Research funding agencies face a daunting task when deciding which proposed research project to fund. It takes a great deal of expertise to distinguish between what investor Warren Buffett once called the “three I’s”: innovators, imitators and idiots. The anonymous peer review system that has emerged as the universal and unquestioned tool for assessing research […] … learn more→

Ah, September is almost here. A new school year beckons, with new courses, new books and new students. Except … some of the students are not new. They are retaking courses they had previously failed, or barely passed. They may be doing that to boost their marks, qualify for advanced courses, maintain scholarships or just […] … learn more→

There are growing calls for a debate about the role of post-school in society, both in Australia and overseas. After 30 years of constant expansion, some complain that universities have become too vocational in nature – too focused on jobs, not enough on the art of inquiry. At the same time, the vocational education sector […] … learn more→

I know my title is unsurprising on two levels, since administration lies about everything, always, and it’s well known that conservative thinkers aren’t allowed to speak on our campuses now…but the title says so much all the same. Even if conservatism is fundamentally wrong, fundamentally flawed, the worst thing that ever happened to humanity…conservatives should […] … learn more→

Students at universities are not the only ones who suffer from mental ill-health. While in recent years they have arguably received more attention, particularly in the UK, academic staff at universities and other higher education institutions require support too. In fact, the recent suicide of a professor in the US has sparked renewed discussions about supporting the mental health […] … learn more→

Doing background reading, undertaking leading-edge research, and analysing the results may seem like the hard part. In fact, they may well be hard, but these elements are often the aspects of research that, as a PhD student, you find easier to carry out. It’s the research process, and you must have been good at it in […] … learn more→

In this era of instant global transfer of information, accessible international travel and rapid technological advances, young people necessarily have the potential to be global citizens. Universities set themselves the aim of providing a truly international experience for their students and staff. I am a profound believer in the merits of globalisation and the moral […] … learn more→

In the US, most college courses are now taught by adjuncts: minimally paid “temporary” professors who will work at the same job for 15 years or more before realizing they’re being played for suckers. Now, yes, I know things are tough all over, and lots of people are struggling to get by on minimum wage […] … learn more→

A fellow professor emailed me recently: “I’m scarred by a recent authorship dispute involving a very senior academic demanding to be added to a paper in which they had played no part,” the message read. “It got as far as two sets of lawyers before there was a back-down,” it continued. The story struck a […] … learn more→

Earlier this month, Charlotte School of Law (CSL), a for-profit law school, finally shuttered its doors, leaving students with few options and tens of thousands of dollars in debt apiece. The closure came after months of the school’s tangling with its accreditor, the Department of Education, and the UNC Board of Governors, which grants its […] … learn more→