Management and governance

When the current generation of university leaders applied for their posts, none of the job descriptions mentioned Covid-19. So how have they found the past 18 months? And what about the future, economic, political and environmental? We asked 180 leaders from around the globe. Paul Jump reports

Pledge by leaders of AAU campuses designed to prevent abusers from repeating behaviour by moving between institutions

‘Slow and steady’ approach can help avoid ‘chaos’ as Indian institutions gain greater autonomy, Yogesh Singh tells THE

Interdisciplinarity really matters now that automation is approaching its ‘crossover point’, Australian forum hears

University of Alberta president credits data and demographics for revival

Study author says results demonstrate pervasive nature of patriarchy in higher education

Public knowledge of reasoning behind picks ‘could have avoided past mistakes’

Former Deakin boss appointed to babysit her second Perth university

Current chancellor of University of Wisconsin-Madison will be private institution’s first female leader

When observance of university rules is subservient to internal political considerations, standards and fairness suffer, says Afroz Shah

China crackdown remains controversial, but institutions advised of broader reasons to keep tabs on scientists

The tactful approach can be effective but it risks obscuring the necessity and urgency of improvements, says Chris Moore

Katie Normington aims to rebuild trust with staff after ‘confidence shaken’ by governance failings under former leader Dominic Shellard

In a digital era, academics’ time would be far better spent on assessment, curation and mentoring, says Terry Young

University ‘keen to engage’ staff and students on ‘merger’, while sidestepping inconsistencies in proposal

A pan-European document could also boost institutional autonomy, budgets, policy visibility and common problem-solving ability, says Jan Palmowski

One university’s strenuous efforts to eradicate cheating by students and academics point the way for the whole sector, says Július Kravjar

Conservative campaign for control of North Idaho College ends with ousting of Rick MacLennan and anger over masks

Vaccines notwithstandiing, mitigations are needed to avoid a repeat of last year’s campus Covid wave, say Simon Williams and Gavin Yamey

Previous round of negotiations curtailed by financial crisis in 2009

Boston-based university’s 11th campus aims to fill major Silicon Valley need, with a vow of social conscience

Canadian cites challenge of being separated from family during pandemic

University leaders would not exercise freedom even if the state did not have them under its thumb, says Maszlee Malik

While other red state campus leaders struggle, Michael McRobbie stresses consultation and rural services

If it all goes wrong, universities will not be able to avert truly disastrous consequences, says Rama Thirunamachandran 

Ministry of Education says it does not ‘support or encourage’ institutions setting up outposts beyond their home province

NMITE director Elena Rodriguez-Falcon says engineering institution has delivered on founding vision despite discarding more radical proposals

Headlines about whether the liberal arts can work in Asia only probe part of the story, says Scott Anthony

South Pacific nations trade barbs as unique pan-national university enters world stage

Furious backlash against comments by University of the Highlands and Islands leader Todd Walker

Alice Gast to leave in August 2022 after being found guilty of bullying

Long-time leader’s departure amid casino furore follows withdrawal of Newcastle’s coal-aligned appointee

Inquiry recommended disciplinary action against Jeremy Morris over handling of complaint against third party

School says new facilities are needed, but local politician voices environmental concerns

But about-turn leaves gaps and lingering fears about challenging political power

Manipulated data in study of truth and behaviour threatens career of popular TED Talk star Dan Ariely

Much of the language now used by universities feels like a kind of literary lockjaw that is too dull even to poke fun at. Joe Moran considers the causes and disastrous consequences

The election of the University of Ghana’s first female vice-chancellor has been overshadowed by unwanted political meddling, says Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua

Cintana will ‘accelerate’ existing universities and create ‘start-ups’ around world, taking a share of increased earnings

Communal leisure activities can have a big impact on campus life, paper argues

Voluntary principles may be a fait accompli, with chancellors who endorsed them also sitting on remuneration committees

Staff at troubled and historic institution ‘relieved’ by last-minute reprieve, and hopeful that institution’s traditions will live on

Sydney and UNSW vow to collaborate more, while shrugging off snarky stereotypes

Pal Ahluwalia to run multi-country university from Samoa, as audit clears management of breaches

Takeover will preserve ‘rich heritage’ of trade union college, say leaders

Institutions that want to help their staff have children should focus on the factors that drive postponement, says Pamela Mahoney Tsigdinos

Academics are ‘groping along blindly’ in a fierce debate over whether certain phrases or subjects are still legal

Australian academic administrator and former engineering executive returns amid policy focus on commercialising research

Campaigners at Boğaziçi University say their victory could inspire others – but also fear a harsher crackdown under a new appointee

Survey on Indian government initiative to open up to foreign offshoots finds concern about hurdles from overseas institutions

Easing of pandemic a moment for many campus presidents to take a break and others to be pushed out

A model for conservative politics in US higher education, Virginia campus seen as reverting to intolerance

Nobel laureate among professors vowing to move courses on to non-profit alternative platform after deal with 2U

Dharmendra Pradhan faces an uphill struggle to implement the new National Education Policy, says Mukhtar Ahmad

England’s free speech bill should outlaw gag orders that stifle revelations of bad practice, says an anonymous author 

It will take real courage to unpack the failures of leaders over the past year, but there are important lessons to be learned, says Patrick Sanaghan

Hannah-Jones case points out pathway for wider trustee reform but may just embolden academia’s political enemies

Pride Month may be over but inclusion needs year-round commitment that goes beyond noisy and colourful gestures, says Karen Lambert

Australian regulator allows Perth institution to address its problems behind closed doors

After claims Sheffield leaders aim to be ‘M&S, not Aldi’ brand, critics point to earlier withdrawal from AMRC training centre extension