Growing up working class meant Michelle Deininger was more worried about money than academic aspirations, but after a second chance she managed to complete her PhD
The framing of the Peter Horrocks row misses the bigger issue underlying the conflict and the opportunity to sketch out a vibrant future for this important national institution, say Mark Brandon, Joe Smith and Martin Weller
Emerging online threats and tough new penalties for data breaches are forcing universities to take cyber security more seriously than ever, says Kamal Bechkoum
University strategising in the days before JoJo, BoJo and Brexit was more back-patting than visionary, but what universities need now is a plan for survival, says John Cater
Pleas by Conservative backbenchers for an intervention to help the OU ignore the fact that they recently made it harder to assist under-pressure institutions, says Pam Tatlow
As a parliamentary committee calls for an independent review of Prevent, Steven Greer and Lindsey Bell argue that too much criticism of the anti-extremism programme is based on myths
As England’s new higher education regulator the Office for Students begins this week, its deputy chair Martin Coleman explains how it will balance institutional autonomy and public accountability
Time constraints mean international PhD students caring for families can’t make contributions to research and their fields can’t benefit from their insights, Andrew Basden argues
A sample essay by Philip Newton and Michael Draper on the dodgy disclaimers used by essay mills makes clear why the Advertising Standards Authority’s ruling will not stop contract cheating
As the National Union of Students conference in Glasgow begins on 27 March, Nick Hillman ponders if the student voice is becoming too powerful in universities
Sport is one of the ways that universities are helping to transform the lives of young people from socially disadvantaged communities, says Geoff Thompson
As peak marking season approaches, Julianne Law gives a frank assessment of where her university’s new paperless marking system has gone right and what could be improved
Female under-representation in spin-offs is likely to be attributable to the usual suspects: gender bias, lack of appropriate support and limited access to the right networks, says Simonetta Manfredi
Bill Galvin, chief executive of the Universities Superannuation Scheme, tackles some of the ‘misunderstandings’ about the fund’s approach to its valuation
Documents published on the Office for Students’ website have raised further questions about its independence, accountability and powers, says Gill Evans
Unprecedented spending on university estates are transforming campuses and cities more generally, explain the authors of a new book on contemporary design in higher education
Lancaster University's vice-chancellor Mark E. Smith and Nicola Owen argue that a new composite ranking offers a more nuanced view of institutional excellence
Stephen Hawking’s enormous achievements in science and communication are a manifestation of amazing willpower and determination, says the astronomer royal
The Pensions Regulator, not universities, is the driving force behind proposed cuts due to its nonsensical approach to discount rates, argue David Bailey and John Clancy
Introducing a ‘consumer-style ratings system’ for degrees has the potential to cause terrible damage to universities and society in general, argues Cathy Shrank
Pension cuts have been presented as a matter-of-fact and inevitable response to an enormous deficit, but this position has started to unravel, says Jan Machielsen
There are very few outlets for women to work together against unhelpful concepts that hold back female progression in academia, says Elisabeth Julie Vargo
Where you live and where your family comes from still determine your access to a university education, says London Metropolitan University vice-chancellor John Raftery
Diplomatic dinner celebrating US-Australian relations is only the entrée to a full-blown battle over funding cuts that has put the demand-driven system on ice, says John Ross
Don’t blame university support staff for not joining the strike over pensions – it is because too often they are left out of the conversation, says Fiona Whelan
Ahead of University Mental Health Day on 1 March, Robin Brinkworth argues that institutions must become far more open and accountable on how they are handling student problems
Warwick's vice-chancellor Stuart Croft explains how radical government action might help to avert the pensions strike affecting half of all UK universities
Extraordinary demand for a conference on how universities support staff with invisible disabilities highlights how ableism remains widespread in academia, argue Jennifer Leigh and Nicole Brown
Free Speech University Rankings coordinator Tom Slater says academics are peddling myths and smears to downplay the shocking level of censorship on campus