Opinion

The academy is not the military. Addressing fellow scholars by their surnames only is unnatural and disrespectful, says David Benatar 

Joe Biden’s first presidential run was derailed by a scandal over a college law paper. Should he be allowed a second chance, asks Ararat Osipian

Academics who want their findings to be used but not abused should bear eight things in mind, says Nick Hillman

Universities must foster a sense of global cooperation and responsibility in their undergraduates and they must start doing it now, says Alfred Bloom 

During a campus-wide digital detox, Dominic Shellard discovered how finding a balance between our online and offline lives is crucial to maintaining our mental health 

A collaborative approach between universities and all their staff is needed to confront the financial challenges ahead, says Peter Kopelman

Ever more sophisticated fraud tactics put students and the reputation of their host countries at risk, says Hayden Scown

Universities must take the lead on resolving the blight that unconditional offers place on the higher education sector, says Mike Nicholson 

All campus life is here

Evidence of strong public demand for access to papers is scant. Might a sophisticated database of lay summaries be more valuable?

The press may castigate ‘snowflake students’ over free speech, but resistance to far-right speakers has a long history, says Evan Smith

The Pacific nation’s ambitions to harness its universities to drive economic growth face many challenges, says Roger Smyth

England’s universities minister explains why the government is allowing universities to charge students more for condensed honours degrees

Publicly funded research brings social and economic benefits for all. It’s critical that the global academic community continues to champion this work, says Ian Jacobs

Universities should give timely responses to complaints and compensate students for any delays, argues Daniel Sokol 

Wikipedia should be embraced by universities as an open-access source of information that can be the starting point for deeper research and learning, says John Lubbock 

Portland State University’s investigation of a researcher who published hoax papers misses the point of ethical oversight, says Jeffrey Flier

Interactive presentation software can give lecturers greater insight into how their students are engaging with content, says Julianne Law 

Brexit is an opportunity for universities to show what they do best: support the economy, bridge international divides and drive innovation, says Smita Jamdar

UK university leaders might be bullish on the subject of institutional failure but the divide between managers and staff needs serious redress

Pledges of huge investments in higher education to secure the tech giant’s second headquarters could strain academic autonomy, says Michelle Dimino

Even in tourism studies, reality often belies the bold, sunny pictures painted in the impact case study brochure, says Rhodri Thomas 

Universities would do well to share common operations and services while maintaining a healthy level of competition, argue Mike Boxall and Ian Mattias 

England’s loan system and high fees have fuelled students’ sense of entitlement but not of responsibility, says Beth Guilding 

If UCL renames its Galton Lecture Theatre, the choice should reflect a full appraisal of the eugenicist’s life, work and times, says Lennard Davis

The University of Wollongong’s new Western civilisation centre can inform students about the modern world, but it won’t help them to compete in it, argues Tom Worthington

Brian Poole asks if grade and credential inflation has resulted in too many degree holders chasing too few jobs

Choosing applicants to top institutions like Harvard by lottery is a fairer and more economical process, argues Natasha Warikoo 

The 1919 argument that a population educated throughout life was vital for the future of the country is just as imperative today as it was 100 years ago, argues Jonathan Michie 

The paradoxical resurgence of prudishness could get even Gregory Peck into hot water, says Felipe Fernández-Armesto

Those who fail to articulate the issues their communities feel strongly about do the academy and society a disservice, says Sandro Galea

Changes to the way the UK accounts for the cost of student loans should trigger a rethink about the sources of university funding, says Ryan Shorthouse

Putting universities in ‘special measures’ or even abolishing degree classifications altogether should be on the table, says Geoffrey Alderman

The stigma and fear of sexuality research must change if it is to inform any legal reform that comes in the wake of the #MeToo movement, argues Victoria Brooks 

An anonymous university leader muses about what could happen to higher education in the UK if tuition fees are slashed

Morten Irgens and Christen Krogh speculate on what is in store for higher education and research in Europe in 2019

Teachers coming together to share learning strategies and mentor each other can prevent burnout and jump-start professional growth, says Valencia Gabay

Science that is robust and reproducible will stimulate economic growth and social benefits, argue Marcus Munafò and Neil Jacobs 

Ben Marder offers early career researchers some advice on how to cope with paper rejections 

England’s higher education institutions could soon find themselves having to retrench. Their vital role as engines of social mobility and commerce must be valued too

Institutions that pride themselves on inclusivity should be doing all they can to defend student sex workers’ rights and safety, says Adi MacArtney

Forcing academics on to teaching-only contracts based on flawed assessments of their research is ruining careers, an anonymous academic says 

Australia’s move to performance-based funding must be better thought through than England’s TEF, say Gwilym Croucher and Kenneth Moore

A ban on political advocacy and remedial action for possession of ‘radical concepts’ could undermine the special administrative region’s universities, says Michael O’Sullivan

Liz Carlile explains why the University of Sheffield has avoided giving unconditional offers to applicants who have yet to sit their exams

The success in attracting Erasmus+ students must be translated into more far-reaching and economically transformative initiatives, says Conrado Briceño 

2018 was marked by strikes, pay scandals and the launch of the world’s first blockchain university

Brian Moeran offers a collection of haiku using research titles from the programme of a recent academic conference  

Philip Moriarty shares his Christmas wish list after taking on recommendations from the elf review panel 

An interview at Oxford is an opportunity to be celebrated, no matter how many questions you can’t answer, says Arabella Byrne

The onslaught of family and merriment during the festive season could be too much for even the English gentry at times, observes Jocelyn Harris

Encouraging academics to spend time with scholars from outside their own discipline will be vital to tackling today’s grand challenges, says Annette Rubery

After a year where universities were buffeted by forces beyond their control, the winter brings time for reflection and appreciation of their vital role

The residential experience has its attractions for school-leavers, but most US students value low cost and flexibility above all, says Paul LeBlanc

The jury is out on the educational value of recording, but universities prize its ability to project them as accessible and inclusive, says Simon Fokt

The Canadian government’s excessive policing of privacy makes it intolerably onerous to access its datasets, says Karen Robson

All campus life is here

UK universities must cover soaring staff visa costs to mitigate the effects of the Home Office’s harmful policies, says Tristan Sturm

With Wales’ Coleg Harlech due to be sold this month, Sam Christie reflects on why ‘second-chance colleges’ have failed to thrive given their role in post-industrial communities

Today’s Office for National Statistics report will make challenging reading for the Augar review panel, but it must not resort to draconian cuts to student numbers, says Greg Walker