Feature article

Advice on using photography to complement written materials when teaching human rights

Using photography as a teaching tool in human rights and international affairs

Photography is a powerful way to bring topics to life and enhance students’ understanding of different perspectives and representations of world events and people, as Noam Schimmel explains

Noam Schimmel

University of California, Berkeley

University libraries and academic publishers need to find a long-term solution to the issue of e-textbooks

We must end the ‘us and them’ standoff between libraries and publishers

University libraries and publishers remain at a damaging impasse over digital textbooks – the solution requires communication, collaboration and openness to big ideas

Libby Homer

Anglia Ruskin University

Group of protesters illustrating article about vaccine hesitancy, difficult conversations, empathy, listening

How to disagree about Covid vaccination and manage other difficult university staff discussions

Jonathan Lord outlines the role of empathy and listening skills in navigating potential conflict when colleagues disagree about sensitive issues such as vaccination

Jonathan Lord

University of Salford

How to address breakout room anxiety: advice for teaching academics

Four ways to address breakout room anxiety

Ari Badlishah draws on her recent experience completing a master’s degree largely online to offer advice on how educators can help minimise students’ anxiety about virtual breakout rooms

Ari Badlishah

The University of Edinburgh

Questions to ask to examine your own role in perpetuating racism in higher education and what steps to take

Questions you should ask yourself about your role in institutional racism

Questions individuals working in academia should ask themselves to gain an honest appraisal of their role in institutional racism and take active steps to counteract it, by Henrika McCoy and Madeline Y. Lee

Henrika McCoy, Madeline Lee

University of Illinois Chicago, California State University San Marcos

Black, Latinx and first-generation students need help garnering social capital if their higher education investment is to pay off in terms of a career

If we truly want a level playing field, we must focus on social capital

For minoritised students to really benefit from HE, they need support to understand the world of work, build connections and activate networks

Andy Chan, Kristina Francis

Wake Forest University, JFFLabs

Tips for creating digital university modules

How to design and incorporate a digital module

Digital modules lend themselves well to competency-based training. Adela Vega and Laura Castillo offer a guide to designing and incorporating them into a digital learning experience

Adela Vega, Laura Castillo

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Advice for educators to take proactive steps that help students form social bonds and support networks, in person and online

WhatsApp and campus trails: supporting students in building peer-support networks

Group activities and social networks help students to feel supported. Here’s how to facilitate interactions that build peer-support networks

Kelly Edmunds , Helen Leggett, Becky Lewis

The University of East Anglia

Advice on overseeing new curriculum development based on the general education reforms in Hong Kong

Seven lessons from interdisciplinary general education curriculum reform

Adrian Lam highlights lessons drawn from the implementation of interdisciplinary general education curriculum reform in Hong Kong universities

Adrian Man-Ho Lam

The University of Hong Kong

Immediacy cues such as eye contact can be critical tools for professors and lecturers when connecting to higher education students

Immediacy cues are a great starting point for fostering inclusive classes

Both verbal and non-verbal cues, such as pronouncing names correctly, smiling and making eye contact signal to students that they are welcome, respected and valued

Flower Darby

Northern Arizona University

Sessional academics early in their careers should learn how to balance the competing demands of teaching and research

Sessional academics: how to balance the demands of teaching and research

Teaching and research are the pillars of academia, yet these two roles often end up in opposition to one another, says Tara East

Tara East

The University of Southern Queensland

Advice on steps universities should take to ensure pandemic doesn't result in a long-term reversal of gender equality work

Urgent steps to prevent the pandemic stalling women’s academic careers

The pandemic put a disproportionate strain on female academics, research suggests, so now universities need to take robust action to ensure these women do not lose out in tenure and promotion decisions, reducing future diversity

Adrian Daub, Alison Dahl Crossley

Stanford University

Advice on taking a trauma sensitive approach to teaching

A trauma-sensitive approach to teaching and learning

A four-step framework for taking a trauma-sensitive approach to teaching in universities, explained by Kitty Wheater

Kitty Wheater

The University of Edinburgh

remote ed-tech assistance, students helping educators, graduate employment programme

Students supporting educators: are you harnessing the talent of your own graduates?

Employing students to support educators not only boosts overall digital expertise but elevates graduate employability, course design and the student voice

Lisa Harris, Caitlin Kight

The University of Exeter

Advice on using literary reviews to create a narrative and context for new research projects

Using literature reviews to strengthen research: tips for PhDs and supervisors

Anne Wilson explains how to develop a narrative and context for new research through your literature review, with tips for early career researchers and their supervisors

Anne Wilson

Royal Literary Fund

Advice on adapting courses to teaching online using small chunks of material

Non-linear approaches to course structure that improve learning

Breaking up teaching content into chunks that can be repeatedly revisited offers educators a non-linear approach to learning. Chris Jones shares advice for designing online courses

Chris Jones

Pearson College London

Academics looking to move up the higher education career ladder might consider becoming a dean

How to become a dean

Paul Baines talks through the pros and cons of being a dean, plus the skills you’ll need to display during the recruitment process to get there

Paul Baines

University of Leicester

Arrow leading up steps illustrating article about Wordle, mastery experiences, the power of success

What Wordle teaches us about the power of success

Offering more mastery experiences will greatly reduce the mental and emotional fatigue that permeates so many post-Covid university classrooms

Thomas R. Guskey

University of Kentucky

Advice on instilling democratic principles into your assessment methods

Democratic assessment: why, what, and how

Divya Bheda shares five ways educators can embody democratic principles through their assessment practices to help students learn civic-minded values and behaviour

Divya Bheda

ExamSoft

The university library needs a dramatic pivot to online to help academics and students alike in the new normal

The academic library requires digital evolution

As we face our post-Covid reality, library services need a new vision, becoming ubiquitous and available no matter the challenges of time and space

José Vladimir Burgos Aguilar

Tecnológico de Monterrey

University admissions policies could be hold back diversity efforts for students wanting to study STEM subjects

Are STEM admissions processes hindering our diversity efforts?

The requirement for potential STEM students to have studied traditionally related subjects such as maths and physics seems outdated and unnecessary, says Judy Raper

Judy Raper

TEDI-London

Advice on supporting Black women to progress in academic careers

Hidden in plain sight: spotlighting invisible Black female academics

Jummy Okoya outlines actions higher education institutions should take to encourage more Black women into academia and support their career progression

Jummy Okoya

University of East London

Advice on the key steps to design and deliver effective microcredentials that meet diverse learner needs

Three steps to developing useful microcredentials

The key considerations for developing an effective microcredentials portfolio that meets the needs of diverse learners and employers

Natcha Thawesaengskulthai, Bajinder Pal Singh , Warinya Chemnasiri , Pietro Borsano

Chulalongkorn University

Academia showed it can slow down in the early days of the pandemic, so why has higher education gone back to warp speed again now?

Slowing down earlier in the pandemic went well – so why speed back up?

The online tools adopted in the past two years do have positives, but they’ve also created a new kind of pressure – the pressure to be everywhere at once

Shari Boodts, Frederik van Dam

Radboud University

Man at laptop with symbols of academia, how to write a successful book proposal

Six tips for writing a successful book proposal

An interesting concept is not enough to guarantee your book will get published. In crafting a pitch, it helps to be succinct and targeted and to show an ability to deliver

Simon Clark

Independent academic

Advice on how to use different styles of assessment to enhance learning outcomes

Constructive use of varied assessment methods

Layal Hakim explains when and how to implement different types of assessment throughout a course in order to support learning

Layal Hakim

The University of Exeter

Advice on the support needed to get more young women into higher education in sub-Saharan Africa

How to change the default settings that exclude women in sub-Saharan Africa from higher education

Angeline Murimirwa outlines the steps necessary to support young women from marginalised communities in sub-Saharan Africa into and through higher education

Angeline Murimirwa

CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education)

Meritocracy in higher education is not fit for purpose with minorities of all stripes finding an unsafe environment

Meritocracy in the academy isn’t fit for purpose – but we can fix it

Institutions need to think about who they’re picking and foster both literacy and competence around minority issues as the first steps to a true meritocracy

rashné limki

The University of Edinburgh

Young woman works on engineering planning project, contextual learning, HELF

Contextual learning: linking learning to the real world

Experience in the professional world can set your students up for a seamless transfer from higher education to the world of work

Alexandra Osika, Stephanie MacMahon, Jason M. Lodge, Annemaree Carroll

The University of Queensland

How to embed gender equality work into an institution's teaching and research practices so it is not lost when key individuals move on

Institutionalising gender equality work within a university

Strategies to ensure that gains in gender equality work at universities are not lost when the individual staff members driving them move on

Kathryn Rebecca Maude

American University of Beirut

Advice on mentoring and teaching women with disabilities in higher education

Mentoring and teaching women with disabilities in universities

Inclusive teaching and mentoring practices that support women with disabilities to succeed in higher education, while improving access for all students, shared by Molly M. King

Molly M. King

Santa Clara University

Refugees from Afghanistan are arriving in the US and other nations, and higher education has a huge role to play in the national response

‘Making it’ in the US: education and employment for Afghan refugees

With war and displacement atop most news agendas right now, higher education has a huge part to play in the US’ national response

Emal Dusst, Colleen Thouez

Cintana Education, The New School

Learning as becoming, lifelong education, holistic approach, HELF framework

Learning as becoming: what do students become as a result of their higher education experience?

A learning framework can help students understand their transition from higher education to the professional world as well as support their holistic experience of university life

Alexandra Osika, Stephanie MacMahon, Jason M. Lodge, Annemaree Carroll

The University of Queensland

What is peer review and why it is important?

Peer review is the lifeblood of good science. But understanding the process can take time, and gaining review experience can be daunting. Marc Gillett explains the key elements of this critical component of science

Marc Gillett

IOP Publishing

Steps institutions should take to encourage more mature female students to complete STEM courses

How to support women of all ages in post-secondary science education

Mature female students face barriers to success in STEM subjects, but steps can be taken to address this. Liette Vasseur explains what needs to be done

Liette Vasseur

Brock University

Welcoming international students is increasingly important for universities worldwide

Enrolment throws up issues to be balanced, not problems to be solved

Enrolment managers must realise an increasingly complex landscape doesn’t need a quick fix to a short-term challenge but rather a reasonable strategy for managing long-term tensions

Steve Taylor

Liaison International

lightbulb in maze illustrating adoption of ed-tech in universities

Digital Universities Week UK task force: put people at the heart of digital transformation

Ahead of Digital Universities Week UK, a task force of four university leaders in the UK gives advice on how to roll out digital transformation on campus – from staff buy-in to securing your networks

Campus team, Imogen Brighty-Potts

Campus

Advice on presenting live coding 'labs' as a series of short videos which take students through the problem step by step

Video makes the coding star: teaching problem-solving in bite-sized chunks online

Aidan McGowan explains how converting practical coding ‘labs’ into a series of short videos taking students through the problems step-by-step has improved learning outcomes

Aidan McGowan

Queen’s University Belfast

Recommendations for support measures universities could put in place to support working parents among their staff

What parents need to succeed in academia and how universities can help

From working hours that fit in with childcare to a place to pump, Nadia von Benzon explains how universities can support staff who are parents

Nadia von Benzon

Lancaster University

International HE collaborations can help progress towards the SDGs in this Decade of Action

International partnerships drive SDG progress – how do we support them?

Diverse partnerships encompassing various sectors and organisations help mobilise resources and encourage collaboration that can address societal challenges more efficiently

Joanna Newman, Maddalaine Ansell

The Association of Commonwealth Universities, British Council

Advice on building a sustainable long-term gender equality action plan to improve female representation at your institution

Embedding gender equality: building momentum for change

Eileen Drew explains how positive leadership, data-informed actions and priorities, mass engagement and collaboration all feed into a successful gender equality initiative

Eileen Drew

Trinity College Dublin

Advice on using popular culture to demonstrate concepts to students in relatable ways

Squid pro quo: using Squid Game to engage economics students

Wayne Geerling explains how economics lecturers can draw on popular culture to demonstrate key concepts in a more relatable way that aids understanding, taking ‘Squid Game’ as an example

Wayne Geerling

Monash University

Advice for black and minority ethnic academics who are trying to make their way on the higher education career ladder

Fool’s gold: career advice for young, Black academics

Freshly minted professor Jason Arday provides tips for aspiring Black and ethnic minority academics on how to safeguard themselves on the hazardous journey to the top

Jason Arday

University of Glasgow

Advice on using project-based learning to get students learning away from their screens

Using project-based learning to boost student motivation and engagement

Worapoom Saengkaew shares key lessons from using project-based learning to get students away from their screens and into the real world, boosting their enthusiasm for their studies

Worapoom Saengkaew

Siam University

Advice on developing a course portfolio that meets workplace demand for upskilling

Pivoting university course offerings to upskill the workforce

Teresa Ironside outlines how universities can develop their course portfolio to meet changing workplace skills demands and deliver education to a wider range of learners

Teresa Ironside

The University of Edinburgh

Universities can help encourage women into coding by reclaiming this mind-expanding skill from big tech

How do we get more women into coding? Fix how it’s taught and used

It’s time women said to the tech industry: ‘It’s not me, it’s you.’ And universities can help by not confusing the art of computer programming with rather dull ‘careers in coding’

Andy Farnell

Visiting professor

Advice on steps instructors can take to encourage equitable group dynamics among students

Supporting equity among students in group work

Natasha Holmes and Kira Treibergs share strategies for preventing implicit biases affecting student group dynamics, and facilitating productive and equitable teamwork

Natasha Holmes , Kira Treibergs

Cornell University

Illustration of hands holding puzzle pieces

Intersectionality and why in 2022 inclusion must allow for multiple identities

University diversity policies must include intersectionality, and now is the time make it happen. Paul Harpur, Dino Willox and Brooke Szucs offer five strategies for using diversity as a source of strength and opportunity

Paul Harpur, Dino Willox, Brooke Szücs

The University of Queensland

Early career researchers not let previously invested time and money impact the decision to leave university and research

Is the ‘sunk cost fallacy’ sinking your career?

Making the decision to move away from research can be daunting, but a big dose of rational thinking can help you make the right choice, says Emma Williams

Emma Williams

EJW Solutions

Advice on using your research to inform and impact policy decisions

Learning the craft of using your research to engage in policy

David Garcia explains how academics can get their research noticed by politicians in order to inform and impact policy decisions

David R. Garcia

Arizona State University

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