51³Ô¹Ï

Only losers focus on excellent science. Better to cook the books, spin the wheel and trust to cronies, say Robert de Vries and John Jerrim

Establishing clear performance goals can be crucial for the success of young researchers and research groups alike. Jack Grove speaks to laboratory leaders about taking a more enlightened approach to this task in difficult times

OECD finds science rose to the challenge of coronavirus, but this led to cancelled projects elsewhere and academics working outside their expertise

While arresting scientists, US slides on funding and misses commitment on rules consistency

Gang Chen, respected nanoengineering professor, faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted

Reassessing operations through an institutional mission lens will prove more palatable than business-driven decisions, says ex-Adelaide boss

Thousands of PhD dissertations by Durham University available on Kindle services following mass scraping of online repository

Institutions with overseas links seen to be acting ¡®on behalf of¡¯ foreign interests

Data show that Italy¡¯s misfortune to suffer early in pandemic was a benefit for research but it could be short-lived

Agricultural agreements between Australian universities and government agencies could overhaul farm profitability

Defence controls, research fields and New Colombo Plan in the frame, as bureaucracies flag foreign interference risks

The country¡¯s universities have shot up global rankings on the back of huge investment and a ruthless focus on publication. But as the country gears up for its next five-year plan, Joyce Lau asks whether stratospheric ambitions for a ¡®Chinese Harvard¡¯ can be met

Perfunctory guidelines tell Australian universities little they did not already know, but herald welcome dialogue

Ministry warns researchers against ¡®degrading¡¯ nation in pursuit of international journal publication

Praise for Covid vaccine creators is deserved, but the extraordinary work of other scientists must not be overlooked, says Nicholas Dirks

Three professors shortlisted for 51³Ô¹Ï¡¯s Research Supervisor of the Year award discuss their approach to mentoring

Academics will have to pay up to ?7,800 for free-to-read option

Fearful of lagging behind the US and China, the continent now has multiple Darpa-like agencies. But they face challenges securing political independence, funding, and turning prototypes into reality

Australian trials cancelled over interference with HIV tests

While eLife is planning to publish only preprints, even it concedes that journal brand still counts for a lot, notes Michael Marinetto

Government pressure found causing harm beyond the loss of foreign partners

International higher education scholar suggests global science is entering a new era of fragility

Update to study of coronavirus research during the pandemic shows falling rate of international co-authorship

Evidence suggests that different personality types are drawn to ¨C and excel at ¨C teaching and research, says John Dreijmanis

Inevitable examples of jargon or poor research are no reason to reject an entire discipline, say Debby Cotton, Elizabeth Cleaver and Dilly Fung

Event hears calls for improved careers services in universities to help steer PhD students and postdocs on opportunities

Academics say online methodologies can produce more collaborative, diverse and ethical research

Comparisons with big pharma distract from ¡®amazing¡¯ achievement that will lead to long-term dividends for science, say experts

Proposal is first of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region for the world¡¯s largest academic publisher

With global warming a priority for the next US president, the International Universities Climate Alliance can lead the academic response, says Ian Jacobs

Public engagement expert concerned about communities that scientists are failing to reach

Panel warns that action is needed to tackle excessive competition and casualisation if research careers are to remain attractive

Plan seems to unite various factions after acrimony, but could hinge on Whitehall¡¯s post-Cummings appetite for research ¡®levelling up¡¯

Prestigious journal group seeks to spread cost of publishing across a greater number of authors than those accepted for publication

Plans for new research funding agency expected to go ahead despite exit of former top adviser to PM, but mission yet to be defined

Budgets and foreign ties likely constrained even with friendlier administration

Scientists ask why major journal published findings that female mentors may be bad for your career, even after reviewers pointed out flaws in the paper¡¯s methodology

UK remains third on list for number of scientists but Germany and Australia have made up ground

Rare opportunities arise in a country with a small population and a big regard for science

Analysis of publication data since break-up of Soviet Union suggests collaboration could be making up for a lack of domestic resources

As debate intensifies on how to measure research excellence beyond publications, Jack Grove asks senior scientists how they assess intangible personal qualities when hiring researchers

Academics say Chinese higher education has long been hobbled by the lack of an ¡®accurate system of academic evaluation¡¯

Pre-approved grants referred to security agencies as another front opens up in debate over research risks

Vice-chancellors and business leaders urge tighter focus and fresh funding incentives to drive up industry-academia innovation

Academics urge governments to set up frameworks for ethical use of technology and reaffirm the need for greater multidisciplinarity 

Academic says some safety requirements increase risk to researchers and encourages institutions to take flexible, academic-led approach

Sydney sociologist says universities should go further than merely notifying government about overseas ties

Key issues on mission, leadership and position of ¡®Arpa¡¯ agency within wider system yet to be decided, MPs told

The potential involvement of the UK, Australia and Canada requires a fair payments mechanism between the EU and associate countries, says Jan Palmowski

Covid is no reason to ease off on demands for open knowledge, Australian forum hears

°Õ±á·¡¡¯s new Careers Clinic series brings together the great and the good of higher education to answer a burning careers question

Huge survey finds majority of academics have adapted to shutdowns, but many fear ¡®Covid-isation¡¯ of grants

With digital devices generating data from the world at an unprecedented rate, what it means to be a scientist has changed, conference hears

There may be early signs of ¡®New Silk Road¡¯ efforts bearing fruit, but developments could raise questions about European unity

Red tape and institutional autonomy arguments fail to sway committee scrutinising law that affects universities¡¯ overseas partnerships

Until we stop glorifying self-achievement, collaboration will remain transactional, say Maru Mormina, Romina Istratii and Alex Lewis

Nation opts for strength in depth across the country instead of topping global rankings, argues sector head

Universities urged to take opportunity to modernise, as government¡¯s next strategic plan set to boost research and technology

Fiery Senate estimates session probes funding councils¡¯ 'natural justice' obligations when researchers are impugned

The pandemic has brought the power and consolations of scholarship to the fore. But with a particularly grim Halloween upon us, M.?R. James¡¯ ghost stories warn us that the pursuit of knowledge does not always end well, writes Shane McCorristine