lincoln Allison suggests that universities have far more to gain than to lose by allowing their academics to broaden their experience and earn extra income

Recent increases to already sky-high visa and health service costs have prompted worries that talented overseas-born academics will turn their backs on the UK, undermining the country’s lofty scientific ambitions. As a new home secretary takes office, Jack Grove hears from some of those affected

Students love it but faculty typically hate it. Both are asking for help with it. But how close are institutions to devising AI policies that protect both academic integrity and student employability? New York University Abu Dhabi vice-chancellor Mariët Westermann offers her reflections

Mexican president Andrés Manuel López-Obrador has expanded university access but is accused of ideological attacks on institutions, overly zealous corruption clampdowns and a misguided power grab over research policy. Ahead of next year’s election, Tom Williams assesses the mood in Mexico City

Studying high art is still important, but popular culture can give humanities undergraduates better pointers on how to convert their refined understandings into practical action, rather than passivity and pessimism, activist scholar Caroline Levine tells Matthew Reisz 

Bizarre riffs about The Karate Kid or the Wu-Tang Clan may irritate his students, but ‘strategic vexing’ can promote the more adventurous educational mindset that undergraduates require in the age of ChatGPT, says Jose Marichal 

The special administrative region’s status as an international crossroads has been severely shaken by the National Security Law and stringent Covid lockdowns. But sector leaders remain buoyant about boosting ‘non-local’ recruitment – and not just from China. Pola Lem reports

From dedicating time for brainstorming to taking inspiration from their dog, five writers explain how they are changing their approach to academia and life as another academic year begins in the northern hemisphere

Amid concerns about value for money and the supposed liberal bias of certain humanities and social science subjects, conservative politicians are increasingly intervening in curricular decisions. Do such subjects still have a place at public universities – and who should get to decide, asks Paul Basken

As higher education minister in the Blair government, Alan Johnson steered plans for top-up fees of £3,000 through Parliament. As he returns to the sector in a new role, the former postman talks to John Morgan about why fee-funded university expansion remains the best hope for creating a fairer UK

Barack Obama’s favourite political thinker Yascha Mounk has made his career attacking right-wing populism. His latest target – identity politics fostered on US campuses – will surprise many of his acolytes, he tells Matthew Reisz

A decade of English university policy has sought to improve standards by increasing competition. However, new institutions remain small and peripheral. Tom Williams asks whether the prestige gap and bureaucratic excess will always limit the scope for innovation, in England and elsewhere

University managers’ doomed pursuit of unattainable ideals turns staff into martyrs who see work as sacrifice and suffering. It explains much about why so many feel stressed, harassed and miserable, says Joe Moran

The 2028 exercise’s measurement of the quality of research environments will account for a quarter of overall marks. But what exactly does quality look like? Can it really be measured? And are there political risks in diluting the REF’s focus on outputs? Jack Grove reports

From Coldplay to Queen, the world’s biggest bands often meet as students – yet universities are seldom mentioned in song. Jeremy Clay ponders why and unearths some lost exemplars – including a long-lost Dutch psychedelic paean to the University of Leicester

Their value previously unquestioned, Nordic universities have tended to enjoy happy relations with governments despite close state control over them. But a surge of support for populist parties in the region suggests that the consensus may be shifting. Ben Upton reports

As several UK universities outlaw sex between academics and students, two writers offer differing views on the Office for Students’ proposed ban

Admission to an Indian Institute of Technology is the prize every Indian school-leaver dreams of. But does the scramble for places prepare students well for higher study? Are the institutes’ curricula fit for purpose? And what will internationalisation mean for their future? Pola Lem reports

Canada’s Liberal government swept to power eight years ago promising to undo the damage inflicted by the previous Harper regime. However, after a big early funding spike for basic research, there is a growing sense of drift – and mounting concern about the future. Paul Basken reports