Vice-chancellor/principal

With polls predicting defeat for Viktor Orbán in Sunday’s elections there are hopes that controversial governance reforms – copied by Donald Trump and other populist politicians – will be abolished. Yet not all scholars are convinced that reversing a decade of contested legislation criticised for restricting academic freedom would be straightforward, says Seher Asaf

Leaders more qualified now than decade ago, with many boasting international experience, study finds

Outgoing president of ambitious Japanese institution discusses building research capacity, dealing with staff discontent and moving on from reliance on public funding

University argues regulator’s record fine was ‘unfair’, in case being closely watched across the sector

Former University Alliance head returns to UK to lead research universities group after more than a decade in Australia

Senior leaders selected to help guide higher education watchdog as it attempts to work more collaboratively with sector

Former leader returns to the role following the death of the university’s first female vice-chancellor, Emma Johnston, from cancer complications

Newly appointed vice-chancellor wants to embrace university’s interdisciplinary heritage while managing financial pressures

Irene Tracey stresses importance of teaching students courtesy and respect to model what ‘good disagreement’ looks like

A year after joining the ‘MIT of the Middle East’, the former King’s College London president reflects on the need for scholars to align their research with national priorities and the joys of leading a ‘city community of scholars’

Otago v-c Grant Robertson says overhaul of New Zealand’s research assessment exercise combined with dire sector finances could present a ‘double whammy’ for some subjects

Sutton Trust research finds university leaders more representative of the general population than other professions including judges and diplomats

Frances Corner, the first woman to lead Goldsmiths, will leave her role as vice-chancellor after period of job cuts and restructuring

Donna Whitehead warns university leaders must be candid with staff as sector’s financial crisis endures

Using REF to tackle research culture risks making it too ‘bureaucratic and burdensome’, university leaders warn as Vallance rethinks changes to weightings

Ian Chapman backs ministers’ calls for more research specialisation by universities in first public comments since taking over at £9 billion-a-year research funder

Threat of financial collapse is causing universities to double down on an officious management style that is sapping academic morale, undermining excellence and damaging collegiality between academia’s different tribes, says Tin Sulejmanpasic 

Broadening traditional conceptions of what it means to be ‘smart’ must now be part of HE’s mission, say Adelaide University’s David Lloyd and Peter Høj

Universities and institutes to receive funding to pay to relocate 60 to 80 researchers, with five of 12 winners hailing from Greater South East region

One in five UK university leaders exploring mergers as sector fears ‘contagion’ effect of institutional failure

Leading private university pivots to graduate and international students as entire sector threatened by low birth rate

Uncertainty over the future of degree apprenticeship funding endangers success of crucial upskilling programme, says Exeter v-c Lisa Roberts

After the furore of Oxford’s election, no obvious frontrunner has emerged to take the high-profile role at Cambridge. Some say the institution needs a politically engaged figurehead, others want someone who can sort out internal fractures

Neeli Bendapudi on being an outsider and a trailblazer, students as customers and nurturing the world’s largest alumni network 

Talent pipeline for the UK’s £100 billion creative arts industries is under threat as universities shutter loss-making arts degrees, says Ravensbourne vice-chancellor Andy Cook

The year is ending with an ongoing permacrisis for higher education. Political rhetoric has improved but the sector still needs a vision for its future

The new KAUST president reflects on his journey to the rising institution and Saudi Arabia’s rapidly transforming higher education sector

The chancellor of Abu Dhabi University on different types of intelligence, freedom of speech and universities in the East versus West 

The president of Technical University of Munich explains his recipe for breaking down silos while retaining deep disciplinary strength

Devolving research and skills funding to metro mayors would allow universities to drive innovation-led economic growth, says Neal Juster

Controversial Pakistani politician disqualified, but those making the cut include William Hague, Peter Mandelson, David Willetts and Elish Angiolini

Monash vice-chancellor discusses universities' progress on preventing gender-based abuse and the 'flattening effect' on internationalisation 

Dartmouth College president discusses seeking criticism, prioritising mental health and getting more women into engineering

Indian Institute of Science director discusses opening a new medical school and receiving the country’s largest philanthropic university gift

Geneticist Dennis Lo Yuk-ming confirmed as Rocky Tuan’s successor at Chinese University of Hong Kong

Sheffield vice-chancellor discusses including innovation in promotions criteria and carving a distinct identity for the university

The Florida Tech president on creating a 'living, breathing' strategic plan, the explosion of the space industry and why diversity matters

Outgoing Erasmus University Rotterdam president discusses the underappreciated value of the social sciences, managing student protests and the differences between Dutch and German higher education

Strategic silence of vice-chancellors within our national debate is a mistake when the quest for truth is so central to academia, argues Sir Geoff Mulgan

Speculation over imagined backstabbings and betrayals is rife but the joining of two of Australia’s universities is more of a meeting of minds than clash of clans, insist vice-chancellors Peter Høj and David Lloyd

Departing London Met vice-chancellor says English regulator’s data-driven rules do not help socially disadvantaged students

Island’s leader steps in as appointment of a new management team reignites row between vice-chancellor and council

University of Technology Sydney head on achieving impact on policy and sustainability by building partnerships, fossil fuel divestment and boosting Indigenous enrolment

More universities are adopting green financing. Their approaches must have verifiable outcomes and complement institutions’ overall strategies, says Anton Muscatelli  

The head of Nanyang Technological University leverages the institution’s youthful vigour to put AI at the heart of learning and uses his research background to inform his leadership and help recruit potential Nobel prizewinners

Scholar claims selection process that led to appointment of Robert Balfour was slanted against internal candidate Vivienne Lawack

The head of Hong Kong Baptist University shares his solution to the rapidly changing jobs market

The prime minister’s role in appointing university leaders under question as Cabinet attempts to change status quo

HKU leader Xiang Zhang wants better protection for staff from ‘malicious’ allegations levelled anonymously

Higher education might not be doorstep issue for voters but the importance of universities in tackling the world’s biggest problems has never been higher, argue Amanda Broderick and Patrizio Bianchi

Latest salvo sees Keralan state government challenge national president in the Supreme Court over vice-chancellor appointments

Increase in female leaders driven by Europe as US stagnates

The weaponisation of plagiarism allegations to remove Harvard’s president is no cause for celebration, says research fraudbuster David Sanders

Academic leaders should stay out of politics to encourage debate and promote expertise, says Daniel Diermeier

The interim president of Michigan State University shares her approach to healing the campus community after a deadly shooting and sexual misconduct crises

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

The president of Aalto University talks about leading a nationwide flexible learning effort, and why he’s been standing up for an ‘international Finland’

As the year ends, the problems facing universities seem to be stacking ever higher. But will a general election next year bring any respite?

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

Royal Holloway head discusses decentralising university leadership and tapping into the creative industry in Surrey