function create_topic($request)
{
    Authenticator::assert_manager_or_professor($request->cookies['authToken']);
    $msg = new Messages($GLOBALS['locale']);
    try {
        $raw_input = $request->getBody();
        $content_type = explode(';', $request->type)[0];
        if ($content_type !== 'application/json') {
            Util::output_errors_and_die('', 415);
        }
        $input_data = json_decode($raw_input, true);
        if (empty($input_data)) {
            Util::output_errors_and_die('', 400);
        }
        $model = new Model();
        if (!isset($input_data['name'])) {
            $input_data['name'] = '';
        }
        $topic_id = $model->create_topic($input_data['name']);
        if ($topic_id) {
            http_response_code(201);
            header('Content-Type: text/plain');
            echo '/topics/' . $topic_id;
            die;
        } else {
            Util::output_errors_and_die('', 400);
        }
    } catch (ConflictException $e) {
        Util::output_errors_and_die($e->getMessage(), 409);
    } catch (DatabaseException $e) {
        Util::output_errors_and_die($e->getMessage(), 503);
    } catch (Exception $e) {
        Util::output_errors_and_die($e->getMessage(), 400);
    }
}