Imposing a views blackout Do students’ rising demands for ‘safe space’ reveal a reluctance to be challenged, or a new zeal for political engagement? By Paul Jump 26 November
Keeping calm and lobbying on With less panic than it showed prior to 2010’s flat-cash result, science hopes for another round of it-could-have-been-worse By Paul Jump 19 November
Redbricks, Green and Browne Arguably the natural end to a long process, this sector shake-up could end up implementing the aims of a five-year-old review By Simon Baker 12 November
On improving diversity, the sector has a clear choice: lead or be led With a minister intent on ‘revolution’, there is a tactical, as well as a moral, case for universities to focus on improving ethnic minority representation By John Gill 5 November
Trust is a coin of the realm In accepting industry funding, universities must be transparent if they are to sustain public faith in the independence of research By John Gill 29 October
Africa needs education, not exploitation For-profit operators are needed to help feed the continent’s hunger for degrees but regulation is key By John Gill 22 October
Turning four words into deeds ‘Something must be done’: deep dismay at the human toll of the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis is spurring the academy to act By John Gill 15 October
Step up and join the band The definition of teaching quality may be tangled up, but it’s in everyone’s interest to find a satisfactory measure By John Gill 8 October
Not all that counts can be counted The UK has performed well in our expanded World University Rankings, but intangible assets are a vital source of strength By John Gill 1 October
Cut from a different cloth In an age of extroverts, a scholar’s paean to shyness and Jeremy Corbyn’s ‘radio phone-in’ PMQs tack against the prevailing winds By John Gill 24 September
We’ve been here before Jo Johnson’s debut UUK speech offered variations on a Willettsian theme, but with a few chords to make his audience shift uneasily By John Gill 17 September
Disorders of orders of magnitude China’s sheer size means that its present economic woes will be felt worldwide, not least across the higher education sector By John Gill 10 September
Holding a mirror up to science A bid to reproduce key studies is less a tale of failure than of researchers’ willingness to put their own practices to the test By Paul Jump 3 September
Give PhD students credit where it's due As the trend for mass-authored papers in science spreads to other fields, PhD students’ work is still going unacknowledged By John Gill 27 August
Interest in borrowings is not mere linguistics With individuals and institutions alike calculating potential costs of Brexit, recouping loans from EU students can’t be ignored By John Gill 20 August
Fair prices and market limits Loans could push up the price of master’s courses, but with such degrees becoming sine qua nons, should fees be restrained? By Paul Jump 13 August
Valuing research rectitude Peer review may not spot fraud – so universities need to be vigilant in tackling any wrongdoing among their staff By Paul Jump 6 August
Roaming between networks From Africa to the UK, countries must find ways to capitalise on the global ebb and flow of today’s mobile scholars By John Gill 30 July
Building the perfect beast As the sector debates the design of a teaching-ometer, campuses wait to discover the strength of the TEF’s power over fee levels By John Gill 23 July
Brexit, pursued by a scare Leaving the EU would be a disaster for UK universities, but pro-Europe campaigners have to choose their message carefully By John Gill 16 July
Taking appropriate measures Metrics have become prevalent – and problematic – throughout universities, but they can be effective tools if used correctly By John Gill 9 July
From lab gigs to headliners It’s a long way to the top if you want to make it as a PI, but there are many positives on the path to that big break By Paul Jump 2 July
Time can play tricks on minds Some practices thought to be long established are anything but, while others considered novel have lengthy histories By John Gill 25 June
Losing our place in the vanguard? Senior figures worry that the UK is lagging behind the innovators and entrepreneurs pushing the frontiers of higher education By John Gill 18 June
Count sheep, not metrics Given the run of campus, some academics would target what they see as cult practices that raise stress and cut productivity By John Gill 11 June
Coming to a campus near you From senior appointments to student surveys, pedagogy is again centre stage – and waiting in the wings is a teaching REF By John Gill 4 June
The fad for extensions is cooling The move away from overseas branches attests to the fact that such operations are hard to get right and offer no quick returns By Simon Baker 28 May
What’s casually cast aside? Insecure employment takes a toll on individuals, but its effects may also cut to the very core of universities and their missions By John Gill 21 May
The storm in the aftermath How will universities fare during the Tories’ defining second term – during which ‘Cameronism’ may, at last, fully reveal itself? By John Gill 14 May
Which way will we go? Change happens only when people genuinely participate – but is the enthusiasm there for a structural shift in education? By John Gill 7 May
Red ahead; staying in the black Whatever the outcome of the election, strong financial leadership will be key both to the country and our universities By John Gill 30 April
Party lines and party lapses What would politicians do for higher education in the next government? To find out, our panel gave them a grilling By John Gill 23 April
A change for the better Research reveals that sabbaticals boost productivity – but be sure not to take work phone calls or check the email By John Gill 16 April
A growth spurt with challenges The uncapping of student numbers may not result in a surge across the sector - but things are changing all the same By John Gill 9 April
It’s not just bad, it’s wrong The pay gap between men and women is an issue that never goes away. It’s time for action, not more reassuring words By John Gill 2 April
Penalties and prize money George Osborne’s ambitions for northern research powerhouses may be undermined by post-REF funding allocations By John Gill 26 March
Cash and je ne sais quoi, too Overseas students are key to universities’ success, bringing valuable fee income and adding value for home students, too By John Gill 19 March
Strong ties are best defence University terror inquiries flag the vital role of strong pastoral care and good tutoring in guarding against disengagement By John Gill 12 March
From the cradle to the ballot Labour has given birth to its £6K tuition fees baby but doubts still remain about the costs and benefits of the policy By John Gill 5 March
Owning up to the bias in all of us We need an honest conversation about unconscious prejudices and how they can hold back individuals and their work By John Gill 26 February
Don’t let others ruin your name The use of recruitment agents is rising, but are universities putting their reputations at risk as competition hots up? 19 February
Like it’s going out of fashion Institutions splashed the cash to stay competitive, resulting in a REF price tag that may be far higher than the official estimate By John Gill 12 February
Measure still for measure? Is the sector placing too little trust in academics and too much in performance management techniques? By John Gill 5 February
The extras that make a difference Enrichment of university life by academics’ ancillary activities is threatened as the workforce is pushed towards casualisation By John Gill 29 January
UK can’t afford to fall behind Countries worldwide are investing to get ahead in the global game of research. Not doing so will cost the UK dear By John Gill 22 January
A cliff is no place to start Building an academic career is hard, but high initial hurdles and a lack of clear progression paths make it unnecessarily daunting By John Gill 15 January
Don’t be afraid: live in the light Universities must have at heart a public ethos counterbalance to weigh against commercial interests and state diktat By John Gill 8 January
New Year: the hopes and fears With the fever of REF results subsiding, we contemplate what 2015 might hold in store for higher education By John Gill 1 January
They saw a star and rejoiced The REF results can be wrapped up and presented many different ways. THE puts its analysis under the sector’s tree By John Gill 18 December
It’s the way that they do it The REF may have alienated many academics because of how it has been interpreted by a management culture By John Gill 11 December
Failing to look, listen or legislate An OMG moment is predicted for whoever wins the election as politicians address lapses in oversight and funding challenges By John Gill 4 December
Just let the drivers get on with it Universities already play a key role in powering regional growth. Another diktat demanding more on that score may be unhelpful By John Gill 27 November
Defence must not rest With cuts looming on the horizon, the sector cannot afford to relent in pressing the case to protect the research budget By John Gill 20 November
Doors open as others swing shut Policies on immigration often conflict with sector ambitions regarding overseas students and signal a turbulent spell ahead By John Gill 13 November
Searching for solid ground Aftershocks following the austerity reforms of 2010 are still being felt, with mature students particularly hard hit By John Gill 6 November
Soundings of choppy waters The government unleashed private providers to change the sector, but has there been a tide of creative disruption? By John Gill 30 October
Watching but also discerning Universities collecting data to monitor performance must be transparent and in sync with academic work and goals By John Gill 23 October
Climates of fear, public and private Courage, or lack of it, can spur people to achieve, but everyone must decide for themselves how far out to stick their neck By John Gill 16 October
Maximise returns – go long Universities know well the value of international students, but myopic politicians struggle to see past electoral expediency By John Gill 9 October
The Nobel path is not a safe one Planning to win top laurels is a fool’s errand, so how should research be structured to best produce far-reaching results? By John Gill 2 October