Universities Must Stop Protecting Bullies OR More People Will Leave Science
Letting powerful academics off the hook and punishing the people they bullied sends the message that abuse is acceptable in academia.
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Job Insecurity is Chipping Away at Me and My Cohort. Is It Us, or the State of the Economy?
Elections to Top Science Bodies Test Croatia’s Gender Equality in Research
Elections to Top Science Bodies Test Croatia’s Gender Equality in Research
Grant-awarding committees are dominated by men, but first-ever majority female cohort of academy fellows gives reason for hope.
Could Agentic AI Topple Grant-Funding Systems?
Funders must take action before an increase in submission of high-quality proposals written using AI models makes it impossible to sort the wheat from the chaff.
Universities Have Become Property Businesses. What Does That Mean for Research?
Thousands of Scientists Inflate Their CVs with Self-published Studies That Cost Millions of Dollars of Public Money
Thousands of Scientists Inflate Their CVs with Self-published Studies That Cost Millions of Dollars of Public Money
An analysis of 100,000 special issues of academic journals reveals that one in eight is filled with articles written by the editor, particularly at the publisher MDPI.
What Can Europe and Its Universities Do to Halt the Erosion of Academic Freedom?
What Can Europe and Its Universities Do to Halt the Erosion of Academic Freedom?
Much has been said and written about the global decline of academic freedom in recent years. But the warning bells have now turned into emergency sirens.
Make Academic Publishing a Commons, not a Market
Commercialisation has thwarted the promise of openness—it’s time for new priorities, says Samuel Moore
Stop the University Ranking Circus
In June 2024, a study called for an end to use of ranking to validate research. The researchers gave their reasons. Others have followed even while the ranking industry seems to be coming off more and more popular with students, parents and recruiters.
As Science Faces External Attacks, It Needs to Look Within to Defend and Reform
In California, Colleges Pay a Steep Price for Faulty AI Detectors
Millions have been spent to catch plagiarism and AI with tools from education company Turnitin. Is the tech worth it?
The Uncertain and Shifting Future of Ph.D.s in Science
Research funding cuts may lead to shrinking Ph.D. classes, raising concerns about impacts on the science-driven economy.
Why We Should Foster Connection and Belonging in Neo-liberal Academia
In a system where academic success is defined by outputs and individual achievement, Rachael Hains-Wesson and Nira Rahman call for a shift towards connection and belonging.
Fix the University-Shaped Hole in the EU’s Grand Plan
Implementing the Competitiveness Compass needs a partnership between policymakers and higher education, says Thomas Jørgensen
In the USA, Universities Are Under Attack on Multiple Fronts
There is a sense of crisis across US universities, brought on by an onslaught of hostile actions from the Trump administration. Alistair Jarvis reflects on a trip to America There is a sense of crisis across US universities, brought on by an onslaught of hostile actions from the Trump administration. Alistair Jarvis reflects on a trip to America.
Dartmouth's Sexual Harassment Scandal Transformed the Lives of These Women in Science
In 2017, a group of students at Dartmouth College filed a lawsuit that revealed an entrenched culture of power and abuse, and in doing so, they sparked a wider conversation about sexual violence in science.
How a Top Swiss University is Screening Chinese Students
ETH Zurich has revealed security screening measures it routinely carries out on some foreign students - provoking fear and anger.
The Abuse of Power in German Academia
German researchers studying power abuse in academia in Germany have come to some interesting conclusions about how common the problem is. Not enough checks are in place to prevent professors from exploiting doctoral candidates and other students.
How Do I Tell Someone That I Can't Write Them a Strong Letter of Recommendation?
Researchers are often asked to write references or recommendation letters. Nature asked three senior scientists what they do when they can't endorse someone.
Budding Scientists Inherit Career Success — or the Lack of it — from Their Mentors
Could Roving Researchers Help Address the Challenge of Taking Parental Leave?
Could Roving Researchers Help Address the Challenge of Taking Parental Leave?
Institutions are taking notice of a handful of programmes designed to address the issues scientists face when choosing to take a long-term absence.
Students Demand Cardiff University Tackles Sexual Violence
Students campaigning to stop sexual violence say they will fight to ensure Cardiff University acts after a meeting with senior staff. One student said they were laughed at by three male employees when speaking on sexual violence at a staff meeting. The university said it took sexual assaults seriously and investigated them robustly.
How a Bullying Scandal Closed a Historic Astronomy Department
At Lund University in Sweden this week, astronomers moved out of a building that was custom-built to hold telescopes and other artefacts from their 350 years of history, and they relocated to a physics building down the road. That’s because the astronomy department no longer exists, having been dissolved in the wake of a bullying scandal.
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