What does it mean to ‘make it’ in academia?The arrival fallacy can eat into scholars’ sense of achievement, reducing milestones to prerequisites for the next step. Here, Rachel Hagan shares ways to redefine success and acknowledge even quiet winsRachel HaganLiverpool John Moores University
‘Flow’ – not activities – makes experiential learning stickWhat happens when we stop stacking activities and start designing experiences? Here are three ways to make experiential learning more intuitive and impactful Irina GokhDe Montfort University
Black leadership programmes support wider efforts to close HE attainment Alongside other institutional initiatives, targeted programmes co-created by Black heritage students can improve academic outcomes and the overall student experience, says Faylisha ScottFaylisha ScottNottingham Trent University
Beat GenAI ‘stranger danger’ with staff trainingHigher education staff are apprehensive about the new stranger in the room: GenAI. But personalisation and staff development can help alleviate anxietyKatie SteenWorkSmart-AI
Boosting gender diversity in male-dominated STEM disciplinesHow to address gender disparity in STEM, when so many disciplines are overwhelmingly male-dominated? Here’s how to work towards equalityRick CooperBirkbeck, University of London
Publishing as connection: lessons from developing a university press By listening to researchers, staying flexible, embracing criticism and collaborating widely, those developing an institutional publishing ecosystem can reflect the values of the communities they serveEmily CarterUniversity of Southampton
From buzzwords to business plans: making the SDGs matter to studentsHow to help students apply SDG thinking in practical, business-focused ways using local case studies, live briefs, internships and feedbackRobyn GriffithsUniversity of Wales Trinity Saint David
Why GenAI helps some students but not others (and what to do about it)GenAI can boost learning on average, according to research – but individual outcomes vary widely. Here’s how to help every student benefitOguz A. AcarKing’s College London
Stop excluding carers! Eight ways to create an inclusive research cultureLow-cost, practical fixes can build a ‘care aware’ research culture and reduce the mental health strain of combining care and scholarshipMingzhi Li, Cagla Karatepe, Yanyan Li, Xinran GaoThe University of Warwick
What the Baftas incident teaches us about psychological safety in universitiesHow universities can take a proactive, compassionate approach to psychological safety that supports all studentsNicola MartinLondon South Bank University
From library to dance floor: how I created an academic Eurotrance albumAcademics can use AI-enabled music platforms to transform complex research into their own singles or albums reaching thousands of listeners. Andrew Hudson-Smith explains howAndrew Hudson-SmithUCL
Packed with ethics: using flash cards to spark connectionEthics is a fundamental skill in accounting, but it is difficult to teach in a way that gives students confidence to use and test frameworks. Here, Catriona Hyde explains how simple flash cards can create curiosity and connection in the classroomCatriona HydeUniversity of Leicester
Inspire the next generation of bioengineering lab techniciansSTEM outreach workshops can encourage school students to pursue careers as laboratory research scientists. Nana Asante Asamoah-Danso offers advice on creating memorable and engaging experiences Nana Asante Asamoah-DansoImperial College London
‘Your bot of choice is not a filing cabinet’With GenAI taking a larger role in research and education, Sorin Krammer looks at the data management habits academics can no longer ignoreSorin M. S. KrammerUniversity of Southampton
Who are we when we teach? Why ESOL educators need space to explore identityA workshop delved into language teacher identity and how reflecting on it can make English for speakers of other languages sessions more inclusive. Here’s howPaula BarrowcliffeUniversity of the West of Scotland
The five emotional types of learners on online coursesOnline learning is still growing. But to offer personalised support, educators need to understand their students’ emotional type. Find out more herePanu ErästöAalto University School of Business
How female academics can turn network awareness into advancementThe ability to map, navigate and capitalise on professional connections – and disconnections – is not gender neutral, as Eric Quintane explainsEric QuintaneESMT Berlin
AI won’t replace qualitative researchers – it might help themLarge language models may not simply replicate human analyses of qualitative data; they can offer additional insights and both challenge researchers' assumptions and prompt further reflection on their interpretationsDimitris Raidos, Sarah JennerIpsos UK, University of Southampton
A university educators’ guide to universal design for learningWhat is universal design for learning, what benefits does it offer students and how can you implement it in your classroom? Find out all you need to knowGustavo Espinoza Ramos , Marta Dermaku Hajdini , Noor GhumranUniversity of Westminster
‘Joy doesn’t dilute academic rigour. It sustains it’By weaving playfulness, humour and authenticity into teaching, research and departmental culture, academics can spark curiosity, strengthen collaboration and tackle difficult conversations, say Alice Wilson and Madeleine SteedsAlice Wilson, Madeleine SteedsManchester Metropolitan University, University College Dublin
More than singing: a university choir as a cultural hubFlexibility, pedagogical sensitivity, community and well-being – far more than artistic perfection – emerge as strong notes in the process of establishing a university choir László MatosSemmelweis University
So you’ve decolonised your reading list – what’s next?Reframe knowledge, champion transparency and draw on student experiences to create balanced curricula that build belonging and critical thinking, says Patrice SeuwouPatrice SeuwouUniversity of Northampton
Practical LGBTQ+ allyship within STEMMAllyship in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine requires more than symbolic gestures. From inclusive language to visible signals of support, practical action can help create safer, more equitable workplaces for LGBTQ+ colleagues and studentsClaire L. Davies, Eleanor M. Townsend, Andrew M. GriffithsThe University of Exeter
Tips on using GenAI to make the university classroom more interactiveFind out how to deploy GenAI tools to increase participation, tailor learning to each student’s needs and foster collaboration across disciplinesIjeoma (Angel) Ojukwu , Sam OpioUniversity of Westminster
Can we use AI for academic writing? It dependsHow researchers can use AI responsibly, without compromising scholarly rigour or integrityMarios Kremantzis, Eleonora PantanoThe University of Bristol
A guide to help journal editorial boards introduce ECRs to academic publishingAcademic publishing can be a harsh landscape. Here, a partnership model offers language and strategies to support new authors as they navigate early submissions and reviewJesper Hansen, Kristy CampbellUCL, King’s College London
I’m a well-being adviser: here’s how to support students with mental health issuesAs students arrive at university with increasingly complex mental health needs, academics are often keen to help but unsure where to start. Tessa Warinner shares practical tipsTessa WarinnerThe University of Edinburgh
Has your relationship with your PhD lost its spark?Make sure you and your PhD aren’t drifting into a toxic relationship. Here’s how to recapture the magic Lucia JuarezIndependent academic
Has AI cost academia the joy of text? Rather than asking what writing can be outsourced to AI, we might first ask which parts of the process need to remain slow, imperfect and human, argue four academicsViktoria Magne, Sharon Vince, Sarah Hooper, Rebecca MaceUniversity of West London, University of Worcester
Campus Talks: What lies behind the success – or failure – of international branch campuses?Find out what underpins success when setting up and developing a branch campus overseas and why financial returns are not a good motivation, from an academic who helped establish and later lead one such project Christine Ennew, Miranda PrynneCampus
Pluralistic idealism alone won’t govern the future AI governance is treated as an ethics problem, when it is increasingly a question of control, authority and speed. As AI systems reshape admissions, assessment and student support, universities need to govern what is live, not what looks good on paperAlistair SackleyUniversity of Southampton
Tips for co-creating education projects Many co-creation projects fail not for lack of goodwill, but because power is never explicitly addressed. Learn practical ways to tackle hierarchy and empower studentsJenny Harris, Federico Palmisani, Greg Collinson, Zoe MiaThe University of Exeter
How to design and supervise GenAI-integrated doctoral researchStrategies for research supervisors and curriculum designers when embedding GenAI in research activitiesKate AbrahamHult International Business School (Ashridge)
Beyond bans: AI-resilient and creative HE assessment designTo sustain academic integrity in an AI-present learning environment, educators must redesign assessment to foreground judgement, context and creative ownership, says Jasmine Mohsen Jasmine MohsenSP Jain London School of Management
How universities can support employability for international studentsIf you work in higher education, you are part of the employability journey, writes Gemma Kenyon. And career readiness is a key driver for international enrolmentsGemma KenyonCity St George’s, University of London
Students told us what GenAI guidance works. Here’s their adviceStudents are using GenAI whether you’ve addressed it or not. Here’s how to provide the clarity they’re asking forTom Ritchie, Yanyan LiThe University of Warwick
The difference between good and bad impact managementHow do academics and research managers really feel about impact management? Here’s how it can be done badly, and how to do it rightAndy Phippen, Louise RuttBournemouth University, University of Plymouth
Equitable research partnerships are no longer optional – here’s how to make them a realityHow to develop research partnerships between the UK and Global South in which knowledge, power and outcomes are equally shared among participants, based on a report by academics in South Africa, Kenya and the UKBEAP (Building Equitable African Partnerships) teamUniversity of South Africa, Lancaster University, University of Aberdeen, Kenyatta University , The Open University
Why digital accessibility is now a leadership issue for universitiesThe question for university decision-makers is whether to settle for the minimum accessibility required by international regulation or to embed it as a marker of institutional excellence across teaching, research and civic missionAyala Gordon, Sarah LewthwaiteIndependent academic, University of Southampton
What your students are actually doing with GenAIA student survey delved into how and why they use GenAI tools in their studies, and how they felt about it. Find out how this can inform teachingJulio Gimenez, Katherine Mansfield, Richard PatersonUniversity of Westminster
What I wish I’d known before becoming a programme leaderBecoming a programme leader means learning to lead without line management, protecting your boundaries, and playing the long game. Here, Tom Chapman reflects on what he’s learned during two decades in the roleTom ChapmanUniversity of Southampton
A lean approach to university technology transferUniversities can leverage selective outsourcing to build a lean, adaptive technology transfer office that enhances collaboration and responds to external funding cyclesGavin ClarkUniversity of the Arts London
How to make higher education assessments inclusiveWhen we design assessment with transparency, cultural awareness and inclusivity in mind, it becomes a tool for supporting learning rather than measuring it, writes Patrice Seuwou and explains how Patrice SeuwouUniversity of Northampton
Why ECRs should have the courage to contact their academic heroesHow can Aristotle’s ancient wisdom about bravery help early career researchers overcome their fear of reaching out to established scholars?Anastasios KoukopoulosAthens University of Economics and Business
How universities can prepare faculty to teach executive education Teaching seasoned professionals requires a different approach from undergraduates or even MBA students. This guide aims to prepare faculty to connect academic insight with real-world leadership experienceKonstantin KorotovESMT Berlin
Beyond Alan Turing: bringing LGBTQ+ role models into STEMLGBTQ+ identities remain largely invisible in STEM. Shining a light on them in everyday teaching can strengthen belonging and representationEleanor M. Townsend, Claire L. Davies, Andrew M. GriffithsThe University of Exeter
AI can help you unearth the story in your lecturesHow AI can help you separate ‘making sense’ from design, build a clear story arc and create a visual narrative that earns attention and trustIrina GokhDe Montfort University
Developing a Kantian transnational clinical legal education programme Enabling students to engage in supervised cross-border legal work bridges theory and practice while equipping them for a globalised landscape. Omar Madhloom and Martin Sticker outline the benefits, challenges and pathways forwardOmar Madhloom, Martin StickerUniversity of Southampton, The University of Bristol
Use the five stages of grief to guide academic staff through AI adoptionAs generative AI reshapes teaching and assessment, resistance is often as emotional as it is pedagogical. Drawing on Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’ framework, Michael Mehmet and Rushana Khusainova offer advice for supporting staff through the realities of AI adoptionMichael Mehmet, Rushana KhusainovaThe University of Bristol, University of Wollongong
Maximise student satisfaction in creative education: part twoIn the second part of this guide to achieving 100 per cent student satisfaction results in the National Student Survey, here’s why creating community and centring mental well-being made a differenceKate Cotter , Elizabeth McLaughlinUniversity of the West of Scotland