Postgraduate and early career
First Complete University Guide survey since Augar review raises prospect of domestic master’s fees overtaking annual charges for undergraduates
University says scheme will give junior academics ‘opportunity to experience life as a full-time lecturer’, but critics suspect REF link
Early career academics dismayed to see 20 per cent threshold for independent projects and personal development dropped from UK guidelines
Marking down fellowship applicants for being unwilling to move institutions can be deeply unfair, say Trisha Greenhalgh and Ed Hawkins
Those lucky established academics who want to help precarious colleagues would do better to pay for their lunch, says Sarah Burton
The banning of certain academic books by prisons in Northern Ireland is deeply counterproductive, says Dieter Reinisch
Asking people to prepare for a 10-week course that might not run is too much, says an anonymous early career academic
Provision of teacher residencies and mentoring by universities seen as key to long-term science improvement
Starting again from scratch every October causes no end of stress, mix-ups and wasted time, says one hourly paid lecturer
Trump-dominated panel bolsters campuses that reject postgraduate unions
Swiss university has signed San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment, which says academics should not be judged on the journals they publish in
Liverpool pro vice-chancellor says new positions would be step between PhDs and traditional postdoctoral posts
Identical CVs with different names on them sent to 250 academics in experiment
V-c who chairs financial sustainability group warns that deficit on doctoral training raises major questions
The unaffordability of two rents severely restricts the study options of care leavers and estranged students, says Roy Celaire
Vacataire status means not only low pay, but six-month waits between wages, says the Confederation of Young Researchers
Supervisors’ supportiveness, not their academic ability, found to be key driver of satisfaction in survey
More than 1,200 people sign letter supporting Feyzi Ismail in her dispute with SOAS University of London
Certification scheme will give academics the recognition they deserve, says initiative’s architect
Improving the culture surrounding mental health for postgraduates and PhD students also crucial to maintaining a healthy research system, Chris Skidmore tells leaders
Hundreds sign petition calling for teaching post to receive salary in July and August
Trend reflects growing gap between PhD completions and academic job availability
Data on almost 2,500 computer scientists in US and Canada suggest ‘prestige’ of PhD institution does not influence number of papers they later produce
Fractures emerge between Democratic candidates – but they, and even Republicans, actually share broad concerns on affordability
Pam Denicolo, Dawn Duke and Julie Reeves answer some of the most common questions preoccupying doctoral candidates about the biggest day of their career to date
The relationship between PhD students and their supervisors is often said to be the most intense in the academy, with huge implications for student success. Yet most supervisors receive little if any training. Here, six academics give their take on how to approach it
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?
Oversupply of young scholars means employers’ productivity demands are much higher than a generation ago, study finds
University leaders claim shift could water down standards, but applied sciences institutes think they are simply defending historic privileges
Debate sparked by criticism of growth of PhDs by publication, and allegations that corruption and nepotism are undermining the reliability of the academic doctorate
Queen guitarist Brian May completed his PhD after enjoying rock stardom. Jack Grove looks at how doctoral dropouts can land second chances – and supervisors can help
‘Anything goes’ approach does not serve doctoral candidates, universities or funders, say researchers
Academics say ‘personal assistant’ position highlights precarity faced by early career scholars
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
Marketisation, precarity and global competition have combined to create a vast market for academic ghostwriting, says an anonymous scholar
Australian universities yet to sign up to guidelines, representative body says
Efforts to improve work-life balance must address the significant amounts of time that many scholars spend travelling, says Rachel Moss
Sir Fraser Stoddart says the most rewarding element of his work has been supervising research students, who supported him personally after his wife’s death
One thousand PhD places to be created over next five years
Turning to dance may help scientists communicate their findings to those who distrust experts, claims competition winner
Data from the UK, US and Australia suggest science doctorates continue to dominate expansion, but why?
Researchers who trace links between academic supervisors and students claim that it can help to shed light on the nature of mentoring
Seemingly owned by an Oxbridge Essays shareholder, company offers up to 100,000 words of ‘model writing assistance’
Failure to recruit local PhDs will erode Australia’s skill base, report warns
Supervision highlighted as a ‘big challenge’ in wake of study on doctoral education
With many doctoral candidates unhappy and reporting mental health problems, Emma Pierson suggests ways supervisors could reduce pressures
Data for age profile of academic workforces across the continent show wide variation between countries
Leading figures in UK higher education warn sector will ‘take decades to recover’ from no-deal Brexit
Why other academic disciplines have not also introduced such markets is a ‘very good question’, organisers say
As a new report reveals dissatisfaction with mentorship for female researchers, Jack Grove asks where responsibility lies
Study based on fields of astronomy, ecology and robotics suggests huge drop in duration of scholarly careers
Sector leaders fear consultation could be cover for cutbacks
What single change to university practice would have the most positive and far-reaching consequences? Eight academics and thinkers give us their views
PhDs are becoming more programmatic in many countries, but the German one-on-one model retains considerable influence, says Glen Jones
Analysis of impact of doctoral training centres funded by Economic and Social Research Council prompts further questions over approach to postgraduate learning
Several students at the University of Toronto have been ordered to repay money received during an award ceremony
Figures have ‘alarming’ implications for equality in US academia, says researcher who analysed professoriate’s background
Dutch figures show just how little time professors get for their own research. It may be easier to pursue your intellectual interests outside the university system, says THE reporter David Matthews
Early career academics on temporary contracts must put aside personal hopes of a better future and unite to improve their current lot, says Steven Parfitt
Conflict over proposals to grant say in running of university to all 4,000 postdocs, who conduct ‘bulk’ of research
