Universities in the former East Germany are now on a par with those of western Europe while others in the former Soviet bloc still lag. David Matthews visits Poland to explore why
A lack of intellectual and cultural willingness to open up historical discussions about the UK’s imperial past make it a difficult subject for students and scholars to get to grips with, argues Scott Anthony
From MI5 recruiting, to students spying on each other and intelligence agencies funding research, Matthew Reisz explores the long and often uneasy relationship between espionage and the academy
The protests against pensions reforms reflect not just self-interest but also anger about working conditions and a sense that universities are losing their way. Jack Grove explores how proposed changes to the USS strained and broke bonds of trust
Academic gatherings may be fun, but they do little to advance knowledge. To justify the public spending that supports them, such events must do more to provide benefits to those who don’t attend, argues Nicholas Rowe
Women and their clothing are scrutinised more closely because men are seen as the norm in academia. Emma Rees considers the codes at play in what is supposedly a radical space
Universities on both sides of the Atlantic are building up big debts, but is it prudent to bet on student numbers growing and super-low interest rates and high fees enduring? David Matthews examines the glut of recent bond issues, and how money makes money for the elite
The mere mention of fairies in academic circles can bring derision. Yet the field is a rich one that has much to offer open-minded, multidisciplinary scholars, writes Simon Young
Elite Japanese universities are renowned for their strength in research, but does their reputation also reflect quality in teaching? Times Higher Education’s student-focused Japan University Rankings and student experience survey offer some fascinating insights
Psychologist Michal Kosinski’s work shows how digital footprints can predict a person’s sexual orientation, political views and more. Is it a danger or a warning about threats to privacy? John Morgan reports from California
Will the current blockade on Qatar harm its higher education system? Simon Baker investigates whether the need to find common scientific ground among Gulf states could win out
The Office for Students’ plan to fine institutions that allow the ‘no-platforming’ of controversial speakers is a boon for those who believe exposure to wide-ranging views is a fundamental part of the academic experience. Jo Faragher reports
Does solidarity among female scholars exist only in the (male) mind? Are women really supportive of one another? And if so, how far does it go to redressing male advantage?
Mathematicians – and, indeed, other scholars – who cooperate with intelligence agencies face a moral dilemma knowing that their research could well be applied in unethical ways, says Michael Harris
Economist Bryan Caplan considers tangible benefits, inconvenient truths and wonders whether Latin and poetry are worth the effort when ‘Kardashian’ trumps ‘Shakespeare’ in Google search results
The frenzied pace and meaningless demands of university life can often enable a depressed scholar’s existing neuroses. Joe Moran offers some coping strategies
Our annual pay review details v-cs’ remuneration, explores the make-up and workings of the governing bodies that set it, and compares the rewards on offer with those of other sectors
Our annual pay review details v-cs’ remuneration, explores the make-up and workings of the governing bodies that set it, and compares the rewards on offer with those of other sectors
Could the Commonwealth be a viable source of research networks should the UK fail to secure access to the EU’s research programmes post-Brexit? Simon Baker reports
Times Higher Education’s first major global survey of university staff views on work-life balance finds academics feeling stressed and underpaid, and struggling to fit time for personal relationships and family around their ever-growing workloads. Ellie Bothwell reports
Sexual misconduct is now being openly discussed, but universities still lack policies to safeguard staff from sexual violence in the workplace. This means victims remain afraid to speak out, says a female academic and rape survivor
Ahead of THE’s Asia Universities Summit in Shenzhen, Jack Grove visits the city known as China’s Silicon Valley to assess whether its ambitious new university could really emulate Stanford – and eclipse its Hong Kong neighbours
Introduced to help boost technology transfer amid renewed political focus on ‘industrial strategy’, the KEF aims to complement the REF and TEF. But how will it work? Is it even necessary? And is the UK really underperforming at commercialising its research? Rachael Pells reports
Simon Baker discovers what the World Economic Forum’s ‘community’ of universities – the Global University Leaders Forum (GULF) – can teach us about industry-academia collaboration and innovation with economic impact
Those who cross distant disciplinary boundaries are seen as unusual and viewed with suspicion. A handful of scholars tell Matthew Reisz why it suits them to stray
John Morgan travels to the University of California, Berkeley, a key battleground in the campus culture wars, to assess the mood towards US higher education and the threats that it faces
College sport is deeply woven into US culture and commerce. But a long series of scandals has pointed the glare of publicity away from the basketball courts and football fields towards the athletics programmes themselves. Jon Marcus reports
There is growing concern that China is trying to silence its critics in the West, with academic publishers a particular target. Tao Zhang considers the consequences for scholarly freedom – and what can be done to tackle such restrictions
After the twin shocks of Brexit and Trump, Patrick McGhee can only guess what the next 12 months will bring. Are you ready for peer-reviewed tweets, TEF results determined by University Challenge, and ‘lyecturers’ for hire?
Editing an academic journal is a vital and rewarding task, but also time-consuming and often frustrating. Current and former editors advise would-be gatekeepers on why you'll need the skills of a ringmaster – and more
Kaitlyn Regehr learned from former striptease dancers that what they did was not a safe, sex‑positive hobby but often a means of survival that intersected with sex work
Jack Grove explores current strategies for widening participation in higher education, and finds out why improving access remains a huge challenge across the world, despite growing university enrolment
Holly Else reveals the results of a THE poll seeking to uncover the extent of authorship abuses as well as views on what criteria should generate credit
As the first anniversary of the singer-songwriter’s death passes, his childhood friend Kenneth Asch reflects on the place of both the institution and the musician in Quebec’s fractured cultural mosaic
The former higher education minister on why the English sector must keep growing, the ‘barbarism’ at the heart of the schools system and how to tackle negativity about universities
Hollywood and Westminster have been rocked by tales of sexual assault and abuse. Is academia similarly plagued by misuse of power and sexual misconduct? Five scholars offer their views
Using the results of the Global University Employability Survey, Simon Baker reveals which countries and institutions are rated best for graduate digital competency and links to industry, and which skills are most prized by employers
The Royal College of Science for Ireland was a progressive experiment in technical education that ended abruptly in the messy wake of Irish independence. Shane McCorristine recounts a cautionary tale of how education and nationalist politics can come into conflict
A recent wave of commentators have been disparaging universities and painting all who work in them as complicit in a fraud. Philip Cowan examines their case
The former chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley explains how he navigated protests from both the Left and Right, and threatening tweets from President Trump
In a pair of books exploring aspects of Jewish identity, Devorah Baum reflects on Jewishness and the human condition. She talks about turning uncomfortable ‘Jewish feelings’ such as guilt into something positive, and how humour is a way of coping with life’s trials
David Matthews learns how archivists deal with enquiries about material collected by the former East Germany’s secret police that can still destroy reputations
Liberal arts colleges are often perceived as being elite and irrelevant. But the best among them excel in areas such as engagement and focus on critical thinking. Ellie Bothwell explores whether liberal arts education has become redundant – or simply needs a makeover
Academic work is typically all-consuming, but some scholars still manage to combine some eye-catching sidelines with their day jobs. Here, five tell their stories
Having caused a scandal over research assessment back in the 1990s, Lincoln Allison is well placed to give an overview of its impact, and still finds it wanting
Is your resolution for the new academic year to publish more? Here, 16 scholars give advice on pitching, editing and writing – and dealing with negative peer reviews
Taiwan hopes that attracting students from further afield, particularly mainland China, will help to address its higher education crisis. But this in turn brings challenges, including compromised academic freedom, writes Chris Parr
