The newsroom blog

As the UK votes in a general election, universities hope for a change of approach. In return, they must deliver for a country facing a host of problems

The challenges facing the planet can seem overwhelming, but a landmark THE event in Bangkok heard reasons for optimism amid the maelstrom

Some right-wing politicians seem to view a university collapse as a prize to be fought for. But in reality, a disorderly exit would be disastrous for all

As universities in both the UK and Australia fight to protect vital international recruitment, there is also a need for fresh thinking for future prosperity

International student fees are propping up UK universities, but with immigration a key electoral battleground politicians seem not to care

Digital transformation is inevitable, but as a Times Higher Education gathering heard, getting it right is complex and fraught with challenges

A lack of long-term, sustainable policymaking is crippling universities, and the same mistakes are afflicting those involved in teacher education

Universities are in a funding cul-de-sac, blocked in by negative rhetoric about their role and value. Will a likely change of government provide a way out?

As battles over industrial relations and identity politics rage, higher education’s fault lines are increasingly a matter for the courts. Is anyone winning?

The desire of bereaved parents to establish a statutory duty of care towards students is understandable – but for universities it remains a fraught issue

Across the Western world, decades of growth in university participation are being repainted as a policy error as funding woes come to a head

Higher education has long been a trump card for the West, helping it to win hearts and minds. If that advantage slips, the impact will be far-reaching

After years of warnings, a dip in international enrolments risks tipping universities into crisis. It is deeply strange that government seems not to care

Recent years have thrown up both predictable challenges and unforeseeable exogenous events at universities. What do sector leaders foresee in 2024?

As the year ends, the problems facing universities seem to be stacking ever higher. But will a general election next year bring any respite?

With its funding system on life support, and its ‘science superpower’ ambitions, the UK must stop treating international talent as an imposition

A year after ChatGPT brought generative AI to the masses, we now know it has the potential to change everything – the AI-augmented future is now

It may be true that higher education rarely tops the agenda in electoral campaigns, but don’t be fooled – the politics is as fevered as ever

If you get what you measure, then a new framework for assessing universities’ efforts to support interdisciplinarity will provide welcome impetus

With politicians increasingly focused on short-term priorities, it is becoming both harder and more necessary for universities to take the long view

University rankings wield enormous influence. But if constructed and used correctly, they should be a mirror and support, not a straitjacket

For over a decade, the UK government has urged ‘challenger’ institutions to shake up the higher education status quo. But there is scant evidence of success

Revised freedom of speech guidelines are pushing universities to be both more active in heading off problems before they start, but also less political

Debates about international student numbers are highly politicised. But the contribution they make is far more nuanced than any statistics allow

There is near-universal dismay among scientists over continued delays to UK association to Horizon Europe. It is time to replace bean-counting with vision

As financial pressure takes its toll, the Oxford vice-chancellor’s clarity and commitment to the health of the whole sector show a way forward

When Covid closed borders, universities’ over-reliance on international student fees looked like disaster. Are they any less exposed today?

The shocking loss of two students’ lives in Nottingham attacks is a sharp reminder of the precious individuals behind the data

Much has changed since Tony Blair declared his priorities to be ‘education, education, education’. Could better communications help restore relations?

Universities face criticism for getting into financial difficulties – but deliberate policy decisions are leaving the squeezed middle high and dry

The inadequacies of student accommodation used to be a bit of a joke. Today, with both the system and students under strain, it’s no laughing matter

The recent leap forward in AI capabilities has us all gripped. But digital transformation is slow and steady as well as fast and scary

University funding systems are complex and misfiring. A sustainable future requires root-and-branch review, with politics removed from the equation

When and how a leader’s tenure comes to an end can be down to many factors – what lessons can be learned from others who have served their time?

Trying to forecast the future of higher education tends to leave heads spinning, but new analysis from the OECD’s data guru brings some trends into focus

A funding clawback provoked fury from UK scientists, but now all eyes are on a political breakthrough that could reopen the door to Horizon Europe

The UK prime minister has invested political capital in science and innovation. It is vital that it is not wasted on ill-considered populist ideas about research

As institutions embedded within cities and regions, universities can be the catalysts for local action to address national and global problems

OpenAI’s chatbot has wowed the world by producing astonishingly well-formed written responses to questions. Is it about to turn academia upside down?

After a tumultuous 2022, what will the new year bring for higher education? Some of the UK sector’s respected crystal-ball gazers offer their predictions for 2023

It’s been a bleak year as war brought more pain to a world still shaken by the pandemic and other pressures. Universities will be glad to put it behind them

Twitter has long been bedevilled by bad-faith debate. But government must be held to a higher standard, even when it is flying a kite

The array of challenges facing universities and their leaders is daunting, with a broken funding system underpinning the pain in England

Our work-life balance survey finds the inevitable: that for many if not most in academia, workloads are unmanageable, and seem to be getting worse

Addressing extreme social stratification is a responsibility of all universities. But focusing excessively on action at the top of the pile is a mistake

For two decades, Times Higher Education’s rankings have both tracked and contributed to an ever more connected world. Now universities face an unwelcome shift in global dynamics

International students add hugely to the richness of universities. But are the risks of relying on their fees to subsidise so much fully understood?

Sector experts offer their advice for Liz Truss and her new Cabinet on some of the biggest issues facing UK universities, from finances and R&D to culture wars and common ground

From threats to the humanities to the future of universities themselves, the risks of misunderstanding what to value seem to be growing

To sustain its world-leading universities and science, the next UK prime minister must listen to Tory heavyweights and move on from ‘sugar-rush’ policymaking

There will always be a political temptation to charge universities with improving a school system that leaves some students underprepared

The bumper increase in QR funding for England may sound like heaven. But with doubts over the future of Horizon, UK research is stuck in purgatory

Precarity is a debilitating condition that often proves fatal to research careers. And it affects even the most lauded research groups

Universities are too often used for political point-scoring. Finding a way to implement and protect long-term plans for the sector would benefit all

The pursuit of truth is at the heart of academia. But public perception is also crucial if universities are to sustain themselves – and fiction can help

For UK universities, there seems to be an endless flow of crises to be overcome. But what if this is not just a tough spell, but the new normal?

The REF may no longer be the only game in town, but it remains a dominant force in UK research. So as the REF 2021 results are released, is it still fit for purpose?

While those new to commercialising research often obsess about owning IP, seasoned unicorn breeders find a more relaxed approach is most effective

War has helped to fan inflation and wither universities’ resources. With scant prospect of let-up, all eyes are watching the horizon for hopeful signs

With the future of globalisation in question, are long-debated divisions over institutional autonomy and academic freedom inching closer to reality?