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The thirst for knowledge does not end at 65, and many academics find that retirement affords them the freedom to be more productive than ever, as Matthew Reisz discovers

'If I find out that the gang plans to carry out a murder,' the sociologist asked his supervisor, 'should I tell someone?' Sudhir Venkatesh tells Matthew Reisz about fieldwork Chicago-style

The humanities have traditionally been the core of a classical university education, equipping graduates both culturally and morally. Today, however, humanities academics are increasingly questioning their purpose, and striving to strike a balance between canonical reverence and contemporary relevance. Matthew Reisz reports

A new generation of dynamic fundraisers is overcoming traditional British reticence about seeking donations - with increasing effect. Esther Oxford meets the persuaders

Forget the Kop and the Cavern Club: it's the campus that powers Liverpool. Harriet Swain examines the dynamic impact higher education can have on a city.

Competition for Chinese students is stiff, and Britain is in danger of losing its early advantage. Esther Oxford reports.

?1,000 a year to park your car on campus - are universities being green or mean? Hannah Fearn investigates.

Teaching-only staff were once widely deemed unworthy of the name 'academic'. But one in four UK academics is now labelled so, and the proportion is expected to grow. Esther Oxford considers the implications.

Worries about extremism on and off campus have spurred universities to foster more cultural awareness and understanding in their local areas, as Hannah Fearn discovers.

Women's studies is about to disappear as an undergraduate degree in the UK. But is it because it is no longer relevant or because it has done its job by putting the issues in the mainstream? Esther Oxford weighs up the arguments.

The British Library not only supports world-class research, it also inspires rhapsodies from scholars around the world. Matthew Reisz explores colourful tales behind the unique collections at the heart of a well-loved institution.

Women who brave the traditional male bastions of science, engineering and technology must still confront both gender stereotyping and old-boy exclusion. Esther Oxford reports.

Governors perform an important and complex function in higher education, but what exactly do they do and what skills can they bring to the role? Hannah Fearn investigates.

If the Church of England has a somewhat accidental place within British life, the same might be said about theology within British universities. Matthew Reisz reports.

The Office for Fair Access this week revealed for the first time how much of their top-up fee income universities are spending on support for Britain's neediest students. Hannah Fearn and John Gill analyse the surprising results.

A sanctuary for academic pursuit or a hotbed of entrepreneurship? While educators quibble over the definition of a university, writes Matthew Reisz, all agree that academic freedom is at its core.

Makers of films and TV shows often hire scholars to give projects authenticity and gravitas, but what's in it for the academics? asks Reece Mathews

Jacob Bronowski, one of the 20th century's great public intellectuals, was born 100 years ago this week. Matthew Reisz speaks to his daughter Lisa Jardine.

The target-oriented schools system is producing students lacking the basic skills for independent degree-level study, according to many academics. As universities come under increasing pressure to expand to meet the Government's 50 per cent graduate target, the overall quality of admissions is inevitably diluted. Many educationists now believe the schools and higher education systems have diverged too far to work together effectively. Alan Thomson talks to academics, teachers and politicians to find out what can be done.

Inebriated one-night stands, excruciating childhood crushes, entanglements and rows with peers ... What drives some academics, wonders Matthew Reisz, to turn confessional in print.

Some academics routinely lecture to hundreds of students, but is this still the best way to teach? Tariq Tahir ponders the future of the lecture in an era of mass higher education.

It was bad enough, says John Brinnamoor, going to an alumni reunion. How much worse, he then discovered, to have to organise one