Academic life

The coach, Peter Brand, had accepted high home purchase price from applicant’s father

Human beings can only work at full capacity for so long before they become incapable of doing any work at all, says an anonymous university employee

Only a quarter of biology conferences set rules on attendee behaviour and penalties for misconduct are even rarer, study finds

We must create spaces, resources and communities where individuals and groups can achieve optimal health through everyday activities, says Alan Cromlish

Wolfgang Ketterle says scientists should aim instead for equilibrium in the longer term, and always keep other interests or hobbies

Starting again from scratch every October causes no end of stress, mix-ups and wasted time, says one hourly paid lecturer

Newly arrived undergraduates are typically too immature to be trusted with the conduct of their own lives, says Felipe Fernández-Armesto 

Disengaging from ‘whiteness’ is not alienating: it is an opportunity to reflect on why we are in academia in the first place, says William Barylo

Adam Ginsburg is fighting conference-induced lethargy by tackling high levels of carbon dioxide at academic gatherings – one window at a time

Three vice-chancellors get CBEs, as Anna Vignoles, Lee Elliot Major and Kevin Fong also among those honoured

The serious-minded pursuit of knowledge is not incompatible with an enjoyment of some rather more popular pursuits. Six academics talk about their passion for a topic conspicuous by its absence from the scholarly literature 

A different environment can do wonders for a person; might universities feel a similar refreshment when the UK’s political landscape settles down again?

Academics call for development of clear policies on misconduct, and lifetime bans for offenders

As summer approaches in the northern hemisphere, six academics give their personal guides to their favourite vacation destinations 

Lincoln Allison may have lived through the glory days of academic publishing, but he still wonders whether the countless hours he spent writing his 14 moderately successful tomes would have been better spent on the tennis court

Transparency, plentiful leadership opportunities and the need for self-motivation all benefit blue-collar scholars, says Thomas Anker

Hepi report ties increase to mounting workloads and performance management

Colleagues’ failure to fully grasp the more hostile lived reality for EU nationals post-referendum is furthering alienation, says Jawiria Naseem

The literature expert on online abuse, decolonising the curriculum and Cambridge’s role in the slave trade

Kirkuk hosted students from seven closed universities in captured territory, providing refuge from horror of executions and alternative to fighting for jihadists

Study finds university staff who do up to 10 additional hours each week are more satisfied with their job, but doing more than this has a significant adverse effect

Successful publish-or-perish operators should look in the mirror before writing their next diatribe about marketisation, says Mike Marinetto

Be kind, be constructive and go easy on the free booze, conference veterans advise new and returning attendees

Neil Dagnall and Ken Drinkwater tell Matthew Reisz about the rare pleasures of teaching and researching belief in ghosts, alien abductions and conspiracy theories

New reports uncover widespread gossip, harassment, verbal abuse and ‘scientific sabotage’ in Dutch universities – with women particularly affected

Facilitating flexible working hours and showing gratitude towards team members are among the musts for all labs, according to Fernando Maestre

Higher Education Policy Institute says it is ‘shocking’ that no such dataset exists

International conferences are a huge boon to academics, allowing them to hear about new findings, make new connections and, above all, enjoy the physical manifestation of their virtual global community. But is all that footfall worth the huge carbon footprint it leaves? Joanna Kidman is increasingly unsure 

A small but engaged audience for his reminiscences convinced John Brinnamoor that the future is in safe hands

University sees valuable outreach in letting school pupils use library – but critics claim it is being used as a ‘play centre’

They are full of self-esteem and love social media yet crave high grades and safe spaces. What to make of today’s students? asks Felipe Fernández-Armesto

Study finds evidence of widespread, worldwide corruption in HE and lack of action from quality assurance bodies to stop it

Some institutions now follow the model, but experts question whether it will benefit a sector where 24/7 culture is ingrained

Friendly competition can push us all to do better. But when the competitiveness that fuels excellence and prestige becomes based in the logic of the market, universities lose sight of their true purpose, writes Kathleen Fitzpatrick

The recent death of politics academic David Held left Alix Dietzel shocked and guilty. Why did no one warn her she could feel like that?

Those on the ground are often able to recognise the folly of supposed efficiency measures imposed from on high, writes Peter Barry

Robert MacIntosh considers how university staff should approach the management merry-go-round of vice-chancellors, pro vice-chancellors and department heads

A lack of accountability can permit a toxic culture to linger unchecked, says one former employee, who was the victim of antisemitism

New association will seek to tackle class-based barriers prevalent in academia, says chair

Stronger attention to student mental health appears to overlook need among teachers

A large world-class university may eclipse a less renowned neighbour, but an education ecosystem rich in diversity can benefit all in the area

Can sharing a city with a more prestigious neighbour make it easier or harder for an institution to realise its value? Jack Grove examines the competition

Tributes paid to pioneering philosopher who established guidelines on embryo research in the UK

A greater willingness from facilitators to listen to feedback could transform collective decision-making, say Liana Kreamer and Steven Rogelberg 

College of Arts and Law tells scholars to spend more time on grant applications as quality-related funding dwindles

Universities pledge support and safety for international students

Understanding animal behaviour presents many challenges in the field. Matthew Reisz meets Rory Wilson, a biologist who has won awards for his innovative methods of tracking everything from albatrosses to sloths

Louis Theroux’s interviews with those accused of sexual assault at US campuses should be a wake-up call to UK universities who have ducked this issue for years, says Graham Towl

Pius Adesanmi was founder of Carleton University’s Institute of African Studies

Personal and pragmatic factors often keep Chinese academics in the West

Degree apprenticeships are helping to alter perceptions of earn-as-you-learn courses, but universities must demonstrate their value to students and employers, says Jane Turner

Life as an early career researcher is hard, but when you add being working class into the mix, the obstacles are almost insurmountable, writes an anonymous academic facing the death of her university career

Adam Tickell acknowledges university has ‘failed’ staff and students in the past but says improving well-being is his top priority

Efforts to improve work-life balance must address the significant amounts of time that many scholars spend travelling, says Rachel Moss

The recent exodus of vice-chancellors from UK universities raises questions over what is going on in the sector. Is inadequate governance the root cause?

Self-perceived levels of impostor syndrome in women remain equally high among senior academics, study finds

Officers draw on expertise from around the world as they deal with protests, extremist speakers and hate crimes

Researchers who trace links between academic supervisors and students claim that it can help to shed light on the nature of mentoring

Far from being hotbeds of intellectual debate, universities enforce ideological conformity, follow rigid procedures and offer little that enthusiasts could not teach themselves. It is time for radical reform, says Lincoln Allison

Six scholars learn the career and life lessons of their greatest academic missteps