Opinion

Recent clashes over Hong Kong and Tiananmen Square have strained universities’ diplomatic sinews, says Roger Smyth

Strong decision-making and a focus on culture enabled a rapid shift in the performance of an Australian behemoth, says Michael Spence

A new survey of employers raises questions about the labour market value of higher degrees, says Tristram Hooley

Steven Beschloss and Gaymon Bennett argue for academics to take their role as public intellectuals to the next phase, one that is personal, engaging and responsive to the problems of the day

A Jisc survey of librarians reveals confusion and discontent with publishers’ access costs. Peter Findlay offers tips for negotiating better deals

With responsible research and innovation at the heart of its mission, TUM is investing and adapting to meet society’s needs, says Thomas Hofmann

Providing mental health support that is appropriate and culturally sensitive is a first step in addressing the racism black, Asian and ethnic minority staff endure in academia, says Jason Arday 

Critical thinking is not enough. Students must be taught dynamics of social media, say Darren Linvill and Patrick Warren

Top universities demand the best in the world as leaders. But when does a fresh international outlook outweigh domestic knowledge and experience?

Overseas campuses in Malaysia and China offer University of Nottingham students the global outlook necessary for today’s world, says Shearer West

While nations compete to unlock the huge potential of quantum engineering, it is also a chance for building global partnerships, says David Awschalom

Exam invigilator Helen Soteriou reveals the elaborate schemes devised by students seeking to cheat on their tests

Having caught up in the numbers game, Tsinghua and China more widely are ready to pursue research and teaching suited to their unique priorities, says Bin Yang

Universities must re-examine their efforts to atone for slavery by listening to those affected by racial injustice, says Linda Mann

A bold policy to internationalise Turkey’s universities by teaching in English should be abandoned, says Sinan Bayraktaroğlu

The damage we’re doing to the environment by travelling to international conferences is no longer worth the benefit, argues Gary Thomas 

Many PhD career initiatives focus on exploratory workshops and alumni panels, but Alfredo Cumerma believes the next step should concentrate on the job search itself

Brexit will exacerbate the inequalities that already exist in UK higher education, argue Helen De Cruz and Chon Tejedor 

Are today’s students really self-absorbed snowflakes or are lecturers merely experiencing the other side of the intergenerational perspective?

Researchers should be required to pass exams accredited by professional bodies to prove they have the skills to publish, argues John Sumpter

A lecturer describes how her university failed to act when she was racially victimised by a student receiving mental health support

Betting the farm on international students is a gamble – but what’s the alternative? asks THE’s Asia-Pacific editor John Ross 

Academics should consider whether they are comfortable giving top marks to students barely literate in English who submit work translated by Google, says Paul Stapleton

An independent service to check data and algorithms is the only way to resolve the research replication crisis, say Christophe Pérignon and Christophe Hurlin

Internationalisation in HE should focus on the mobility of programmes and providers, not just student mobility, writes Diane Simpson

Universities must advocate for expedited student visas and provide incoming cohorts with more support, says Alan Ruby 

Relaxing international student regulations and increasing scholarships for Belt and Road countries are in lockstep with China's economic goals, says Abdur Rehman Cheema

While insults fly on social media, student references can be excessively bland. Is society served by either?

Individuals should be able to choose their own work-life balance depending on their life situation and level of ambition, says Lee Cronin

Publishing deals need to acknowledge the reality that most research is not yet gold open access, says Elsevier’s Gemma Hersh

University campuses are microcosms of the universe and offer multiple opportunities to put abstract theory into action, says Peter Harper

Ongoing efforts to iron out regional anomalies are creating as many problems as they solve, says Ceren Ergenc

The responsibility for building an inclusive campus climate rests squarely on academic staff, administrators – and funders, says David Asai

Universities should be able to offer the same access to content to transnational students as to those studying a degree in the UK, argues Greg Ince 

New figures suggest steep rises in university participation rate in several Middle-Eastern countries, say Justin D. Martin and Fouad Hassan

All campus life is here

Funders and researchers are squandering a huge opportunity to create a more just and effective system, says Jon Tennant

A post-qualifications admissions system would be more transparent and would help students to make better choices about their higher education, argues Graeme Atherton

Why are an ex-footballer’s views on the game worth so much while academic analysis of the news is worth nothing, asks Peter Wells

Pan-continental prosperity will suffer if the UK’s near-absence from the European University project is a sign of things to come, says Martin Paul

Those fired and imprisoned for signing a 2016 statement condemning Turkish military action still have a long struggle ahead, says Mehmet Ugur

Cultivating open-mindedness and intellectual humility is the best way to combat arrogance and insouciance, says Bethan Willis

International education is not just about personal transformation – it also delivers better core academic outcomes, says Kent Anderson

If we want academia to be more diverse, we need to give students from disadvantaged backgrounds more opportunities to enter, says Comfort A. Moye 

Teaching students how to learn would help improve undergraduate retention and might save students from wasting tuition fees, says Brian Moon

The government’s commitments to fund research and fast-track visas for scientists show that we are securing the country’s future outside the EU, says Jo Johnson

UK admissions processes haven’t changed for decades but a new system will demand flexibility for the shifting policy landscape and fluctuating demographics, says Chris Husbands 

Technological advances mean an ever evolving workplace. While no one can predict the future, HE investment in lifelong learning will surely help us adapt

If universities don’t assert their expertise, demands from ministers and industry will become ever more misguided, says Dawn Freshwater

John Brinnamoor’s floundering doggy-paddle is no match for the voracious jaws of his university’s antiquated data-gobblers 

In an age of vast team-science projects, it is more important than ever that leaders be properly prepared, says Matthew Flinders

Tuition comprises less than half the cost of attending US universities, but taxpayers may be unwilling to cover it, says Anthony P. Carnevale

A global education is critical to responding to global challenges. Much of the world understands this, and the US needs to catch up, says Margee Ensign

Students want above all to develop ties with the people and places they interact with, say Liam Keenan and Maddy Thompson

Building a diverse staff and student body requires a nuanced approach, says Sarah Springman, who identifies three areas where institutions can push for more inclusion, especially around gender

Brexit will be a disaster for HE, but do the new prime minister’s past utterances offer clues on what else universities might expect?

Transparency, openness and integrity should be the measures by which we judge research, not volume and citations, argues Mai Har Sham

Marking down fellowship applicants for being unwilling to move institutions can be deeply unfair, say Trisha Greenhalgh and Ed Hawkins

Students’ talents wear many guises, depending on the person, the field and the judge. But instilling ethics is also crucial, says Howard Gardner

More must be done to understand and help students who register for courses but then fade into the ether, says Bret Stephenson