Feature article

Why slowness is a superpower in creative education

Good ideas often appear in the quiet moments we don’t count as work. David Thompson argues for protecting incubation time and for helping students rediscover the value of disconnection

David Thompson

University of Lincoln

A student and an assessor roleplaying a client meeting

Interactive orals offer a solution to AI over-reliance in higher education

A scenario-based assessment method that promotes authentic learning can curb over-reliance on AI and build students’ professional communication skills. Here is a guide to interactive orals

Popi Sotiriadou , Dani Logan-Fleming

Griffith University, Torrens University

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‘Don’t be sorry, just declare it’: safeguarding the integrity of the essay

With the advent of GenAI, higher education has pronounced the essay dead. Benito Cao argues there are signs of life – and explains how to protect its integrity

Benito Cao

Adelaide University

Balloons, meritocracy concept illustration

EDI is meritocracy – why is that hard to understand?

Equity, diversity and inclusion is misunderstood when it is seen as valuing identity instead of skill within the systems that determine academic career progression. But it is in the sector’s interest to recognise and support talent, no matter what it looks like, writes Brooke Szücs

Brooke Szücs

The University of Queensland

Build workforce capability through smarter university-industry partnerships

Universities are expected to produce job-ready graduates, but many partnerships with industry remain ad hoc. Building deeper, more deliberate relationships with employers is key to developing stronger regional talent pipelines

Grant Ritchie

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Competence matters more than content in sustainability education

Instead of teaching the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals head on, find the competencies business managers will need to take on the challenges of the future. Here’s how

Rhoda Davidson, Hans-Jörg Schlierer

EMLyon Business School

A podcaster interviewing a guest speaker

The power of podcasts to enhance student support

A university podcast can help cut through the noise of traditional communications. By meeting students where they are, it can be a powerful way to build community, reduce stigma and ensure support services reach those who need them

Shaunagh Moss

University of Chester

How universities can move from DEI backlash to breakthrough

Identity threat – when individuals or groups feel devalued – can undermine equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives. But if universities reframe this conflict, it can result in growth and new perspectives, write Camellia Bryan and Brent Lyons

Camellia Bryan, Brent Lyons

University of British Columbia, York University

Protestors on the Stand Up to Racism & Facism march in London in 2015

A common enemy approach to anti-racism in higher education

We need to rethink how we understand and advance anti-racism work in universities, treating racism as ‘our common enemy’ and adopting a unified approach to tackling it, writes Paul Miller

Paul Miller

The Institute for Equity, University Centre

A doorway with an "admissions" sign next to it

It starts with connection: rethinking the enrolment journey

The old enrolment model no longer fits today’s diverse student population. To truly support modern learners, universities must prioritise flexibility, empathy and trust over scripts and yield targets, writes Agnam Memeti

Agnam Memeti

DeVry University

How to build unbreakable self-confidence: an academic’s guide

A strong foundation of professional self-confidence is crucial when treading the academic career path. Follow these five tips to cement yours

Ayten Erçoban Evren

Near East University

Multiracial group of three university students

How student feedback and planning shape a high-impact orientation programme

Orientation week should not be about institutional formality but about human connection, writes Anusha Nataru. An engaging, effective programme requires careful pacing, warmth and inbuilt capacity to respond to student feedback

Anusha Nataru

Aditya University

“Office hours reimagined.” Image by Bryan Mathers of Visual Thinkery

Doing DEI when you can’t use the ‘D’, the ‘E’ or the ‘I’ word

‘DEI is dead, long live DEI!’ How to resist attacks on DEI, develop deep resilience and reimagine and reform your practice with kindness

Eamon Costello , Wajeehah Aayeshah

Dublin City University, University of Melbourne

Brightly-coloured speech bubbles and avatars

Discussion forums: the key to AI-proof assessment?

Providing a supportive learning culture for students will make them less likely to cheat – and discussion forums, with a few tweaks, may be the way to do it

Edward Palmer

Adelaide University

Equipping university graduates to think beyond the classroom

Too many students – and some educators – misunderstand what critical thinking entails. Here, Marie Paretti explains why engineering students in particular struggle with open-ended problems, and how educators can design experiences that help them learn to think in context

Marie Paretti

Virginia Tech

An early career researcher’s guide to impact

Research impact can often be reduced to an administrative task, yet looking past metrics and seeing your work come to life can be incredibly rewarding. Here’s how to connect with the ‘why’ of your research

Andy Phippen, Louise Rutt

Bournemouth University, University of Plymouth

How should assessors use AI for marking and feedback?

While much attention has focused on students’ use of GenAI, its potential to support assessors has mostly been overlooked. Here, Isabel Fischer shares draft principles co-created at a cross-institutional workshop to guide its responsible use in assessment, marking and feedback.

Isabel Fischer

The University of Warwick

intersection speech bubbles, inclusive language

For EDI efforts to be sustainable, universities must evolve their language and practice

A transactional model can position higher education institutions as performing equity, diversity and inclusion rather than living it, writes Bruce Watson. But that version of EDI will not serve us in the future

Bruce Watson

UNSW Sydney

A pair of hands scroll social media on a smartphone

Harness the powers of social media for learning

Replace mindless scrolling with little moments of learning by curating your social media feed. Here’s how

Norlin Nosbi, Nurul Azhani Yunus, Abdul Rahim Othman, Mazian Mohammad

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

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How community events can improve staff and student well-being

Regular, inclusive community events can play a vital role in improving mental health and well-being for both students and staff in higher education. Read about how simple, low-cost activities can foster connection, ease pressure and build a stronger university culture

Janine Wilkinson, Jean-Charles de Coriolis

The University of East Anglia

How to create snackable social media content

What makes an engaging post that delivers your key message? Here’s what university social media creators should do and what they should avoid when creating short-form content

Evan Atkinson

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Should university admissions decisions rely on academic performance?

If higher education wants to evolve its role beyond gatekeepers of knowledge to true engines of development, institutions need to rethink student readiness and recruitment processes

Rahim Somani

University of Northern British Columbia

Two language students reading a physical document

Content is king in EAP teaching

Content-based instruction is reshaping English for academic purposes teaching by making subject matter central to language learning. Garth Elzerman and Catherine Sari share four strategies for creating deeper, more purposeful engagement in the classroom

Garth Elzerman, Catherine Sari

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

A man sits in darkness, illuminated by a smartphone that blocks his face from view

Four questions to ask to detect false news online

Even those working in higher education can fall for misinformation. Ask these four questions to get better at zeroing in on false news

Peter Cunliffe-Jones

University of Westminster

The evolution of student onboarding

On-demand, just-in-time digital onboarding can help students filter the vast array of information they receive when they start university, and set them up for success

Cory Elfrink

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

An image representing the inner workings of the human brain

‘We must replace critical thinking with intuitive critical thinking’

Developing students’ basic critical thinking skills is not enough – intuitive critical thinking is needed in order to expand cognitive capabilities and understand real-world issues, explains Patrik K. Meyer

Patrik K. Meyer

University of Zurich

When open data meets publish-or-perish

At every stage of the research process, critical thinking acts as a compass – it urges caution against overconfident claims and reminds us that the goal is understanding, not mere output, writes Timo Lorenz

Timo Lorenz

MSB Medical School Berlin

An illustration of a team held aloft by a robot hand

Three reasons to harness AI for interdisciplinary collaboration

New advances in artificial intelligence could be used to communicate across disciplines and share knowledge more seamlessly. Here’s how

Raymond Chan

Hong Kong Baptist University

‘There is no workaround to this moment – we are all targets’

The attacks on DEI and academic freedom show higher education needs to come together, build collaborations and stand firm. Here’s how

Mike Gavin

Delta College

The keys to strong university–non-profit partnerships

Collaborative projects between universities and non-profits nurture empathy and allow students to make a real-world impact. Here, three educators share their tips for building meaningful partnerships that benefit students and communities alike

Mariana Leyva , Martha Sáenz , Itzel Eguiluz

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Teaching critical thinking is not enough – we must design for and assess it, too

Students are often told to think critically, but they need to be shown how – and evaluated on it. To truly embed critical thinking in higher education, educators must align teaching, assessment and expectations from the ground up

Nicole Pitterson

Virginia Tech

Bite-sized canapes are presented on a slate

Bite-sized learning: when less can be more

Could snappy, focused micromodules appeal more to the social media generation than traditional lectures? Perhaps – but only if they’re carefully implemented. Here’s how to do it

Aditi Jhaveri

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

A university student standing outside a campus building

Four ways to help students develop critical thinking skills

Students’ success increasingly depends on their ability to demonstrate critical thinking and research skills. Here are four ways to help them develop these complex abilities through effective data analysis training and course design

Justin Fendos

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Why universities in developing countries should prioritise data to maximise AI opportunities

By focusing on data quality, stewardship and governance, universities in low- and middle-income countries can harness AI’s potential to drive institutional growth, improve educational outcomes and foster equity in higher education

Cameron Mirza

International Research and Exchanges Board

Two people, one carrying a hard hat, shake hands

Partnerships to make higher education work for the workforce

Fostering long-term industry partners can enhance student outcomes and prepare them for the workplace of the future. Here’s how to get the best out of them

Brooke Wilson

Colorado State University Global

How to get students asking better questions

Better questions can spark deeper discussions, boost engagement and develop critical thinking. These practical strategies – from questioning frameworks to encouraging peer review and self-directed assessment – can build a more curious, enquiry-driven classroom

Gareth Owen

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Black male student looking thoughtfully at laptop screen

When AI asks: ‘Why?’ and facilitates critical thinking

Chatbots can be used at scale to mimic the Socratic method in university assessment and guide students to reflect on their thinking and reasoning process

Meryem Yilmaz Soylu

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Making global academic connections from your desk

Early-career academics don’t need senior titles or travel budgets to make a global impact. Here’s how to use what you have to build international partnerships from the ground up – starting with your inbox

Lilit Ghazaryan

National Polytechnic University of Armenia

Four ways to boost diversity in environmental science

The barriers to STEM subjects start long before students apply. From rigid entry requirements to a lack of representation, here are four, with practical ways to build a more inclusive environmental science pipeline

Abby Onencan

The University of East Anglia

A librarian helps a student, using a laptop

Information literacy is a core skill – and libraries are ideally placed to embed it

Librarians can be instrumental in developing students’ information literacy. Here’s how one university library developed a course to improve information literacy skills in healthcare disciplines

Marine Rigeade

Université Paris-Est Créteil

Illustration of two head outlines with lightbulbs

How to empower your university to integrate generative AI using tools and talent you already have

Many institutions must navigate limited resources, uncertainty around tools and questions of capacity if they are to embrace generative AI. This guide outlines six practical, scalable steps that build on expertise and institutional strengths

Jon Demiglio

ESMT Berlin

Speech bubbles being held above unseen person's head

Universities must stop tiptoeing around debate – appoint free speech champions

As new legal duties on free speech come into force, Mark Butterick argues that universities must move beyond token policies and foster a culture where open debate is genuinely protected

Mark Butterick

University of Leeds

A video gamer with a headset on is seen from the back

A guide to embedding esports for employability

Competitive video gaming is growing – and its power could be harnessed in your classroom. Here’s how to integrate esports to foster transferable skills in students

Gavin Baxter

University of the West of Scotland

‘Design is what industry demands of our engineering graduates’

By shifting focus from analysis to design, educators not only better align electronics engineering education with industry needs but also ignite students’ creativity and problem-solving capabilities, writes Ji-Jon Sit

Ji-Jon Sit

Nanyang Technological University

East Asian students crowding around a laptop in class

Build rapport to encourage Chinese students to speak up

Faced with students’ shyness and culture shock, how can English for academic purposes teachers on international branch campuses help them gain confidence in speaking English?

Ritchie Bowen

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Students raise their hands in a lecture hall

Make interdisciplinary research accessible to everyone

Short courses can give members of the public insight into cutting-edge interdisciplinary research, focusing on issues related to their daily lives. Here’s how to put them into place

Qingyan Chen

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Beyond the buzz: how AI can be a coach, not a competitor, in the university classroom

Placing teaching tasks along a spectrum between AI and human strengths can help university educators make use of the best of both worlds

Meena Jha, Michael Cowling, Josiah Koh, Kwong Nui Sim

Central Queensland University, RMIT University, Western Sydney University

(Re)learning critical reading in the age of GenAI

Rather than pretending students can – or even should – avoid GenAI to become critical readers, we need to develop their critical reading skills so they can successfully interrogate AI-produced materials

Brendan Carey

The University of Exeter

An illustration of a woman with a laptop sitting on a giant chip

Are students outsourcing the wrong tasks to AI?

Students are using AI to tackle tasks that could be crucial to intellectual development. How can educators judge which tasks to offload and which ones are important for learning?

Alex Grzankowski

Birkbeck, University of London

Easing students into higher education at the shallow end

The culture shock of starting university can be acute for those who left school early or who are returning to study after years in the workforce. Here, Gareth Morgan explains a programme that sets students up for success

Gareth Morgan

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

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