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 itEdward PalmerThe University of Adelaide
For EDI efforts to be sustainable, universities must evolve their language and practiceA 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 futureBruce WatsonUNSW Sydney
The evolution of student onboardingOn-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 successCory ElfrinkUniversity of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
Beyond the buzz: how AI can be a coach, not a competitor, in the university classroomPlacing teaching tasks along a spectrum between AI and human strengths can help university educators make use of the best of both worldsMeena Jha, Michael Cowling, Josiah Koh, Kwong Nui SimCentral Queensland University, RMIT University, Western Sydney University
Easing students into higher education at the shallow endThe 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 successGareth MorganUniversity of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
Engaging and influencing learners in the digital age of higher educationEducators and influencers share a common goal: engagement. So, what strategies can university teachers take from social media platforms that have mastered the art of audience capture?Riley A. Scott, Jaimee StuartThe University of Southern Queensland , United Nations University Institute in Macau
Empowering academics for greater student successStudent success initiatives traditionally focus just on the students. Empowering academics with effective engagement tools opens another pathway for scaling up success Kaylene SampsonUniversity of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
What trauma-informed practice can learn from EDI in higher educationEquity, diversity and inclusion work reminds us that trauma doesn’t occur in a vacuum. Here are insights from EDI that can enrich trauma-informed practiceMaree Martinussen, Sarah O’SheaCharles Sturt University
Campus webinar: How to embed sustainability into the curriculumHear experts discuss how they engage students in climate-conscious learning, build sustainability into course design and connect it to employability and wider social responsibilityEthan Chong Yih Tng , Edson Kieu , Jo-Anne Ferreira, Daniel YontoSingapore Institute of Technology , Nanyang Technological University , The University of Southern Queensland , Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
Equality on campus starts in the toiletsWith diversity, equity and inclusion policies under threat, there’s a simple and cost-effective change universities can make for a trans-inclusionary, accessible campusDeanna Grant-Smith , Anne Hewitt , Loki Maelorin, Chisom Ihekwaba The University of Adelaide, University of the Sunshine Coast
What happens when AI writes the appealAs students increasingly use generative AI to craft assessment appeals, university staff face new challenges in maintaining the integrity of academic feedback. Here’s how we can adapt to preserve meaningful learning relationships in the face of optimisationJonathan BoymalRMIT University
How partnerships with business are evolving to support student employability‘Intrapreneurship’, interdisciplinary degree pathways, student-led projects and early engagement are all ways universities can move industry collaboration from partnership to co-buildingSaurabh SinhaUniversity of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
International students don’t need ‘fixing’To internationalise education, and not just enrolments, educators need to move feedback on academic language from correction to collaboration. Here Nashid Nigar offers a framework for rethinking inclusion through literacy diversityNashid NigarUniversity of Melbourne
Find the hero energy in the story of your researchWant to connect with funders, the media, the public or policymakers? Start by thinking like a storytellerErin O’DwyerGood Prose Studios, University of Sydney
Creating a visual story to demystify the university experienceVisual stories can help make universities’ complex array of services and experiences more accessible and less mysterious to staff, students and community membersBrooke Szücs, Ben Roden-CohenThe University of Queensland
Peer review as a collegial approach to educator development Expert support, structured reflection and near-peer dialogue can replace compliance and evaluation as a way to improve teaching practice. This practical framework aims to turn conversation into actionHasti Abbasi Deakin University
It’s time to break the extraction mindset of higher educationA logic of scarcity and competition leads academia to see hoarding economic, human and social resources as the only way to survive – as a university or a higher education employee, writes Lucas LixinskiLucas LixinskiUNSW Sydney
Can we use GenAI to subvert the neoliberal university?Generative AI can be a tool of resistance against the corporatisation of higher education – or it can be just another distraction to make us ‘zombies in the loop’ of the system. Here is how we can choose the formerRichard McInnesThe University of Adelaide
Supporting pathways for nurses into clinical researchOrganisational support for clinician researchers is an effective way to ensure that healthcare research is translated into clinical practice. Here’s how a partnership between an Australian university and a local health service aims to amplify impactNatasha RobertsThe University of Queensland
‘Explain your research as if you were speaking to a smart teenager’For researchers to give their work a chance to have real-world impact, they need skills and tools to communicate effectively with politicians. Here, Kylie Ahern offers ways to make every engagement countKylie AhernSTEM Matters
Campus talks: how to look after yourself in higher educationPersonal insights from a range of higher education voices on how they preserve their own well-beingMultiple authorsCampus
Should we kill the essay?Long-form writing seems to have become a battleground for the showdown between AI and academic integrity. With technology exposing the essay’s flaws, Luke Zaphir offers ways to reinforce this storied assessment taskLuke Zaphir The University of Queensland
What trauma-informed practice is notBefore trauma-informed care can be the norm across all areas of the university, academic and professional staff need to understand what it is. Here, three academics debunk myths and demystify best practiceKate Cantrell, India Bryce, Jessica GildersleeveThe University of Southern Queensland
Is authentic assessment leaving some students behind?Does a more authentic assessment for some students mean an inauthentic experience for others? Here’s how to address this by adopting a student-focused lens Sue Sharpe, Jennifer Z SunAustralian National University, University of Sydney
Campus talks: why we need interdisciplinarity in teaching and researchInterdisciplinary thinking is crucial to addressing complex questions but how should it work in practice? Two leading academic proponents of cross-disciplinary working draw on their own groundbreaking scholarship to explainGabriele Bammer, Kate CrawfordAustralian National University, USC Annenberg, Microsoft Research Lab (MSR) New York
Are you a jack of all GenAI?Effective use of generative AI draws on a suite of skills that go beyond well-crafted prompts. Getting the best out of tech’s ubiquitous tool requires informed choices, field expertise, flexibility, diligence and a willingness to playEinat Grimberg, Claire Mason, Andrew Reeson, Cécile Paris Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
Online should not mean offline for business lecturersWhen online courses are delivered more or less to a prescribed script, this leaves little space for an educator’s personalised contribution and autonomy, writes Anita Wheeldon. Here, she makes the case against ‘teacherless pedagogy’Anita WheeldonThe University of Southern Queensland
What’s the crucial element for interdisciplinary teamwork? Psychological safetyFoster a sense of radical openness in your interdisciplinary online learning environment by establishing psychological safety – here’s howHelena Robinson, Fabian HeldUniversity of Technology Sydney, University of Sydney
Universities need to move interdisciplinary professional associations to the next stepInter- and transdisciplinary teaching is going beyond communities of practice – but it’s still too small to compete with discipline-based professional associations. Here are the questions we should be asking to move forwardGabriele BammerAustralian National University
DeepSeek and shallow moats: what does it mean for higher education?DeepSeek’s arrival may have spooked the markets, but what does it mean for the research and development of LLMs? Higher education should avoid putting all its eggs in one GenAI basket, writes Ben SwiftBen SwiftAustralian National University
‘Why do we still timetable classes as if students don’t have lives outside university?’ As the block model has evolved from educational outlier to established practice, the questions it raises about how higher education is delivered are increasingly difficult to ignore, writes John WeldonJohn WeldonVictoria University
Teaching with empathy: a practical guide for university educatorsBy making consistent efforts to understand and support students, university teachers create a learning environment where they feel capable and appreciated, writes Dianne Stratton-MaherDianne Stratton-Maher The University of Southern Queensland
Authentic assessment in postgraduate statistics coursesUsing anonymous student data for assessment tasks enhances engagement with learning, fosters practical skill development and makes business and economics concepts more memorable Temesgen KifleThe University of Queensland
From island to screen: marketing the campus experience to future studentsWhen competition to attract students comes from other institutions, not just in your region but around the world, universities need effective marketing tools and a targeted message to stand out Courtney GeritzUniversity of Tasmania
Enhancing the thesis experience: insights from master’s students Early preparation is essential for students’ successful thesis journey – so postgraduate course coordinators and programme leaders should put supports in place from the beginningShino Takayama, Ransi JayawardenaThe University of Queensland
Imagine an age-inclusive university sectorAge inclusion should be part of universities’ mission, as well as their day-to-day operations. To not support staff and students at all stages of their academic life is an opportunity missedPaul Harpur, Brooke Szücs, Nancy A. PachanaThe University of Queensland
As students become more ‘distant’, can feedback still hit the mark?Whether they are behind a computer screen or behind bars, all students need support with making effective use of feedback – whether or not the process is a two-way streetRobert Nash, Kieran BallooNational Institute of Teaching, The University of Southern Queensland
Why academics are losing sleepStruggling to balance academic life with healthy sleep habits? Whether it’s a well-placed nap or giving grant writing a rest, this science-backed guide will help scholars, teachers and administrators get their full eight hoursChin Moi ChowUniversity of Sydney
Reduce your teaching admin burden with AIHow university teachers can use AI to respond to student enquiries, provide feedback and create engaging learning contentShahper Richter, Inna Piven, Patrick DoddThe University of Auckland
‘Creativity is a practice, not an astonishing stroke of good luck’Screenwriter and playwright Stephen Sewell shares practical insights into fostering students’ mental flexibility and resilience from research into unlocking creativityStephen SewellAustralian National University
Campus talks: what Indigenous knowledge brings to higher educationTwo Indigenous university leaders explain how their institutions support First Nations’ participation in higher education, create space for community and build trust in postcolonial environmentsAngie Bruce, Te Kawehau HoskinsUniversity of Manitoba, The University of Auckland
Create an online learning environment international students feel comfortable inFor international students, navigating online learning is just another challenge among the many they’re already facing. Rajeev Kamineni offers advice based on his own learning journeyRajeev Kamineni The University of Adelaide
Intercultural communication between PhD supervisors and candidatesCulture goes beyond language and national origins, so doctoral supervisors need curiosity and an open mindset in their interactions to maximise performance and timely completionThuy DinhWestern Sydney University
‘What artists do is say the quiet bits out loud’As teachers, we know our students will face the harsh demands of creativity and problem-solving in their daily professional lives – and we need to help them tap into deeper places that lead to novel solutions to intractable problemsStephen SewellAustralian National University
Five steps to decolonise your university curriculum and pave the way for a better futureHow can universities reset their curricula and embrace a range of experiences? Here are five ways to start down the path of decolonisationSteve LarkinThe University of Adelaide
Dreaming of tuī returning to campusCollaboration between community groups, local government and university students has improved bird nest survival rates exponentially as part of a broader biodiversity plan. Here is how one university is bringing native fauna back to campusSeamus MoranUniversity of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
We need to dismantle the promotion patriarchy in academia from the insideWomen in academia are promoted at far lower rates than their male peers and are under-represented in senior positions. To fix this, universities will need to embrace systemic change Rachael JeffersonCharles Sturt University
Start the journey of anti-colonial work with these first stepsMany non-Indigenous staff are worried about doing anti-colonial work for fear of getting it wrong. Sue Sharpe shares four tips for getting startedSue SharpeAustralian National University
Campus talks: two vice-chancellors on maintaining quality and financial stability within a universityHear Anton Muscatelli of the University of Glasgow and Alex Zelinsky of the University of Newcastle, Australia, discuss the complexities of successfully running a universityAnton Muscatelli, Alex ZelinskyUniversity of Glasgow, The University of Newcastle, Australia
Ways to enhance your institution’s change agility How to involve and empower staff to make changes that can have a big impact on their roles and the institution as a wholeKristy-Jai ChantreyThe University of Newcastle, Australia