Advice

Biology lecturer Anne Osterrieder reflects on the importance of solitude for academics

Former Scotland international rugby player Colin Gregor reflects on how he combined his PhD with his job

With work taking over so much of our lives, we must ensure we remember to enjoy it, says Bülent Gögdün

Glen Wright rounds up the best amusing, passive-aggressive and romantic acknowledgements in the scholarly world

Pat Thomson on the scholarly virtues of putting your thoughts online

Juggling multiple departmental roles on top of teaching and research can leave new lecturers feeling ‘punch-drunk’, explains new appointee Richard Budd

Meghan Duffy thinks you can get on in academia without being chained to your desk

They think I’m a rising star, says a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford, but my hopes of a real career in science are sinking

Joe Moran on the little-known benefits of being a shrinking violet

As he retires, Alan Ryan reflects on how higher education has changed and asks if the sector’s expansion has been a success

Breaking the rules didn’t stop Jessica Sage from completing her degree

Older academics need to make room for the young, says Sally Feldman

Understanding the reading brain can help academics and students improve, says Yellowlees Douglas

The life of an early career researcher is a challenging one, finds Catherine Fletcher, as she heads to city number six

Six early career researchers reflect on their experiences

Once upon a time there was an adjunct lecturer…By Nicholas Rowe

Poor materials, disengaged students and little time or incentive to prepare dishearten one casualised academic

When Patty Ramirez became pregnant during her PhD she assumed she could ‘have it all’. The reality was far more stressful

If the form-filling that plagues academia is pointless, why do academics comply with it? asks Eliane Glaser

‘Academic citizenship’ is the key to moving up the career ladder, argues Richard J. Williams

This guide gets right to the heart of the virtues that make a scholar, Robert Eaglestone discovers

Shyness and a dislike of public performance are traits that students are often encouraged to ‘overcome’. We should support everyone to learn in ways that make them feel comfortable, says Bruce Macfarlane

Isolation is a necessary part of the PhD process, but peer networks and co-working can often combat students’ anxieties. Holly Else reports

Isolation is part of the experience, but peer support groups and co-working can combat loneliness and quell students’ self-doubt

Male and female scholars speak frankly about juggling parenting and research

Six academics share their experiences of university life overseas

Veteran academic authors share their hard-won tips

Susan K Burton looks back at her time teaching at Japanese universities and wonders why more Westerners don’t head east

Emma Rees offers a time-sensitive account of the start of term

Meetings are an inescapable annoyance for most academics, but there are ways to make them more tolerable, John Kaag says

Moving to a different sphere of study can be a fruitful - and liberating - experience

Academics and others discuss a typical working week

Decisions based on gossip and favouritism make the scholarly job market unmeritocratic

Institution’s senior management pledges to tackle ‘stress-inducing’ culture. Elizabeth Gibney reports