Blog

The world is a complex place and universities must ensure they carry out rigorous travel risk assessments for students and staff, writes Paul Cusition 

Alison Blunt, Martin Evans and 89 other signatories, including 59 heads of geography departments, reject the claim that geography is a ‘soft option’ for ‘posh students’

As Conservatives turn towards non-graduate voters, they may find universities a tempting target for economic and cultural hits, writes John Morgan

England will keep its tuition fees, but research funding post-Brexit remains a mystery, as does the sector’s next minister, says Rachel Hewitt 

The strict rule discourages article submissions from a variety of authors, including displaced scholars, argues Paul Ostwald

The new government should work side by side with the sector to make significant improvements to admissions and course quality, says Graeme Atherton

The UK needs an immigration system that doesn’t discriminate against the salary of international academics and university staff, says Alistair Jarvis 

Universities must work to facilitate discussions about racist experiences if they are to be reported and resolved effectively, argues Jason Arday

Susanne Täuber warns that mandatory gender diversity measures will be no more successful in the corporate world than they have been in academia unless genuine organisational transformation is achieved

Vicky Blake outlines recommendations from the University and College Union’s democracy commission, established after intense infighting at the union’s 2018 congress

University administrators must meet students on their own terms to truly understand their needs, says Tessa Bravata 

The risks of being an academic are compounded by the unique challenges displaced scholars face, say Lisa Herzog and Özge Yaka

Collaboration and openness are central to Phil Bourne’s takeaways after opening a new school at the University of Virginia 

Unesco’s efforts to enable degree qualification recognition across borders will improve access to higher education for refugees and displaced people, says Joanna Newman 

Humanity and deliberate acts of kindness can turn symbolic gestures into action, argues Francis Petersen 

Whether rebuilding or refurbishing hallowed halls, the move to make campuses more sustainable should be an eco-friendly endeavour, says Aidan Bell 

UKCISA has taken over the successful campaign and its chief executive outlines plans to widen its reach beyond higher education 

Like the explorers who set out across the unsettled United States, scientists need a similar pioneering and resilient spirit, says Daniel Bojar

The forcible removal of a visually impaired student should be met with institutional change for one of Britain’s oldest students’ societies, argues Henry Hatwell 

Requirements for obtaining the national scientific qualification and good performance despite stagnant funding have contributed to improved citation performance, argue Michele Ciavarella and Pietro D’Antuono

It’s time the higher education community puts old grievances of league tables and excellence frameworks aside to tackle climate change, say Stephen Sterling and Stephen Martin 

Studying the arts and humanities has been a core tenet of democratic ambitions for centuries, so it’s no surprise that underfunding those areas of academia throws democracies into crisis, argues Sarah Churchwell 

A north-south network for educators has been instrumental in the Irish peace process and needs its funding from the north reinstated, say Noel Purdy and Maria Campbell 

Successful start-ups aren’t always led by women with business degrees, says Oliver Prill 

The world is full of complex problems but the current degree path isn’t preparing students to confront them, argues Ed Fidoe 

The contemplative and risk-averse nature of academia contrasts with the fast-moving strategies of Silicon Valley, but that is our greatest strength, says Kate Devlin 

Healing divides between Hong Kong and Chinese students will never be easy, but the academic community is a good place for discussions to begin, argues Brian Wong

A blanket response to student mental health won’t work, says Richard Gascoigne, who argues for using technology to gain a comprehensive understanding of individuals’ needs

There is a vast world of creative media that can help academics cut through the noise of the internet, says Andy Miah. Here are five platforms you should be using

Look to uncanny ghost walks for new ways to engage students in difficult topics, say four urban researchers 

Your definitive guide to using social and creative media as an academic

Creating supportive communities to help students cope with racist incidents will provide far-reaching academic and health benefits, argue Charles Sanky and Annel Fernandez 

Metadata can be used to improve research integrity but first major changes to research design and practice need to be made, argues Neil Jacobs

State-sponsored espionage threatens UK higher education’s reputation as an international centre for research and innovation – and universities must take action, argues Ed Lewis 

It’s time for faculty to get involved in students’ efforts to fight racism in the academy, says Suhraiya Jivraj, who offers tips on how to do so

Instructors’ enthusiasm for their students’ progress could be what gets them over the line, says Rachel Giles 

Disciplinary investigations into sexual misconduct must be independent and include legal advice, says Julie Norris 

Duncan Ross outlines what’s new for the 2020 edition of the University Impact Rankings and how universities can get involved 

More action needs to be taken to confront the toxicity around academic research and job precariousness, argue five academics

Steps are being taking to improve faculty diversity, but real progress requires a long-term commitment to a holistic approach, argues Lee Hedgepeth

Open access requirements for arts, humanities and social sciences need to reflect the distinctive nature of those disciplines, writes Sarah Kember

Universities should offer residence halls that support students’ socialising rather than expensive luxury-style apartments, argue Fred Volk and Joshua Brown 

Are distance learning programmes still a profitable and academically beneficial pursuit for universities? Neil Kemp asks

Encouraging students to adopt active lifestyles alongside traditional mental health treatments could help to improve outcomes, says Jem Spectar

Major advances in our ability to acquire data on human health mean we now need to equip biomedical engineers with data science skills, says Frederick Epstein 

Universities have a responsibility to prepare students for an uncertain future, 11 scholars from around the world argue

Corbyn’s speech on setting ‘the people’ before ‘the privileged’ expressed a mood of anti-elitism already feeding through into education policy, writes John Morgan

Discipline-based educational research can challenge academics to think about their fields in new ways and can deliver unique benefits to learners, write five scholars

Higher education is about more than giving graduates an earnings boost, but institutions should be able to detail such returns among evidence of their many contributions to society, argues Anna Vignoles

Gender studies is becoming a dangerous field in Latin America and Europe. This has implications for the fight for gender equality everywhere, says Sally Gimson 

Greater links between universities, the government, entrepreneurs and charities will help tackle social inequalities in Hong Kong, writes Jeff Streeter 

A collection of assessments and reappraisals of Noam Chomsky’s celebrated essay ‘The Responsibility of Intellectuals’ by the author and other scholars shows the activist academic to be as provocative as ever, writes Matthew Reisz 

Judith Lamie argues that the impact of the UK’s newly reinstated post-study work visa shouldn’t be measured in just pounds and pence

Steven Beschloss and Gaymon Bennett argue for academics to take their role as public intellectuals to the next phase, one that is personal, engaging and responsive to the problems of the day

A Jisc survey of librarians reveals confusion and discontent with publishers’ access costs. Peter Findlay offers tips for negotiating better deals

Providing mental health support that is appropriate and culturally sensitive is a first step in addressing the racism black, Asian and ethnic minority staff endure in academia, says Jason Arday 

John Morgan looks at why the universities and science minister’s comeback was so short and what his exit means

The damage we’re doing to the environment by travelling to international conferences is no longer worth the benefit, argues Gary Thomas 

Many PhD career initiatives focus on exploratory workshops and alumni panels, but Alfredo Cumerma believes the next step should concentrate on the job search itself

Brexit will exacerbate the inequalities that already exist in UK higher education, argue Helen De Cruz and Chon Tejedor