Opinion

Social media and Covid have forced research committees to become more agile, sophisticated and professional, says James Patterson

The pandemic presents a perfect opportunity to think differently about higher education, says David Staley, as he lists potential models of the future

Covid and its financial fallout are serious, but managers must grasp the impact of their operating experiments on teaching and learning, says Binoy Kampmark

Government, enterprise and education must contribute to a multi-pronged, long-term programme to boost social mobility, says Anulika Ajufo

In the absence of agreed definitions and rigorous enforcement, good practice will continue to depend on personal responsibility, says Ron Iphofen

Universities are anxious to meet social priorities, but new demands must be properly resourced, say Jo Angouri and Jan Palmowski

Some people will still prefer virtual conferences, but a hybrid approach would allow part of the in-person synergy to return, says Sheldon Jacobson 

Perhaps, says Duncan Angwin – but probably not with an institution of similar size and standing, and not without long-term staff buy-in

Holding university showcases online makes a lot of sense, but a stir-fry banquet with colleagues beats rushed laptop lunches, says Jacob Lotinga 

Universities offer many rewarding technical careers – but local populations are often oblivious of them, says Mike Hughes

The UK government needs to back up its commitment to investing in ‘science superpower’ status with a focus on the entire funding ecosystem

Universities need to establish clear and transparent criteria for assessing those with borderline results, argues Andy Grayson

The science base, public and private, needs certainty over how promised funding increases will be spent, says Chris Skidmore

Software tools need to be properly valued for their vital role in facilitating research, say Bilal Mateen and Tariq Khokhar

Non-disclosure agreements that silence staff or students should be banned, says Mark Geoghegan

Hybrid working may suit some disciplines, but Gary Macfarlane fears that the convenience will come at the cost of creativity and collegiality

Talking to lab members is not very revealing when they are habituated into an abusive culture, says Joana Vieira

Students would be far better advised to focus on demonstrating their mastery of research skills, says Gordon Message

Neither the Equality Act nor campus groups’ good sense will circumvent the duty to give a platform to anyone who wants one, says David Renton

When it comes to industry collaboration, Eiichi Saitoh knows that experience is the best teacher. Here are his tried-and-tested tips for success

As post-92 departments close, non-traditional students and scholars risk being shut out – again, says Panikos Panayi

Wide support for cOAlition S’ rights retention strategy would allow negotiators to take a harder line with publishers, says Alice Gibson 

Expecting academics to effectively review potential cheating incidents is unrealistic and ineffective, says Scott McFarland

Universities have a unique opportunity to shape the post-pandemic future by promoting innovation and creativity for wider social impact, says Tan Eng Chye

Making campuses sustainable will help limit future climate change but won’t protect against current threats, say Frank Fernandez and Hilary Coulson

It may feel as if the media is out to get universities. But a positive, pragmatic relationship is possible – and vital to public trust

Employers, universities and students are demanding bilateral recognition of Indian qualifications. Eldho Mathews explains why it matters

Allowing faulty papers to go unchallenged damages integrity and threatens dangerous real-world consequences, says Peter Bowbrick

Alongside the academic edutainer and the policy expert, there should be room for the voice from the wilderness, says Michael Marinetto

When the country embarks on recovery from its brutal second Covid wave, public spending on universities is unlikely to be a priority, says Pushkar 

Politicians developing the European Research Area must grasp how new knowledge comes about – and what it can do, says Jan Palmowski

The Kickstart Scheme’s rules are hard to navigate, and its design fails to harness university careers services’ know-how, says Richard Mendez

The legal, security and emotional challenges must not get in the way of proper teaching and research into this crucial issue, says William Allchorn

Careers can depend on publishing in higher-quartile journals, but the statistics are too easily gamed, says Jakša Cvitanić

Universities’ nominal control of undergraduate medical training belies the fractured reality, says Jonathan Rees

The United Nations’ global goals have enabled French institutions to broaden the scope of their sustainable development work, says Anne Beauval

Universities are moving in the right direction, but they can and must go further and faster, says Alice Gast

This week’s Climate Exp0 underlines universities’ potential to make net zero achievable, say Emily Shuckburgh, Roberto Buizza and Alyssa Gilbert

Changes to funding mechanisms can feel like a threat, but Aria will be a blast of fresh air for science and technology, says Tom Stephenson

Online exams are unfair and hard to police, even with creepy levels of invasiveness, says Helen Soteriou  

Collaborative, technically enhanced experiential learning will prepare the continent’s vast young population for the digital future, says Laura Kakon

Universities are a juicy target for hackers, and online working has made them easier prey, says Laura Marsden

Doing everything by the book makes it easy for opponents to plan ahead. So shake them up a bit, says Marcia Devlin

Scholars should model the constructive criticism of ideas, not yell ‘you're wrong’ during each other’s talks, says Katy Barnett

Policy should focus more on research’s benefits to a region than on where it is conducted, say Sarah Chaytor, Grace Gottlieb and Graeme Reid

Even in a post-pandemic era of STEM and vocational education, the study of history must remain an option for all, says Sir Keith Burnett

Visa reform would offset declining domestic enrolments, spread US values and give students the education they want, says Kent Devereaux

The opportunity exists to reimagine the UK’s post-18 education system in a way that will improve society as well as the economy, says Susan Lea

Downgrading doctoral candidates to a master’s track raises questions about admissions and supervision standards, says Zhang Ruomei

Faculty must draw on abilities they have developed in the classroom to steer administrators in the right direction, says Karen Spierling

Churches’ grip on former religious teacher training colleges is incompatible with their remit as publicly funded universities, says Keith Sharpe

Limited fluency and cultural concerns could lead to a backlash against German institutions’ pitch to the international market, says Brian Bloch

The REF and TEF should be brought together, but adopting low-quality shortcuts would undermine the whole purpose, says Thom Brooks 

It was crucial for East Asian universities to put on more courses in English, but now they need to rethink their pedagogy, says Benjamin Tak Yuen Chan

Interdisciplinarity will not meet its problem-solving potential unless graduates are primed to embrace challenges, says Paul O’Keefe

The sacking of the Higher Education Commission’s chair provides an opportunity to rethink the organisation's entire rationale, says Tahir Shah

As the David Cameron furore underlines, lobbying is big business, fraught with risk. So why have universities shied away from it, asks Alberto Alemanno

An unfriendly and isolating ambience that descended into microaggressions and dismissed complaints shattered one academic's high expectations 

Those who blur the lines between academic and professional staff are the connective tissue in the research ecosystem, say Matthew Flinders and Sarah Chaytor

After a uniquely difficult year, a return to campus is on the cards and we can anticipate the thrill of rediscovering small delights