Opinion

A.W. Purdue welcomes the festive season when all the favourites reappear, despite unnerving visits from the ghosts of interviews past

A radical rebranding programme would please politicians, obviate the need for the QAA and bring a certain je ne sais quoi to the sector. Michael Thorne writes

Britons' use of 'sorry' evinces a culture scared of doing the wrong thing. A bit of positivity would help, says Robert Segal

It was Professor Plum with the candlestick, says Gary Day, who is fascinated by a history of board games

We live in an environment of too much information, and need to develop a more discerning intellectual palate

As the REF consultation winds up, Donald Braben looks back at previous attempts to exploit research. The results were mixed, because future performance in science and technology is virtually impossible to predict

The burden of trying to generate enthusiasm and work is suffocating me

The main parties' desire for students to be 'better informed' is dangerous, futile and immoral, warns Roger Brown

The admissions process seeks applicants with indefinable qualities, deemed able to develop critical, questioning minds, writes Mary Evans

Gary Day is moved by the stories of those close to death and fascinated by a preserved pachyderm

If climate research is seen as 'tribal' and unable to bear scrutiny, the whole scientific edifice is weakened

Simplify grant applications and release time for teaching, says Tim Birkhead

A guest lectureship treat can’t compensate for job uncertainties

Academic evidence to the Iraq Inquiry points to the Government’s terrible planning, but the hearings’ remit is too narrow to tackle the big questions: the war’s legitimacy, the state’s culpability and the public’s responsibility. Tim Dunne writes

Hefce's impact plans threaten the very basis of innovation in knowledge and must be resisted, argues Sally Hunt

One way to resolve the dispute at UEA would be for climate-change scientists to enable others to replicate their work, says Darrel Ince

No one on The X Factor compares to Gracie Fields, who brought her art to millions, says Gary Day

Universities need to be free from government control if they are to succeed in providing the education demanded of them

A latter-day Socrates wouldn't stand a chance, says Felipe Fernández-Armesto

There are plenty of opportunities for academics to take advantage of social media, but it’s important to separate the gems of revelation from the nonsense

Grappling with the frustrating process of applying for grants

The feminist struggle in the 1970s against discriminatory dress codes remains relevant today, says Clare Rose

The Government’s plan for the digital sector displays a lack of understanding of the new modes of cultural production, argue Joss Hands and Jussi Parikka

Impact statements are intended ultimately to benefit society, argues Dave Delpy, not interfere with funding

John Ashworth's method of coping with massive cuts at Salford in the early 1980s will be a useful model for universities in the future

Gary Day is transfixed by the intensity of Coptic art but finds the avant-garde more prosaic

As private providers make inroads into the sector, it's only right that all institutions are subject to the same rules

Sally Feldman mourns the demise of local papers and regional television

Efforts to climb several rungs of the career ladder at once

In light of the unmasking of Belle de Jour as a scientist, Petra Boynton, who blogs about sex and science, says institutions must balance privacy, scholarship and advocacy

This is the best way to maintain standards while at the same time serving public benefit, argues Aldwyn Cooper

Keats, the upstart who overcame all the odds to join the pantheon of literary greats, is an inspiration to Robert Mighall

Gary Day is inspired by the language and imagery of Beowulf, but is brought back to earth by a dogs' tale

Competing mission groups risk undermining the message that all universities are valuable and deserve continued support

Discarding 'unsuitable' proof in policymaking is foolhardy, warns Kevin Fong

Monographs are miniatures of scholarship, but some people artfully build them into microcosmic extravaganzas that inspire Tara Brabazon

Reasons to be cheerful without a proper job

While scientists are easily able to demonstrate the impact of their work, the social sciences are often on the back foot when it comes to highlighting the value of research, says Ziyad Marar

Black holes are a source of mystery for Gary Day, who finds that some TV is far from dumbed down

Wellcome Trust director Mark Walport argues that fellowship schemes are the way forward

Researchers, government and society benefit when research is made freely available, so the sooner it is mandated, the better

We should learn from the American experience with fees, says Alan Ryan

The Home Secretary's decision to sack David Nutt for his remarks about cannabis was misjudged, insists Lord Krebs

While its aim to widen access is welcome, the strategy document Higher Ambitions is based on a fallacy, says Vernon Bogdanor

Now that her manager has retired, Gloria is left to pick up the pieces

When do you reveal personal reasons behind career choices?

Stage experience is vital for budding performers, says Luke Scott, who enthuses his students with a hands-on approach

Labour’s student-as-customer framework reduces the academy to a glorified apprenticeship system and leaves Donald Braben praying for a predictable future

Libraries are being transformed into rowdy social spaces, with disastrous consequences, says Kevin Sharpe

Universities should learn from other cultures to inculcate respect and prudence, which companies will soon demand, argues Peter Brady

Gary Day learns how Britons made a modern nation and made love, not least on campus

Our world rankings are hugely influential but also come under criticism every year, so we have decided to improve them

Some speaking engagements discomfort Tim Birkhead, but he is undeterred

Tara Brabazon turns up the volume of Ghost Town to hear a soundtrack in keeping with our times