Features

England’s Department for Education has deaccredited some universities while approving a range of alternative providers and strictly defining course contents. But while defenders hail an evidence-based push for quality, others decry a level of political overreach that could spread to other disciplines

11 April

The Universities Accord has underlined the importance of Australian universities that cater to non-traditional students. But getting that provision right is not easy when your every move has major implications across the regional economy. John Ross reports from the island state

28 March

Two years on from Russia’s invasion, displaced institutions are still teaching in temporary premises and online, while many researchers work abroad. But with a host of urgent quality problems to overcome, is it time for Ukraine’s academic diaspora to come home? Emily Dixon reports

14 March

Innovations such as wearable tech and mobile apps are expected to revolutionise healthcare and generate fortunes. But which researchers and institutions are taking their 10,000 steps, and what should those steps be? To coincide with THE’s Digital Health Summit at Stanford, Jack Grove examines Clarivate’s data and talks to those going the extra mile

28 February

International student recruitment comes under scrutiny for raising immigration figures, but it is also valued for fostering allies among future global leaders. Yet if it really does so, why are the West’s largest source countries, China and India, becoming less Western-friendly? Patrick Jack reports

1 February

While UK universities are starting to address the challenges faced by new mothers, combining parenthood and academia remains a difficult task. Five writers give their experience of what institutions are getting right and wrong in supporting academic mums

From satirical novels to US sitcoms and cop shows, academics have proved to be rich source material across many genres. Four writers argue the case for who can claim to be fiction’s greatest scholar

4 January

Long-frozen, loan-funded tuition fees are neither covering course costs nor, arguably, fairly recognising the benefits of higher education to society and employers. But is there an alternative that is politically and economically viable in a likely UK general election year? John Morgan reports

4 January

With academics feeling the strain from higher workloads, the days when scholars had time to write novels or run businesses seem increasingly distant. Lincoln Allison suggests that universities have far more to gain than to lose by allowing their academics to broaden their experience and earn extra income

7 December

The special administrative region’s status as an international crossroads has been severely shaken by the National Security Law and stringent Covid lockdowns. But sector leaders remain buoyant about boosting ‘non-local’ recruitment – and not just from China. Pola Lem reports

26 October

From dedicating time for brainstorming to taking inspiration from their dog, five writers explain how they are changing their approach to academia and life as another academic year begins in the northern hemisphere

12 October

Amid concerns about value for money and the supposed liberal bias of certain humanities and social science subjects, conservative politicians are increasingly intervening in curricular decisions. Do such subjects still have a place at public universities – and who should get to decide, asks Paul Basken

12 October

Canada’s Liberal government swept to power eight years ago promising to undo the damage inflicted by the previous Harper regime. However, after a big early funding spike for basic research, there is a growing sense of drift – and mounting concern about the future. Paul Basken reports

20 July

Covid-era terror of a decimation in international income has proved unfounded, but investment yields continue to fluctuate wildly. Ahead of the publication of Australia’s landmark new Universities Accord, John Ross investigates what the financial data really says about the state of the sector

6 July

If you want to get promoted in UK academia you will probably need to apply for an Advance HE fellowship. But there is widespread scepticism that this extended ‘box-ticking exercise’ improves pedagogy, says Amanda Goodall, while Martin Rich considers how the programme might be made fit for purpose

Helping students learn is core to universities’ missions, but the buzz phrase ‘student success’ has come to designate something more. Exactly what, though, remains contested, and its pursuit has exposed age-old tensions between academics and administrators. Sara Custer reports 

22 June

When Rhodes and fees both fell and Africa’s top university appointed its third black leader, hopes were raised that South African higher education was moving into a new era of equality. But several years on, funding pressures and governance failures still abound. Patrick Jack reports from Cape Town 

The ‘teenage’ regulator has a toxic relationship with universities owing to its uncompromising approach and its alleged unwillingness to listen – except to Conservative ministers. But should vice-chancellors agitating against the OfS be careful what they wish for? John Morgan reports 

Accommodation shortages and spiralling rents are damaging the student experience and limiting universities’ expansion ambitions. But amid political turbulence, rising borrowing costs and a shrinking private rental market, how can universities ensure that housing supply meets demand without mortgaging their futures, asks Patrick Jack

Georgia State’s transformation of student outcomes has been praised by Barack Obama and Bill Gates. Jack Grove talks to its president, M. Brian Blake, about the trailblazing institution’s incredible journey and his own remarkable rise through US academia

11 May

The UK’s trailblazing marriage of academic study and practical training is billed as a win-win for students and employers. But are universities and companies pulling their weight? Are students getting what they want? And what does it all mean for the future of traditional study, asks Tom Williams 

13 April

As AI makes giant strides, threatening to digitise a whole host of graduate careers, the need to ensure that human employees can regularly upskill and retrain is more urgent than ever. An early pioneer of mass lifelong learning, does Singapore point the way forwards? Pola Lem reports from the Lion City

13 April

When Purdue biologist David Sanders ran for election to Indiana’s senate last autumn, he assumed a commitment to evidence and personal engagement would give him traction. But while his pitch was well received on doorsteps, the system’s dark arts fended him away from the legislature’s threshold

The AI chatbot may soon kill the undergraduate essay, but its transformation of research could be equally seismic. Jack Grove examines how ChatGPT is already disrupting scholarly practices and where the technology may eventually take researchers – for good or ill

16 March

Vocational institutions are winning the right to award PhDs, while professional doctorates are also expanding. But how compatible are academic and vocational focuses in research degree provision – and how easily can status disparities be overcome, asks Ben Upton

2 February

When her broadcasting career took off in her mid-fifties, Mary Beard became one of Britain’s best-known and most-discussed academics. Jack Grove speaks to the retiring Cambridge classicist about her eventful career, including her run-ins with sexist TV critics, Twitter trolls and Boris Johnson

19 January