British universities slip downing global rankings
Change in methodology beneficial to ETHZ and EPFL.
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Academics are being hoodwinked into writing books nobody can buy
In the US, taxpayers are said to be spending $139bn a year on research, and in the UK, £4.7bn. Too much of that money is disappearing into big pockets.
Preprints and the speed of science
Peer review is often claimed to be the guarantor of the trustworthiness of scientific papers, but it is a troubled process. Preprints offer a way out.
My laboratory would fall apart if Britain left the EU
My team is drawn from all over Europe and beyond – the researchers bring in talent, income and dedication.
Leaving the EU would drive away talented foreign scientists
A Brexit would put the UK’s academic success at risk as European research stars go elsewhere.
Academics seek to challenge 'web of avarice' in scientific publishing
Academics are challenging the control of a select group of publishing houses over scientific journals.
Why it strengthens research?
[21]New analysis of interdisciplinary collaboration across the UK research landscape highlights important questions about how we organise, fund and assess research.
Scientists or beancounters: who decides what's best for UK science?
Consultants think they can make publicly funded research more efficient. But they’re in danger of ignoring existing analyses – and real-life experience.
Move over science, humanities' tech-savvy research is making waves
In the UK, in 2014, 46% of research grants awarded included non-academic partners, up from 38% the year before.
Science, values and the limits of measurement
Metrics play a growing role in managing research. But to understand their limitations, we need to draw on the humanities.
Can we expect a MIRAcle for biomedical researchers in the US?
The National Institute of General Medical Sciences at the NIH has come up with a new system for funding researchers. Will the new Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award prove beneficial?
Journal Science releases guidelines for publishing scientific studies
Science posted the most comprehensive [3]guidelines for the publication of studies in basic science to date, calling for the adoption of clearly defined rules on the sharing of data and methods.
Brexit and science: let's not make the same mistake as the Swiss
What lessons does the Swiss ambivalence towards European Union hold for the UK?
Call to unlock a treasure chest of hidden research data
"The right to read is the right to mine" : publishers are resisting a change to copyright law that would allow academics to digitally mine published research to help crack intractable problems.
Is size really the most important thing?
There is an urgent need to reverse the decline in research funding, and a lot to discuss about how decisions are made. But setting up a death match between Big Science and the rest is not the way to go.
How can we stop big science hoovering up all the research funding?
How can we stop big science hoovering up all the research funding?
As science money is increasingly awarded to a small number of expensive projects, some academics argue that a new funding system is needed.
Will traditional science journals disappear?
Has the traditional format of the science journal had its day? Dorothy Bishop outlines an alternative model, based on consensual communication.
EU science funding: 'the UK cannot afford to lose out on this pot of money'
The possibility the UK will vote to leave the EU would be a disaster for British science.
Want to get your research noticed by politicians?
There’s no doubt political parties listen to think tanks. Using them to present academic work could help researchers penetrate the Westminster bubble.
After 350 years of academic journals it's time to shake things up
Writing and reviewing journal articles is part of the core business of a scientist. But it’s not an efficient way to communicate research results.
We shouldn't keep quiet about how research grant money is really spent
The same organisations that make it difficult to get a grant can be ridiculously laid back about how their money is spent once they have signed it over.
A better future for everyone
Things are improving for women working in most STEM-based fields, although there are some notable exceptions.
An exciting alternative to university science research
An exciting alternative to university science research
Free from bureaucracy, independent science labs offer a flexibility that can't be matched by universities.
Crowdsourcing decision-making lands you in trouble
Crowdsourcing decision-making lands you in trouble
Giving equal weight to everybody’s opinion might be the worse thing you could do.
We can make science funding go further by better sharing equipment
We can make science funding go further by better sharing equipment
A new report suggests more sharing of research equipment may be a better way of getting more bang out of the science funding buck than clawing back ‘efficiency savings’ out of grant funding.
On the importance of being negative
Negative findings matter too and new OA publications are helping researchers to give a fuller account of themselves.
Science research facilities prepare for shutdown
Facilities prepare for shutdown as government refuses to secure funding. Up to 1,700 jobs at 27 facilities at risk from 30 June, with $150m in vital funding tied to the Coalition’s higher-education changes.
It's time to ditch the PDF
The PDF makes reading science research even more difficult and prevents a two-way conversation from taking place.
Anne Glover on Brussels
Anne Glover, former chief scientific adviser to the president of the European commission, gives a frank account of the highs and lows of her three years in Brussels.
Cracking the code to economic success: social scientists are as vital as engineers
Cracking the code to economic success: social scientists are as vital as engineers
History shows us that social scientists are essential if we are to get the most out of our engineering and technological innovations.
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