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Universities Have Become Property Businesses. What Does That Mean for Research?

Universities Have Become Property Businesses. What Does That Mean for Research?

In the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Singapore, universities are operating as developers and landlords. Where does science fit in?

Podcast: Wissenschaft Unter Druck - Trumps Angriffe Auf US-Universitäten

Podcast: Wissenschaft Unter Druck - Trumps Angriffe Auf US-Universitäten

Seit Donald Trump wieder Präsident ist, hat sich die Lage an US-Universitäten drastisch verändert: Studierende fürchten Abschiebungen, Wissenschaftler verlieren ihre Stellen und wichtige Forschungsprojekte werden gestrichen.

Cracked, but Still There: the Glass Ceiling Persists for Senior Women in Science

Cracked, but Still There: the Glass Ceiling Persists for Senior Women in Science

To mark International Women's Day on 8 March, Mangala Srinivas reminds junior colleagues that career success won't protect you from gender-based bias.

Do Women Academics Need to Work 2.4 Times Harder to Succeed?

Do Women Academics Need to Work 2.4 Times Harder to Succeed?

Nearly thirty years ago a paper was published claiming women academics need to work 2.4 times harder than their male counterparts to attain the same status. Re-examining this paper, Ulf Sandström questions its validity and suggests what higher education policymakers can learn from this overreliance on a single study.

Can hackathons help foster data skills in the Global South?

Can hackathons help foster data skills in the Global South?

In the aquamarine waters off Kenya’s eastern coast, fishing nets often accidentally ensnare endangered sea turtles. A local conservation group has spent years recording these encounters in a sprawling archive of data. Yet much of it remains unused. The authors propose a creative solution: hackathons, a competitive activity that has gained popularity across STEM fields because it challenges participants to quickly develop solutions to real-world problems.

Science policy education should start on campus, say researchers

Science policy education should start on campus, say researchers

Although modern science has only been around for a few centuries, we've become quite adept at training students in the scientific method. But learning how to translate research insights into practical actions often isn't part of a budding scientist's curriculum.

New Collaborative Models of Knowledge Exchange Are Needed

New Collaborative Models of Knowledge Exchange Are Needed

The traditional commercialisation paradigm isn't the only way to approach knowledge exchange. Kim Stuart and Audrey Cumberford explain a new initiative in Scotland spanning modern and smaller universities and the college sector

Future Agenda for Science 2040: Instrumentalised Research or Germany As a Science Republic?

Future Agenda for Science 2040: Instrumentalised Research or Germany As a Science Republic?

On 30 January 2026, the German Science and Humanities Council (Wissenschaftsrat, WR) published its future agenda for Germany as a centre of science and research, entitled "Science in Germany - Perspectives until 2040". sets out a future agenda for Germany as a centre of science. 

US Withdrawal from Major Environmental International Organisations Weakens Its Credibility 

US Withdrawal from Major Environmental International Organisations Weakens Its Credibility 

On 4 January 2026, the US announced it will leave dozens of international organisations, many of which exist to protect the climate and environment. Theresa Jedd warns that this America-first policy of international environmental isolationism is disappointing for the world, and could harm the people it claims to protect

States pioneer a new frontier in US science funding

States pioneer a new frontier in US science funding

According to data from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the share of US basic and applied research funded by the federal government dropped from nearly 48% in 2009 to just over 34% in 2023. As that decline is likely to continue, some state governments are responding by boosting their research spending.

How science parks can transform Australian universities into innovation hubs

How science parks can transform Australian universities into innovation hubs

University-based science parks could become highly attractive sites for deeper engagement with industry, venture capitalists, and start-ups, and help procure government funding too, as proven in the UK, Singapore, and China.

Americans Overwhelmingly Support Science, but Some Think the U.S. Is Lagging Behind

Americans Overwhelmingly Support Science, but Some Think the U.S. Is Lagging Behind

A new report finds that a majority of Americans think the U.S. should be a world leader in science, but Democrats increasingly believe other countries are catching up