Opinion

Weekly transmissions from the blogosphere

Robert Appelbaum on the war of words that preceded the withdrawal of plans to privatise universities

Examining collaborative provision in an Asian partnership left John Buglear doubting the fitness of such ventures

Kevin Fong worries as UK medical graduates catch an American disease

The 1994 Group’s break-up reflects fragmentation in the sector and leaves the ‘elite’ tag to the Russell Group alone

Weekly transmissions from the blogosphere

Sally Feldman welcomes a modern reimagining of the incomparable Jane

Academics are expected to engage in rigorous intellectual sparring but do some scholars overstep the mark?

Our cultural values, media and education system are pushing science to the margins, Dame Athene Donald warns

The Universities Superannuation Scheme is in deficit but has healthy assets, says Michael Bourn

There is an essential difference between saloon-bar provocation and paradigm-shifting scholarship, argues Terence Kealey

Weekly transmissions from the blogosphere

Christopher Bigsby struggles to see the point of travelling to give a lecture

On Halloween, Richard Sugg reveals how early stories of death from paralysing nightmares morphed into tales of vampires

His portfolio safe, David Willetts can enjoy some stability and clarity, the very things v-cs would like from the minister

Jim Northover considers whether the next global “mega-brand” could be a UK university

Cosmo Graham considers the possible outcomes

Willetts, like Robbins, envisages more graduates, but he is similarly reluctant to explain how expansion will be funded

Panagiotis Tsigaris found the online learning tool to be a positive addition to his courses

Some institutions’ appeals panels deny students a chance of justice, says Daniel Sokol

Weekly transmissions from the blogosphere

Blame the ‘father of the Constitution’ for the mess in the US, says Alan Ryan

The current regime can’t last for ever, says Andy Westwood

The unhealthy drive to score maximum REF points can cause universities to lose perspective as well as humanity

Weekly transmissions from the blogosphere

Felipe Fernández-Armesto on the inanity of questionnaires assessing teaching

With interest in Ralph Miliband’s work high after the Mail’s attack, could Marxism regain academic ascendency? asks Martin McQuillan

More and more prestigious US liberal arts colleges are making it voluntary for applicants to submit standardised test scores and say they will not favour the high achievers who do submit. These institutions hardly lack for excellent applicants. What’s up?

Steve West warns that vice-chancellors’ duty to engage in debate is not straightforward

Gareth Williams laments the decline of higher education research since its heyday following an influential report

Weekly transmissions from the blogosphere

Shoddy treatment of foreign students plays into the hands of continental rivals taking us on at our own anglophone game

Malcolm Gillies hesitates before marking any documents ‘For your eyes only’

David Latchman welcomes reforms for restoring funding for some upskilling students, but argues the government should go further

Teachers will be motivated to improve if internal assessments are made public, says John Colley

Douglas Anderson on the results of his active approach to pedagogy

The ‘golden triangle’ is a ringing success in the World University Rankings, but the UK needs every region to play its part