Academic life

The University of Rural England’s wildly popular moggie mascot, Mr Tibbles, has disappeared and suspicion falls on the vice-chancellor. As the frenzy mounts, can our lovelorn hero save his reputation, his job, his relationship and perhaps even his mortal flesh in time for Christmas? John Gilbey tells the tale

Young people face one of the most challenging periods for coming of age in history. Academics should do all they can to help them, says Harvey Graff

Times Higher Education journalists name the academics and administrators at the heart of the sector’s biggest debates over the past 12 months

Move by Afghan government ‘opens door’ for more of its supporters to become lecturers, scholars fear

Claim by University of Essex law academics that ‘anti-trans’ speakers could ‘contaminate’ buildings branded ‘misogyny’ by critics

What makes a sabbatical special any more, asks professor, if it is a continuation of the demands of academic life rather than a break from them

Political scientist Jack Williams’ debut novel draws on his experiences as a PhD student at Princeton and Zurich

Elon Musk’s ‘de facto town square’ is a place where misinformation abounds and where academia is often attacked by culture warriors. But is fighting back effective? Or can it make things worse if academics don’t keep calm and stick to the facts? Tom Williams reports 

The campus security desk is often the first and last port of call for jet-lagged and far-from-home students, says George Bass 

Support of Council for At-Risk Academics has brought some researchers to safety in the UK, but even new-found security can be bittersweet

Overloaded slides, peculiar body language and speech that is too quick, slow, quiet or relentless are all easily fixed, says Brian Bloch

Building a publishing platform that allows scholars to earn from sales of their papers has put all Pooja Sawrikar’s rage to good use 

Five years ago, a THE poll painted a bleak picture of work-life balance in the academy. Has the subsequent rise of homeworking eased the pressure? Or are ever-increasing workloads outweighing any benefits of flexibility? Tom Williams reports on our survey of 1,200 university staff

Point-in-time study quantifies pandemic’s differential impacts on academics with children – particularly mothers

The emphasis on bringing in money above all else is killing researchers’ passion for discovery, says Aymen Idris

The world’s problems are too big for one sector to figure out: academics must team up with doers in fair, equal partnerships, says Carmen Geha

Even if conditions are not right for the development of a ‘slow university’, we need at least to walk in that direction, says David Alexander

This year’s Maddox Prize winner shows how community-led research can help communities escape polarised debates over scientific evidence

If we tenured professors do not hold ourselves to agreed standards, we will find ourselves being refereed by demagogues, says Robert Zaretsky

Scholarship that does not acknowledge the legitimacy of alternative views is inimical to knowledge generation, says Katy Barnett

America’s two-year public colleges are often romanticised as engines of social mobility and the epitome of the educative mission. But one academic has found the reality to be very different, with callous management failing students and staff in equal measure

Is working humane hours at a humane pace possible for anyone in a British university, asks Sarah Colvin

After spikes in participation in recent polls, students’ role as a key voting bloc is under increased scrutiny in upcoming elections

Move designed to ‘support 21st-century families’ and help institution remain competitive despite ‘historically high turnover rates’

Scholars from the Global South have vastly fewer international options than those from the Global North, says Srila Roy

Higher education institutions around the world mark passing of UK’s longest-reigning monarch

Major THE poll considers pressures on academic and administrative staff, how this has changed in recent years and what can be done to improve matters

Embassies in dozens of countries now accepting visa applications, but many students still in the dark over anticipated move

Institutions told to ‘join up’ response with local officials, to have emergency medical care and forensic testing procedures in place

Grant delays worse than ever, researchers say, as ARC strives to meet demands of ousted government

National interest test for research grants to be simplified amid sweeping review of ARC

Chapters’ severing of campus affiliation predicted to show US sector’s reluctance to challenge ‘Greek life’ abuses

Researchers say using improvisational comedy can improve their ability to communicate findings

Yes, in-person interaction has benefits, but ending online accessibility will close the door again on those unable to travel, says Alexandra Ridgway

But preoccupation with the mundane sidelines universities from the main game, according to vice-chancellors

A bitter feud between the head of one of Oxford’s grandest colleges and its dons made front-page news. As a new, internally recruited vice-chancellor prepares to take office, Jack Grove hears from both the dean at the centre of the dispute and those who are glad to see him gone

Four decades as professor and campus vice-president, with a stint in Italy, has Robert Berne seeing parallels to global intrigue and prison life

The sense of purpose and connection that a busy academic life confers is not easily replaced. You may cry, says Helen Lees

Goldsmiths’ reduction of people to expendable costs corrodes the necessary conditions for learning. I’m leaving, says Les Back

Universities face tough decisions as staff argue for wage rises to keep up with cost of living and budgets become increasingly stretched

Disproportionate impact must be considered by universities when assessing performance of staff, study finds

As precarity affects ever more academics for ever longer, many have come to see a permanent position as the gateway to professional happiness. But does it always work out that way? Or do the responsibilities and trade-offs of seniority outweigh the joys of security and salary? Seven academics have their say

The London School of Economics political theorist reflects on why her childhood memoir Free has been embraced by readers across the world

Leading US public institution, six months after firing Schlissel over affair claims, gets top academic voice on equity from UBC

Rebecca Blank, who was until recently head of Wisconsin’s flagship campus, to return to state to fight aggressive form of disease

As undergraduate numbers soar and student needs become increasingly complex, questions are being asked about whether a support model that relies on the conscientiousness of individual academics is fit for purpose. Here, three scholars explain why, despite its faults, the pastoral role remains crucial

Academics urged to be more present while teaching to foster better learning environments

The president of the University of Würzburg discusses the differences between the two systems, why he’s joined a European university alliance and the benefits of interdisciplinary working

Friendly reminders about university events, deadlines and policies may seem harmless, but fielding these endless emails exacts a high price, says Frank LoSchiavo

The Covid pandemic severely limited travel options during the past two years. But with restrictions finally lifting and with summer beginning in the northern hemisphere, THE’s occasional travel guide series is back. Six academics offer their tips on where to head to get over another marking season 

Few academics abused the autonomy they used to have – and fewer still complained about their salary, says Adrian Furnham

St Andrews principal and former UCL president also honoured alongside retiring Research England head

Why can’t scholars acknowledge that a professor was both mistreated by Princeton and mistreated his former student lover, asks Jonathan Zimmerman

The historian discusses ‘glimpsing the nightmares’ of early colonial Americans in his Wolfson prize-nominated book on witchcraft, and why he took early retirement from academia

A US university’s requirement of 10 in-person office hours per week is an anachronistic sales pitch, says Jonathan Beecher Field

South American universities catching up with rest of the world on homeworking practices, according to THE data

Dealing with the death of a family member is never easy, but does academic life present further complications and difficulties? Three academics at different stages of their careers tell their stories

Merlí: Sapere Aude offers glimpses into academic life that are truly compelling and, at times, disturbing, says David Lunn

Crowds in cafeterias help, but those in hallways do not, when it comes to breaking up scientific silos, MIT analysis finds

Too many reviewers ignore their duty to independently review materials and instead rely on the candidate’s narrative, says Richard Utz