Science communication

Scholars hail ‘halcyon period’ of engagement after success of events which help researchers meet the public ‘on their terms’

More people sceptical that science makes life better compared with pre-pandemic, and public also doubting contribution to economic growth

Speakers’ bureaux are largely designed to promote celebrity after-dinner entertainers, but they are also being adopted by some academic publishers as a way to boost their authors’ long-term profiles. Matthew Reisz asks whether others should be grabbing the microphone 

Former Leicester administrator who sued Steve Coogan says ‘we need more trust in expertise’ after actor backs inquiry into university’s actions during ‘tumultuous period’

US climate scientist wins Maddox Prize after highlighting attempts to downplay findings about human-caused warming

Knowledge transfer should include the university itself, says thinktank after identifying disconnect between managers and those who study them

UCL professor Alice Sullivan, who led review into how biological sex is captured in data collection, is vying for Nature-led award

With the veteran BBC presenter leaving the landmark Radio 4 show, some say the job should next go to one of a growing breed of academic broadcasters

Review finds strong support for dissemination of results rarely followed through in practice

Alternative social media platform matching engagement of Elon Musk’s X in ways that ‘would have seemed unthinkable until recently’, says study

Countering the US president’s divisive misuse of genetics starts with asking the right research questions, says Mareile Kaufmann 

These rankings celebrate universities’ impact – but also hold institutions to account, highlighting where the sector is falling short

Malaysia and South Korea are making the most rapid advances in tables showing best universities for sustainability, writes Patrick Jack

Universities Down Under punch above their weight in global assessment of sustainable development efforts

The new Adelaide University will combine goal-oriented basic and applied research in search of greater impact, say Peter Høj and David Lloyd

Dawn Freshwater says universities must reclaim social licence to operate to help push for more sustainable planet

Universities, investors, local authorities and funding bodies must create the conditions for start-ups – and communities – to thrive, says Anne Lane

Rather than pinning hopes for growth on spin-outs, it is better to invest in upskilling and demand-led commercialisation, says Simon Collinson

The operational functions of universities mean many are ill-equipped to fully support global priorities. The answer lies in integrating entrepreneurship education into their core mission, says Fernando Reimers

Fairness, social justice and town planning must be part of template for innovation-led growth in UK university cities, according to Irene Tracey

University staff are well positioned to lead by example as they engage with global challenges, say María Florencia Amigó, Sarah Lisle and Ruby Campbell

Universities can learn from the sustainable use of textiles in South America, where traditional knowledge is integrated with innovation to create a positive impact, says Jade McLachlan

Isolated domains of academic excellence must transform into dynamic enterprises integrated with local industry and community, says Aleks Subic

Edinburgh’s pioneering new framework will allow academics to pursue commercialisation without negative career impact, says Christina Boswell

Finnish researcher Sulo Roukka’s Europop dance anthem won the long-running contest showcasing scientists’ musical and dance talents

Sweeping cuts to USAID and the NIH have stranded the numerous overseas research groups in the Global South that relied on their funding. With scepticism already mounting that the SDGs will be met by 2030, the devastation of relevant research is another body blow. Jack Grove reports

Efforts to rationalise complex web of English local authorities – and hand them more powers – seen as a way of creating potentially strong partners for institutions looking to innovate locally

Discussions about the shape of the next framework programme, due to begin in 2028, are already under way. But the European Commission’s deafening silence is stoking fears that it wants to refocus research funding on short-term industrial competitiveness. Emily Dixon reports

China’s ambition to lead the world in AI is far from unique. Yet its resources, talent and coordination of higher education and industry could just give it the edge, especially as Donald Trump’s policies diminish the US’ allure to top talent. Helen Packer and Futao Huang report 

Institutions reduce shares in companies after review highlights holding large amounts of equity can supress growth

Vice-chancellors fear ‘incubator economy’ where innovative firms only scale up overseas

Ministers and MEPs are right to insist that FP10 should focus on much more than just immediate economic priorities, says Jan Palmowski

UK’s research-intensive universities urge increase in value of Higher Education Innovation Fund and creation of new ‘Spark fund’

We are not just training institutions – we are engines of healthcare innovation and prevention-focused public health strategies, says Amanda Broderick

The marine biologist and new University of Melbourne vice-chancellor is intent on using insights from beneath the waves to keep her institution afloat through the brewing storms

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

Academic spin-outs have risen over the past decade, supported by a network of university-affiliated venture funds

Universities can win a rational argument but lose an emotional war, conference hears

The long-mooted Oxford-Cambridge corridor is one avenue chancellor Rachel Reeves intends to pursue in search of a way out of the economic doldrums. But where does her focus on existing strengths leave blue-skies research and levelling up? And can a sector in crisis possibly deliver? Tom Williams reports

The new commission’s competitiveness compass is shockingly deficient in its approach to research, says Jan Palmowski

Successful pharmaceutical and biotech firms linked to the Medical Research Council have landed at least £6 billion in investment since 2008, and more before then, study finds

Right-wing trust deficit is pronounced in western Europe and North America but not Australasia, international survey finds

Policy institutes’ lack of strategic variation risks overheating the competition for airtime with national policymakers, says Diana Beech

Ten years ago, just a handful of UK universities had policy institutes. Now, amid the drive for impact, they are ever more common. But are they really the golden ticket to policymakers’ parlours? Are academics willing to be marshalled by them? And do they risk drowning each other out? Jack Grove reports

Support for 150 ‘venture science doctorates’ by 2029 aims to increase number of spin-outs developed by early career researchers in Germany

Laureate reflects on the threat posed by America’s new president, why AI should be regulated and how his student days at the University of York set him on the path to success

Nokia’s runaway success may have rung off a decade ago, but the Nordic nation hopes to dial up its tech prowess by increasing state investment in R&D by 80 per cent, putting the nation among the world’s top spenders. Jack Grove travels to Tampere to hear about academics’ role in the innovation nation

There are plenty of global examples of how academic expertise could be better applied to companies’ real-life skills deficits, says Sarah Gordon

Closer relationships with companies needed to produce more relevant scholarship, summit hears

As US pauses for Thanksgiving, sector debates how colleges can play a role in healing deep political divides

Researchers in countries most vulnerable to natural disasters say public communication is biggest challenge and most important part of the job

With vaccine sceptics taking top White House posts, there are concerns that attacks on scientists who counter misinformation may become more extreme

New LSE vice-chancellor discusses ‘Wild West’ US, dealing with campus protests and the personal turmoil that led him to make the switch to London

London Higher chief executive moves into new role focused on translating interdisciplinary research into public policy solutions

But simplicity is hard to produce in a complex world, Australian forum hears

Breezy assertions about what research shows undermine public trust as, however confidently stated, they are easy to challenge, says Rob Briner

England’s Knowledge Exchange Framework unfairly marks down an arts cluster whose impact is not directly reflected in cash, says Michelle Phillips

This year’s Maddox Prize nominations suggest that institutional challenges may be a bigger problem than online abuse, says Tracey Brown

Former Conservative business secretary, now based at University of Warwick, believes Labour’s proposals will underscore higher education’s vital role in growth

Civil servants appreciate a relational approach that responds to their needs and convenes evidence they will actually find useful, says Sally Hogg