Today, the Holberg Prize—one of the largest international prizes awarded annually to an outstanding researcher in the humanities, social sciences, law or theology—named Australian scholar Lyndal Roper as its 2026 Laureate.

Which children work harder at school, and what does their effort have to do with their social background? Until now, educational research has been unable to provide empirically based answers to this question. However, a new international study led by the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), with the participation of researchers from the WZB Berlin Social Science Center, reveals that socioeconomic background decisively influences the willingness to exert effort, but that this gap can be mitigated through the use of classroom incentives.

American politics is increasingly characterized by high levels of polarization and divisive rhetoric, despite stated preferences among voters for civility and substantive debate. A study of 2.2 million public statements from the 118th US Congress finds that for a subset of legislators, the pursuit of media celebrity has replaced the pursuit of preferred policy, reelection, or even personal wealth as the ultimate motivator for a political career. 

Cactus Communications (CACTUS) has been awarded the ‘Committed Badge’ by EcoVadis following the release of its 2025 sustainability assessment results. The recognition reflects the continued progress of the company in strengthening its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices.

Australia’s new ban on social media for under-16s should be judge on much more than whether adolescents stay offline, researchers say.

Experts from Flinders University say success of the policy should be measured by its impact on young people’s mental health, school performance, digital literacy, and how they spend their time outside of social media.