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Group of four smiling college students walking

A warm welcome is a strategic imperative for higher education

If we want incoming students to flourish, we must stop treating belonging as a bonus and start seeing it as an essential condition for learning. Scott Dunning offers strategies on welcoming students to succeed

Scott Dunning

Virginia Tech

The case for degrees that teach us how to think

As debate about the cost and purpose of higher education intensifies, the humanities are often the first target. Yet evidence shows that far from being outdated or indulgent, humanities degrees cultivate critical skills, resilience and, yes, viable career paths

Michelle Moseley-Christian

Virginia Tech

A student taking a moment to reflect on a concept

Reflective skills are key in an unpredictable labour market

Students need to be agile to succeed in the workplaces of the future. Rather than rely on static career planning tools, teach students to pause and evaluate

Michelle Civile

The University of Exeter

Are academics becoming overexposed on LinkedIn?

Social media is key to building an academic network but what about the darker side of putting your professional life on global display? Larisa Yarovaya explores the balance between polished presence and oversharing

Larisa Yarovaya

University of Southampton

How business schools can capitalise on changes to legal services

Business schools need not compete with law schools. Instead, they can serve as strategic partners as legal services respond to technology, freer markets and client demand, writes Maximiliano Marzetti

Maximiliano Marzetti

IÉSEG School of Management

The anxieties of non-research faculty at a research university

The worth of know-how – as opposed to know-that – is enhanced when instructors are full-time, eligible for tenure and materially supported in their collective endeavour. Here, Daniel M. Gross makes the case for valuing teachers’ collective wisdom

Daniel M. Gross

University of California, Irvine

Illustration of figures looking at barrier and arrow

The craft and politics of academic writing in the AI universe

Writing lecturers will not reach students by simply talking down artificial intelligence. A more effective approach involves embracing our expertise and engaging in the politics of resistance, says Jane Bottomley

Jane Bottomley

KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Blocks with heads and lightbulbs in an arc

What can the university sector learn from block teaching?

Once seen as a pedagogical experiment, the block plan is ready for its researchers and practitioners to move beyond self-examination and share their innovations with the wider higher education community, writes John Weldon

John Weldon

Victoria University

Taking pedagogy to the provost’s office

The skills that make effective teachers – adaptability, empathy, presence and reflection – also shape impactful university leaders. Here, Bill Owen shares leadership lessons he learned in the classroom

William J. Owen

University of Northern British Columbia

‘Every faculty member should go on campus tours’

When one university professor went undercover to find out how different colleges welcome prospective students and their parents, he found out what institutions should, and should not, do in their visit programming

Robert Talbert

Grand Valley State University

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

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

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

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

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

‘An academic career is not a heptathlon’

The secret to establishing a career in academia is focus and deliberate choices, whether the path is into research, teaching or impact. Here, Robert MacIntosh explains why persistence and planning are more important than ever

Robert MacIntosh

University of the West of Scotland

What does the UK’s spin-out ecosystem need to thrive nationwide?

Despite their abundance of research and expertise, UK academic institutions lack mechanisms to encourage and incentivise movement between academia and industry, particularly within the spin-out community, writes Richard Hague

Richard Hague

University of Nottingham

Different languages in speech bubbles on a laptop

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 diversity

Nashid Nigar

University of Melbourne

The economics of belonging: a new way of thinking about student success

Rising costs of living and tuition mean that US university students may prioritise career and economic factors rather than self-actualisation as a reason to remain at a university

Richard Tomczak

Stony Brook University

It’s time to break the extraction mindset of higher education

A 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 Lixinski

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

‘Departmental orthodoxies silence dissent and chill scholarly enquiry’

Universities have not handled ongoing challenges around free speech, protest, academic freedom and safety well, writes John Hyman. Here he offers short- and long-term actions to promote secure, pluralistic campuses

John Hyman

UCL

From peanut butter to effective policy impact

In a sector that often seems tasked with being everything to everyone, each university needs a policy strategy that focuses institutional expertise where it will make the most difference, writes Alistair Sackley

Alistair Sackley

University of Southampton

Coco the Therapy dog in the Templeman Library on University of Kentcampus

Ask students what mental health support they need

A student-led advisory board can help universities understand what services students will use and how they prefer to engage with support

Ryan Wong

University of Kent

An academic disclosing their disability to their manager

Stop treating disability support as an afterthought

Find out what prevents university staff from disclosing invisible disabilities – and steps their institutions can take to change that

Christina Dzineku, James Murray

Independent academic, University of Buckingham

Students in a classroom smiling to camera

AI over-personalisation can hinder learning

In the rush towards ever-greater personalisation, we must not lose sight of what makes learning meaningful, writes Kathy Charles. Here, she shares her insights on fostering ‘productive struggle’ to deepen learning

Kathy Charles

Nottingham Trent University

Is a ‘co-opetition’ model the way to safeguard higher education for future generations?

Shared support functions don’t mean the end of competition among institutions, writes Mark Thompson. Instead, collective thinking could focus effort on universities’ strengths and potentially rescue the sector from ‘an unsustainable race to the bottom’

Mark Thompson

The University of Exeter

What matters to students’ sense of belonging?

Using an intersectional and decolonial lens and fostering the formation of a discipline-specific identity are some of the ways to make belonging the cornerstone, rather than merely an outcome, of higher education EDI initiatives

Salma Al Arefi

University of Leeds

Assessment or measurement?

Authentic assessments and measurements serve distinct purposes in understanding student success in higher education. Here’s why equating the two can undermine the depth and quality of student learning

Heather Strine-Patterson

Virginia Tech

Universities must evolve from degree-granting hubs to social anchors

Higher education institutions can be incubators for ethical leadership, lifelong learning ecosystems and community partnerships, writes Rahim Somani

Rahim Somani

University of Northern British Columbia

Online should not mean offline for business lecturers

When 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 Wheeldon

The University of Southern Queensland

The wintering of universities

The fallow moments of retreat are necessary to bring about spring. For universities, we must use this winter to think about what it is we do, writes Katie Normington

Katie Normington

De Montfort University

A phone screen with several different GenAI apps displayed

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 Swift

Ben Swift

Australian National University

Voice, agency and style: what goes missing when AI chats back

We need to teach that imperfect but authentic writing is more valuable than sentences that are polished on the surface, argue three US academics. Here, they share surprise findings from STEM and beyond

Qian Du, Daniel M. Gross, Patrick Hong

University of California, Irvine

Should universities meet all industry demands?

With higher education institutions adapting their programmes to prepare students for future jobs, they risk producing corporatised graduates to a detriment of innovation or even business’ best interests, writes Stéphane Bouchonnet

Stéphane Bouchonnet

École Polytechnique

White privilege doesn’t exist for working-class men in higher education

Consider social class a protected characteristic and remove financial barriers to make HE accessible to white, working-class men, writes Mark Butterick

Mark Butterick

University of Leeds

‘Generative AI is making our students more creative than ever’

The real opportunity of AI isn’t automation, it’s the potential to democratise innovation, writes Ramona Pistol. And teaching practices need to catch up to this reality

Ramona Pistol

University of Hertfordshire

Female students sitting along in lecture hall

Empty classrooms and disconnected students in the age of AI

Universities face an urgent need to accelerate change in how they teach – and think about teaching – to reconnect students’ digital lifestyles with the way they learn, write Nic Fair and Larisa Yarovaya

Nicholas Fair , Larisa Yarovaya

University of Southampton

The case for rewarding hard work in higher education

Taking a cue from copyright’s ‘sweat of the brow’, Ian Solway and Shan Wang argue that recognition of effort and resilience should not be lost in a rush to maximise learning efficiency

Shan Wang, Ian Solway

University of Southampton

How to humanise engineering education and why we must

Despite years of effort across the education sector, engineering sciences are still not gender equitable. Incorporating more social sciences into engineering education could help address the imbalance

Rich McIlroy

University of Southampton

Imagine an age-inclusive university sector

Age 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 missed

Paul Harpur, Brooke Szücs, Nancy A. Pachana

The University of Queensland

‘Students need to take responsibility for class participation’

Questions to encourage undergraduates to contribute to class content or in discussion help them develop skills for academia and the workplace. Mariano Carrera shares his experience from teaching in Thailand

Mariano Carrera

King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok

What Frankenstein’s monster can teach researchers about the dark side of ‘impact’

What can a 19th-century novelist tell academics about research ethics? Taking time to see the impact of research on ourselves is a good place to start measuring the social good of scholarly endeavours, writes Jennifer Allsopp

Jennifer Allsopp

University of Birmingham

‘Uncertainty is part of co-production’ in research

Flexibility and an open mindset can help health researchers work with healthcare professionals and patients to create better adapted services. Here, Gary Hickey shares ways to navigate through the process

Gary Hickey

University of Southampton

Medical professional talking to a female patient

Yes, empathy can be taught – here’s how

Find out how evidence-based methods can be used to provide empathy training, bringing huge potential benefits for healthcare outcomes and busting the myth that it can’t be taught

Jeremy Howick

University of Leicester

‘Researchers have a responsibility to publish’

Without publication, advancements in knowledge will be stifled or even halted altogether, writes Walid Saad. Here he explains the many benefits to publishing for established scholars and students alike

Walid Saad

Virginia Tech

A placard at a climate change protest reads "if you change nothing, nothing changes"

On climate change, are universities part of the problem or part of the solution?

As the effects of climate change become increasingly more extreme, fossil fuel interests are preventing transformative change. Where do universities stand?

Jennie C. Stephens

Maynooth University , Northeastern University

‘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 creativity

Stephen Sewell

Australian National 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 problems

Stephen Sewell

Australian National University

Causeway of Williston Lake in British Columbia

Truth is necessary for reconciliation

Good intentions and generalisations can harm reconciliation in the classroom and academy, writes Daniel Sims

Daniel Sims

University of Northern British Columbia

Productive disagreement is our best hope of tackling the climate crisis

As complex communities with a social purpose, universities are ideal places to foster and model difficult discussions around prioritising investment and effort towards net zero goals, writes Nigel Ball

Nigel Ball

University of the Arts London

Male and female figures scale a very different set of stairs to the top

We need to dismantle the promotion patriarchy in academia from the inside

Women 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 Jefferson

Charles Sturt University

Woman in VR headset against image of wind farm

It’s time to turn the tide on our clean energy ambitions

Universities have a pivotal role to play in inspiring the next generation to find sustainable energy solutions, from uniting researchers with business to translating innovation into practice to growing the future workforce, writes Deborah Greaves

Deborah Greaves

University of Plymouth

Woman with laptop and numbers, transformation concept

Reimagining the role of higher education in a world of intersecting revolutions

To remain relevant, universities must shift from reactive funding requests to proactive transformation, writes Rahim Somani

Rahim Somani

University of Northern British Columbia

Female artist in her studio smiling to camera

Neurodiversity-affirming education is key to supporting students into the creative industries

More needs to be done to support neurodivergent people seeking careers in the creative industries. Here are some strategies

Hannah Breslin

University of the Arts London

African American student studying online

Creating flexible learning pathways for business students

Digital transformation isn’t about technology – it’s about people, writes Steve Hill. Learning experiences must fit into students’ lives rather than forcing them to fit their lives around institutions

Steve Hill

Walbrook Institute London

Income should not determine outcomes for young musicians

If we accept the view that music education is only for the rich, it makes us complicit in stifling the life choices of talented artists, writes Jennie Henley

Jennie Henley

Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM)

A hand picking up a plastic bottle off the ground

Greening your university is not optional; it’s urgent

Investing in greening your institution will result in huge savings in the long run. Here are some strategies that have worked for CETYS University

Isaac Azuz

CETYS Universidad

Black students are succeeding in spite of academia, rather than because of it – we need a reset

The narrative that widening participation is enough is creating isolation and disillusionment among Black PhD students. How can universities move beyond it to empower Black academics?

William Ackah

Birkbeck, University of London

Illustration of many juggling icons on unicyle

Should academics embrace ambidextrous leadership to future-proof their career?

Ambidexterity requires investing time in training that can provide the skills needed to operate in a dynamic environment but also in the future

Greta Faccio, Valentina Lorenzon

Independent consultant, Independent academic

Embracing linguistic diversity and equity in global academic publishing

English operates as a gatekeeper in academia, determining who can access and contribute to the most prestigious platforms of knowledge production. We must create spaces where other languages can thrive, write three European academics

Javier Husillos, Carlos Larrinaga, Daniel Martinez

UPNA, Universidad de Burgos, HEC Paris

Philosophy graduates are extremely employable – but they need degree programmes that show them why

Many students interested in studying philosophy at university will be concerned about its job prospects, so they require courses that demonstrate how to translate its skills into a career, writes Jonathan Webber

Jonathan Webber

Cardiff University

A woman gives a talk to a room of people

How university leaders can hold firm on the glass cliff

In her book ‘Leading from the Margins’, Mary Dana Hinton considers the challenges facing the next generation of women and people of colour in leadership positions

Mary Dana Hinton

Hollins University

Open dialogue about AI in HE is the way forward

The assumption that instructors hold negative views on the use of any generative AI means that important conversations aren’t being had

Florian Stoeckel

The University of Exeter

Student testing out a wind turbine model

Critical approaches to incorporating the SDGs into curricula

Mapping curricula against the SDGs has become a key objective for education institutions aiming to showcase their commitment to sustainability. But we must do this through a critical lens

Sean Porter

The University of Exeter

Donors want to see real-world impact. What does that mean for higher education in the sciences?

Amid academia’s challenges related to talent retention and fundraising, universities can use translational research programmes to enhance scientific edge and real-world impact, and strengthen donor relations

Shai Shen-Orr

Technion – Israel Institute of Technology

black woman at laptop with scales and gavel, law studies

International collaboration is a legal education opportunity

Cross-cultural understanding can enrich the ways in which educators in law integrate comparative legal analysis into their teaching, writes Petra Butler

Petra Butler

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Illustration of hand holding a cup aloft

Everything you wanted to know about National Teaching Fellowships but were afraid to ask…

The UK’s National Teaching Fellowships were established to recognise excellence in teaching and student learning. Fellow James Derounian asks if the scheme fulfils its goals

James Derounian

University of Bolton

Academics can (and should) be idiots

The comedy stage can be a place for academics to be silly and let it all hang out. Chris Pahlow explores why humour is effective for scholars and the people they’re trying to communicate with about their research

Chris Pahlow

Amplifying Research

Robot with people rolling coins, AI subscription

Is it worth paying for GenAI?

How useful is artificial intelligence for syllabus design? A law lecturer compared the free and subscription versions of three generative AI platforms, with surprising results

Sophia De Arez Cintra

King’s College London

illustration of hand and five stars, reputation concept

Five strategies to cultivate university reputation

The reputational crisis of many universities is a crisis of identity, writes Santiago Fernández-Gubieda. Here, he explains that reputation starts within the organisation, and offers five actions to foster public trust in universities

Santiago Fernández-Gubieda

University of Navarra

Supporting parent academics through staff networks

The power of a combined voice can make working life easier for university faculty and staff with children. Here, Judith Lock lays out the challenges of mixing parenthood with academia and how networks lead to more family-friendly campuses

Judith Lock

University of Southampton

Why I ban AI use for writing assignments

Students may see handwriting essays in class as a needlessly time-consuming approach to assignments, but I want them to learn how to engage with arguments, develop their own views and convey them effectively, writes James Stacey Taylor

James Stacey Taylor

The College of New Jersey

We must acknowledge our positionality to inclusively engage the community

The work that can lead to change involves building relationships and understanding, and developing and sharing knowledge in partnership with our communities. Put simply, community engagement must engage the community, writes Nilufar Ahmed

Nilufar Ahmed

The University of Bristol

What does it mean for students to be AI-ready?

Not everyone wants to be a computer scientist, a software engineer or a machine learning developer. We owe it to our students to prepare them with a full range of AI skills for the world they will graduate into, writes David Joyner

David Joyner

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Infertility is a private struggle that requires open and supportive solutions

With infertility on the rise, is it time for universities to consider how they support staff struggling with fertility? Devon Oakley-Hogg shares a first-hand account of her failed IVF cycles and how the experience has left her craving change

Devon Oakley-Hogg

University of Glasgow

Australian universities need to do more than pay lip service to multilingualism

How can we train Australian schoolteachers in cultural and linguistic diversity if our universities are English-only zones? Embed translanguaging practices in our courses, writes Sue Ollerhead

Sue Ollerhead

Macquarie University

Higher education needs a united approach to AI

If universities’ response to AI and education is as fractured as the sector’s adoption of blended learning, we may well find ourselves in a similar position in 20 years’ time with duplicated costs and missed research opportunities, writes Sara de Freitas

Sara de Freitas

Birkbeck, University of London

Why visible senior leadership in sustainability matters

Successful or sustainable? Is this the biggest challenge that universities face when striving to reduce their carbon footprint? Jan Evans-Freeman explains where leadership fits into the equation

Jan Evans-Freeman

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Young Asian woman greeting friend at cafe

Informal networking and how to meet people on campus

Belonging is not just a result of being in a place – nor it is the sole preserve of students. For university faculty, it comes from chance encounters, small gestures and stepping outside your comfort zone, writes Glenn Fosbraey

Glenn Fosbraey

University of Winchester

Talking to students about AI

Socio-economic, cultural, geographic and other factors mean that some students know more about AI than others, and we can’t have an effective discussion about AI and academic integrity until we all know what we’re talking about, writes John Weldon

John Weldon

Victoria University

The (AI) sky isn’t falling

Students using generative AI to write their essays is a problem, but it isn’t a crisis, writes Christopher Hallenbrook. We have the tools to tackle the issue of artificial intelligence

Christopher R. Hallenbrook

California State University, Dominguez Hills

Detail of Michelangelo's Creation of Adam

Why I invite a creationist to my evolutionary biology class

The encounter gives students a chance to apply newly gained knowledge to a real-world situation and, perhaps more importantly, it models productive discussion among people who disagree with one another, writes Curt Stager

Curt Stager

Paul Smith’s College

AI did not disturb assessment – it just made our mistakes visible

If educators don’t understand the learning processes, they also miss the reasons why students cheat, writes Margault Sacré. Here, she offers an approach to motivate and benchmark progress

Margault Sacré

University of Luxembourg

In an artificially intelligent age, frame higher education around a new kind of thinking

One of the helpful by-products emerging from the advent of AI is that we are beginning to reflect more critically on the way we think, writes David Holland

David Holland

The University of East Anglia

A robot drops papers as it's caught in a flashlight beam

Is it time to turn off AI detectors?

In this extract from their new book, ‘Teaching with AI: A Practical Guide to a New Era of Human Learning’, José Antonio Bowen and C. Edward Watson discuss the reliability of AI detection tools and how to combat cheating without them

José Antonio Bowen, C. Edward Watson

American Association of Colleges and Universities

AI can help fix student evaluations

With large language models to provide reports and analysis, educators can make use of generative AI to improve the process of student evaluations, writes Adnan Ajšić

Adnan Ajšić

American University of Sharjah

Real-world experiences can help your creative arts students create real-world change

Integrating real-world experiences into creative industries programmes can create truly meaningful results – for both the students and the wider community. Clare Duffin outlines how

Clare Duffin

University of the West of Scotland

Illustration of people in silhouette with cityscape

Harnessing the humanities for transformative tech leadership

Amid a growing awareness that humanities students and faculty need data literacy, Rishi Jaitly, a longstanding champion of the humanities in technology, explains why data and technology leaders also need an education in the liberal arts

Rishi Jaitly

Virginia Tech

How authentic stories can empower the ‘unheard voices’

Storytelling can be a powerful change agent. When proposing change – such as the digital transformation in universities – leadership needs to communicate in ways that cut through the noise and inspire action, write three digital adopters

Lisa Harris, Sarah Dyer, Craig Walker

The University of Exeter, The University of Manchester, HEdway Group

Collaboration requires more than not stepping on toes

To get things done in universities, do we need to embrace conflict or find new ways to work together? Here, three digital adopters explain why collaboration isn’t the same as hoping not to annoy anyone

Sarah Dyer, Lisa Harris, Craig Walker

The University of Manchester, The University of Exeter, HEdway Group

Why the ‘machine says no’: how asking for less can get you more…

Under-investment and lack of future proofing of core digital systems have left many universities with creaking legacy infrastructure that cannot support increasing demands. Here, three digital adopters suggest that incremental improvements could be a way forward

Craig Walker, Lisa Harris, Sarah Dyer

HEdway Group, The University of Exeter, The University of Manchester

Humans develop humans

Even small interactions with lecturers, tutors and peers offer opportunities for students to develop interpersonal skills, so it’s important we recognise and value these to ensure they are not lost, writes Marianne Savory

Marianne Savory

Leeds University Business School

Steps to adapt engineering education to changing skills demands

Context-based learning, teamwork and creativity are all elements that could help engineering training respond more effectively to the needs of complex workplaces, writes Parakram Pyakurel

Parakram Pyakurel

New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering

Pledges and charters in medical schools: catalysts for change or performative promises?

Pledges demonstrating support in addressing issues such as racism and misogyny will often garner interest and may even attract pockets of funding. But they also risk oversimplifying complex problems, writes Lois Haruna-Cooper

Lois Haruna-Cooper

UCL

Get real about hiring people with disabilities

For too long ‘lived experience’ has been an inadequate requirement for jobs that make decisions for people with disabilities, and recruitment practices need to change, write Paul Harpur and Brooke Szücs

Paul Harpur, Brooke Szücs

The University of Queensland

What underpins effective patient and public involvement in health and social care research?

Is it rules or values? The two key ways to approach the art of PPI in healthcare research should come together in process, procedures and culture, writes Gary Hickey

Gary Hickey

University of Southampton

A group of students having a civil political debate

Pluralistic campuses will foster the bridge-builders our divided nations need

Students with the skills to treat diverse viewpoints with curiosity and respect will be prepared to navigate the complexities of the real world, say Eboo Patel and Rebecca Russo

Eboo Patel, Rebecca Russo

Interfaith America

Changing campus protests from disruptions to learning opportunities

Higher education leaders should use student activism to develop leadership and negotiation skills, argue Blair Glaser and Richard Nodell

Blair Glaser, Richard Nodell

Independent consultant

Two accountants calculate the carbon footprint of a factory

The climate crisis heralds an imperative for sustainable accountancy practices

Finance and accounting educators have a moral obligation to embed the principles of the SDGs into their courses. Thankfully, it’s easier than ever to do, write Shona Russell and Ian Thomson

Shona Russell, Ian Thomson

University of St Andrews, University of Dundee

Empowering women leaders in fighting climate change: a call to action

Achieving gender balance goes beyond mere representation, writes Tahseen Jafry. Tackling the climate crisis necessitates a profound shift among the next generation of leaders towards gender-sensitive decision-making processes

Tahseen Jafry

Glasgow Caledonian University

Could Athenian democracy improve the quality of science?

What if universities were governed according to the open culture that drives scientific research itself? Zoltan Dienes and Jörg Huber look at an ancient model for decision-making

Zoltan Dienes, Jörg Huber

University of Sussex, University of Brighton

Celebrate Black History Year and tackle racial inequality all year long

Instead of consigning the recognition of Black histories to one single month, Deborah Husbands, Stephen Bunbury and Dibyesh Anand advocate for a Black History Year

Deborah Husbands , Stephen Bunbury, Dibyesh Anand

University of Westminster

Illustration of a man with clouds for a head

Believe it or not, you can use conspiracy theories as tools for teaching

When misinformation is a global risk, critical thinking skills are more vital than ever, writes Malcolm Schofield. Here, he offers techniques from parapsychology and belief studies that can make research and analysis more rigorous

Malcolm Schofield

University of Derby

The language of inclusivity is not inclusive

Terms such as equity, diversity and inclusion give the impression that they are dealing with what is present. In fact, EDI work deals with what is absent, writes Pascal Matthias. He offers ways to think, speak and write differently

Pascal Matthias

University of Southampton

Why press releases are a waste of your comms team’s time

Most universities will track press release output as part of overall communications metrics – but, asks Kylie Ahern, have you considered other ways to generate media coverage, awareness of your brand or better relationships with journalists?

Kylie Ahern

STEM Matters

Don’t just chat(GPT): turn on critical interrogation

Critical thinking is often seen as the antidote to generative AI. But what if educators took it one step further back and aimed to encourage students’ curiosity? Giuseppe Cimadoro explains

Giuseppe Cimadoro

St Mary’s University Twickenham

In-person events are still necessary

Should academics be travelling to events that could be done virtually? Drawing on her experiences at COP28, Denise Baden shares tips on how to make the most of these events – and why a chance to form alliances, learn from each other and share ideas for action make it worth being present

Denise Baden

University of Southampton

human hands using laptop with robot hand emerging from screen

Students see the benefits of AI-generated learning content

Students might already show a preference for AI-generated online learning content, so academic colleagues and institutions need to capitalise on this to improve resource management and staff well-being, write Dean Fido and Gary F. Fisher

Dean Fido, Gary F. Fisher

University of Derby

It can be different: managing time, tasks and well-being in academia

Academic careers are often associated with long hours, overwhelming workload and burnout – but it doesn’t have to be that way. Understanding the nature of knowledge work can help, says Katrina McChesney

Katrina McChesney

University of Waikato

How can universities increase diversity in spin-out founders?

Ensuring that all talented researchers can participate in spin-out leadership is core to translating world-leading discoveries into innovative and impactful businesses, writes Simonetta Manfredi in her response to the UK spin-outs review

Simonetta Manfredi

Oxford Brookes University

Four people use illustrated megaphones to shout at each other

Approach with caution: why education faculty should engage public intellectualism

The public debate on intellectualism is failing to consider education experts. Ali and Davin Carr-Chellman find the ways to reclaim the narrative

Ali Carr-Chellman, Davin Carr-Chellman

University of Dayton

A young woman boards a plane in glorious sunshine

What will it take to ensure that international students are treated fairly?

Treatment of international students needs to shift to a social justice approach, and the interim report from Australia’s Universities Accord Panel doesn’t go far enough. Here’s how we can do more

Carly Steele, Sender Dovchin, Ana Tankosić

Curtin University

Learning the machine: shaping the future of creative education

Educators should engage with artificial intelligence and other technologies not just as users but as influencers, write Ed D’Souza and Sunil Manghani

Ed D'Souza, Sunil Manghani

University of Southampton

Interdisciplinarity is a core part of AI’s heritage and its future

To train students to engage responsibly with artificial intelligence, a genuinely interdisciplinary perspective – from the language used to recognising that human and machine work in concert – is essential, write Elvin Lim and Jonathan Chase

Elvin Lim , Jonathan Chase

Singapore Management University

Asian woman holding vintage video camera

Using primary sources to tell queer histories

Public records and private lives? In uncovering LGBTQ+ stories in personal archives and impersonal documents, historians should ask questions about how each source engages with gender and sexuality, writes Isabell Dahms

Isabell Dahms

Goldsmiths, University of London

Will ChatGPT change our definitions of cheating?

We can’t yet know if we have a full taxonomy of ChatGPT-enhanced mischief, or whether certain uses should be classed as mischief at all, writes Tom Muir

Tom Muir

Oslo Metropolitan University

Black academic presenting at medical conference

Lots of talk about diversity in corporations, but what about universities?

Why real progress won’t be made unless universities solve three persistent issues: access to networks, unconscious bias and insider culture, writes Blane Ruschak

Blane Ruschak

The PhD Project

What about lifelong learning for international students?

International students might not be comfortable with the student-centred mindset that underpins continuous, self-directed learning. We must prepare them for lifelong learning so they are not left behind, argues Graham Wise

Graham Wise

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

The problem with equity, diversity and inclusion in a multiracist world

EDI initiatives are commonplace in Western higher education. They pay little or no attention to the global diversity of racism. But should they, asks Alastair Bonnett

Alastair Bonnett

Newcastle University

Breaking academic barriers: large language models and the future of search

The true potential of generative AI and large language models remains underexplored in academia. These technologies may offer more than just answers. Here’s how the insights they offer could revolutionise academic search and discovery

Adrian Raudaschl

Elsevier

Diversity efforts in academia are leading us towards ‘the oppression Olympics’

EDI campaigns and scholarships keep failing ethnic minority students because they are tailored to the needs of white people, writes Andrea E.L. Attipoe

Andrea E.L. Attipoe

Imperial College London

Higher apprenticeships reimagined for lifelong learners

If Australia is serious about addressing pressing skills shortages and rapidly changing technology and labour markets, lifelong learning must become a practical reality, not an abstract goal, says Mish Eastman

Mish Eastman

RMIT University

Why hybrid learning needs hybrid faculties

Online courses should be integrated into everyday faculty functions to improve remote and in-person classes as well as the overall student experience

An Jacobs , Norma Rossi

Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Loughborough University, University of St Andrews

We need to bang the drum for music degrees

Music degrees aren’t as valued as they should be. Universities can do much more to make them attractive to students and parents, argues Sam Walton

Sam Walton

Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music

Making space for emotions in learning

The trick is to design courses so cognitive and affective learning balance each other in a way that promotes empathy and deeper understanding of the content, writes Carol Subiño Sullivan

Carol Subiño Sullivan

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Respectful provocation: the university skill for our times?

Challenging students about their assumptions and values makes them better equipped to engage with the challenges of living in a diverse society, writes Mathew Guest

Mathew Guest

Durham University

Illustration of penguin ballooning over sharks, risk and uncertainty concept

An academic’s advice for navigating risk

From publication to grant applications, the rites of academia come with unfavourable odds. Yet researchers are rarely taught how to deal with uncertainty. Here, Yaniv Hanoch offers mitigation strategies

Yaniv Hanoch

University of Southampton

Robot and human connecting over light globe

Universities, AI and the common good

Higher education must find paths for meaningful engagement with artificial intelligence, to leverage its potential, explain the problems and mitigate the hazards, writes Rajani Naidoo

Rajani Naidoo

University of Bath

How can universities disrupt the gender investment gap?

Engaging with stakeholders beyond higher education and debunking myths around women and innovation can open spin-out opportunities to more women, writes Simonetta Manfredi

Simonetta Manfredi

Oxford Brookes University

How can generative AI intersect with Bloom’s taxonomy?

Like in a video game, AI allows us to jump multiple levels, but that doesn’t mean the much-used framework becomes obsolete – we might just need a new approach

Christine Rivers, Anna Holland

University of Surrey

Collaborating with artificial intelligence? Use your metacognitive skills

Metacognition in humans holds the key to ‘collaborative intelligence’ – making the most effective use of the complementary strengths of human and artificial intelligence

Claire Mason, Sidra, Andrew Reeson, Cécile Paris

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)

Mother congratulates daughter on university admission

It’s time to change the narrative on affirmative action

Public institutions are doing the heavy lifting of levelling the playing field, writes Jonathan Koppell, so let’s amplify access-oriented institutions as instruments of social mobility and equity

Jonathan Koppell

Montclair State University

Universities need to show – not just tell – students what they stand for

Modern institutions must adjust their recruitment approaches from data-driven to values-driven and realise the importance of putting people, not spreadsheets, first, says Dan Barcroft

Dan Barcroft

University of Sheffield

The scramble to push students towards internships is troubling

With employability at all costs now dominating HE, we seem to be ignoring the very real problems of a system built on free labour and work placements, says Anne Hewitt

Anne Hewitt

University of Adelaide

Teaching guides ADHD students in digital learning

With the right support, students with ADHD can thrive in digital learning environments

Don’t generalise about digital learning being problematic for students with ADHD. Rather, find the digital tools that develop their unique talents, argues Dustin Hosseini

Dustin Hosseini

University of Glasgow

Universities and academics need to make space for ‘useless’ research

The academic race for short-term results and practical applications must be balanced with research that can, in due time, become incredibly useful, writes James Derounian

James Derounian

De Montfort University

A month of highs and lows: the impact of menstruation on HE

Universities need to better accommodate the challenges faced by menstruating students to promote educational equity, write Mays Imad and Kerri Maron

Mays Imad , Kerri Maron

Connecticut College

Shifting landscapes of social media data for research

What can researchers do in light of changes to social media platforms’ APIs that reduce and monetise access to data? In this uncharted territory, aspects to watch include new access routes and user protections

Brittany I. Davidson, Joanne Hinds, Daniel Racek

University of Bath, LMU Munich

Two students walking down a corridor talking through some notes

Offer students a personal touch through peer support

As universities expand, they will need to take more of a personal approach to higher education – despite the huge cohorts – but how? Emma Norman suggests looking to the students themselves

Emma Norman

The University of Exeter

Is open access tarnished?

As open access terms have split into colour-coded brands, not all allow totally unrestricted access and reuse. Among these, “bronze OA” stands out as a potentially damaging misnomer, writes Steven Vidovic

Steven U. Vidovic

University of Southampton

Digital accessibility is real and tangible

A workshop using real-life examples and first-hand experience of how assistive technology works can result in a deeper understanding of accessibility needs

Tharindu Liyanagunawardena

University of Reading

What distinguishes a university from a knowledge enterprise?

In this extract, David Staley and Dominic Endicott offer 12 features that characterise institutions committed to attracting talent to their region for economic growth and their own survival

David J. Staley, Dominic D. J. Endicott

The Ohio State University, Northstar Ventures

Unlocking padlock and open access publishing

Open access is inevitable – only the ‘how’ remains up for discussion

Scholarly knowledge is produced mainly at taxpayers’ expense. Why they should have to pay again to read it remains a mystery, writes Peter Baldwin

Peter Baldwin

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), New York University

The dark side of AI’s promised efficiencies

Artificial intelligence can use data and algorithms in a way that prioritises rationality over values such as fairness and quality of education, writes Vern Glaser

Vern Glaser

University of Alberta

It’s time to radicalise the writing proficiency exam

Written exams should generate writing that vibrates with personality, exploration of ideas and an urge to communicate, says Tyler Thier

Tyler Thier

Hofstra University

Depressed young black man on a park bench

Why students and faculty alike need mental health first-aid training

Basic knowledge and skills could empower university communities to promote and destigmatise mental health issues and empower individuals to recognise risks and seek assistance, writes Noam Schimmel

Noam Schimmel

University of California, Berkeley

How a school exchange with my daughter led me to question the role of universities

Giving a class at my daughter’s school and having her visit my university gave rise to serious questions about childcare, education and how our universities fit into society, says Andy Farnell

Andy Farnell

Visiting professor

Darwin and teaching originality in university

Teaching originality: an essential skill in the age of ChatGPT

Academic originality is not about chance, genius or magic. It is about engagement and a clear sense of scholarly contribution. And it can be taught, writes Alastair Bonnett

Alastair Bonnett

Newcastle University

A bridge between academics and communications staff

Science communication in a post-Covid world calls for a new way to span the gap between researchers and university comms teams – and a new skill set, as Michael Head explains

Michael Head

University of Southampton

I’d tell my younger self that my chequered past would be my strength

With the benefit of hindsight, Anson Mackay re-examines their career path to see lessons in self-compassion and being their authentic self in collaboration and the classroom

Anson W. Mackay

UCL

ADHD in the head of a university student

ADHD in higher education: is digital learning making it worse?

Hopping between multiple apps and platforms can easily overwhelm students with ADHD – we must be alert to the effects of too much digital multitasking, says Adrian J. Wallbank

Adrian J. Wallbank

Oxford Brookes University

Three The Thinker statues around a laptop

Is critical thinking the answer to generative AI?

Designing assessment that tests critical thinking has value and practicality, so the challenge is figuring out questions that flummox the AI without creating wildly difficult problems for students, write Luke Zaphir and Jason M. Lodge

Luke Zaphir , Jason M. Lodge

The University of Queensland

Quality assurance of online transnational higher education

Online and hybrid degrees are booming, but work needs to be done to maintain the reputation of Australian online university degrees in the transnational education space, writes Fion Lim

Fion Choon Boey Lim

University of Technology Sydney

Students mixing and experiencing flexible lectures

Ever wished lectures could be more flexible? Introducing the ‘flecture’

Does the design of lecture theatres actually hinder knowledge dissemination? Richard Layzell discusses his experiments in shifting the norms of education delivery

Richard Layzell

University of Kent

fish jumping out of one bowl and into another, career change

How to find personal fulfilment after being a scientist

Academia encourages experimentation and innovative thinking. Why not apply these skills to finding a more satisfying job? Greta Faccio explains how she hit on her hybrid solution

Greta Faccio

Independent academic

Winery in Baja California knowledge exchange universities

How knowledge-sharing is making Baja’s wine industry the ‘next Napa’

Diana Celaya Tentori discusses the huge benefits of knowledge-sharing in wine research that can be applied to every academic discipline

Diana Celaya Tentori

CETYS Universidad

We need systemic change to tackle EDI in education

Tackling discrimination in business and society requires us to change the ways we deal with ‘difference’ in education, writes Sankalp Chaturvedi

Sankalp Chaturvedi

Imperial College London

How universities can help rebuild trust in science

The crisis of confidence in science has deep origins. The answer to regaining traction is compelling stories and the skills to tell them beyond the academy, writes Bartłomiej Knosala

Bartłomiej Knosala

Silesian University of Technology

How a PhD can put their skills to use in a workplace

The confidence trick: impostor syndrome and PhDs in the non-academic world

Researchers have a great deal to offer the world beyond academia. But, as John Miles writes, knowing where and when to deploy these skills is crucial

John Miles

Inkpath

Young Indian student looking thoughtful at a laptop

A translation exercise to improve students’ creative writing

Literary translation and writing have a cyclical, reciprocal relationship, as novelist Maithreyi Karnoor explains with a task to tap into students’ feel for language

Maithreyi Karnoor

Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology

Poetry can be used in many classes at university

Poetry is a door into many disciplines, not just a literary one

A poem can act as a memory aid, ground facts in individual experience and prompt questions about policy, power and generational impact, says Pádraig Ó Tuama

Pádraig Ó Tuama

Poetry Unbound

Illustration of young woman with tangled arrows representing decisions above her head

One thing at a time: tips for making decisions

Academic life is rife with everyday choices that can sap your bandwidth. Here’s why this is exhausting and how to ease the load

Yaniv Hanoch

University of Southampton

HE has its head in the sand on long Covid, and it could prove costly

Long Covid is far more common than most people let on, so institutions must be ready to support its students, staff and faculty – here’s how

Mays Imad , Skylar Magee , John Nugent

Connecticut College

Robot in thoughtful pose with hand to chin

Re-evaluating natural intelligence in the face of ChatGPT

Generative AI tools mean that our pedagogy, understanding of specialisation and how we value human abilities such as empathy, compassion and critical thinking must change

Elvin Lim , Andrew Koh

Singapore Management University

Is it time to rethink social mobility discourse and the meaning of ‘success’?

We must remember that while social mobility is a valuable goal, it’s not one with which all students are willing or able to conform, say Louise Ashley and William Monteith

Louise Ashley, William Monteith

Queen Mary University of London

We need an integrated approach to inclusion in higher education

Carol Evans makes the case for an Integrated Inclusion Framework, which would harmonise competing but overlapping EDI agendas to create aligned change that benefits everyone

Carol Evans

Cardiff University

Assignment paper with a C-plus grade and 'satisfactory' comment

How the idea of ‘excellence’ can be misleading in higher education

A new approach to achievement could see a focus on As give way to a suite of mastery that meets students’ needs – and helps faculty balance expectations, writes Michael Dennin

Michael Dennin

University of California, Irvine

red arrow through a wall of wooden blocks

How to advance equity-informed leadership in universities

Increasing diversity at universities requires more than raising aspirations and enrolment among Indigenous and other under-represented students. Braden Hill offers seven ways leaders can address barriers to equity

Braden Hill

Edith Cowan University

Hands holding seedling surrounded by sustainability icons

A holistic blueprint for sustainability

Instead of compartmentalising decisions about infrastructure or resource allocation, universities need a whole-system approach to sustainability that shifts attitudes and behaviour, writes Lily Kong

Lily Kong

Singapore Management University

A man standing on a rock, staring out into the distance

A vision for graduate supervision

Supervising graduate students is a responsibility and skill that goes far beyond the mere transmission of knowledge, as Daniel Jutras explains

Daniel Jutras

University of Montreal

Narrating failure in academia: how to turn trash into treasure

Instead of hiding from failure in shame and despair, and on the way to normalising it, we should learn how to better narrate it, says Lucas Lixinski

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

A young female professor talking to students in class

Are we placing too much focus upon higher degrees for university lecturers?

There is growing pressure on university lecturers to achieve higher degrees. Fiona Cust and Jessica Runacres question if this is necessary for those teaching at undergraduate level, particularly in vocational or career-focused courses

Fiona Cust, Jessica Runacres

University of Staffordshire

Young woman sitting under grey sky with head in hands

What happens when we can’t help a student when they need us most?

The job of university personal tutor is not nine-to-five, and academics in support roles are fallible and don’t always get it right. Catherine Lee shares advice for those times from personal experience

Catherine Lee

Anglia Ruskin University

Illustration of hands raised with hearts in the palms

Look after the intangibles and the metrics will look after themselves

Unmeasurable elements such as enthusiasm, belonging and motivation are valuable parts of the university experience. Sue Lee looks at ways to embrace these intangible assets

Sue Lee

University of Staffordshire

I’m finally ready to admit that I’m an academic who suffers from depression

I’m opening up because those of us hounded by mental health issues should not have to add fear of job loss and stigmatisation to our list of concerns, says James Derounian

James Derounian

University of Bolton

The four-day week in higher education: can we make it work?

With a culture of overwork eroding well-being among UK university staff, could a four-day working week be part of the solution? Rushana Khusainova looks at whether this mode of working is feasible in higher education

Rushana Khusainova

The University of Bristol

Middle-aged woman with laptop looking out office window

You’re not alone: tips to help academics avoid social isolation

Connections with colleagues matter – without them, support during periods of reappointment, promotion or tenure can feel tenuous. And those unwritten expectations of collegiality become opaque, explains Karen Z. Sproles

Karyn Z. Sproles

United States Naval Academy

Giving away all content online does not encourage student attendance

Want students back in the classroom? Don’t give everything away online

Empty classrooms are an unfortunate reality of post-pandemic universities. To stop this, we need to explain the fundamentals of learning and tempt students back

Harriet Dunbar-Morris

The University of Portsmouth

Allyship for LGBTQ+ in academia and universities

What LGBTQ+ allyship means in academia

Being a queer person who very much appreciates allyship and who tries to be a good ally to others has taught me a few things, says Lucas Lixinski

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

Young woman looks to horizon with binoculars

Towards 2035: a future view of university education

What will higher education be like by 2035? Four early-career academics at Australian universities, from different discipline areas, offer a vision of how universities might evolve and adapt to future technologies and workplace demands

Isaac Akefe, Lauren Carpenter, Graham Lee, Jessica Leonard

The University of Queensland , Queensland University of Technology

Earth-centred education is required to solve the climate crisis

Transformative change is needed to deliver Earth-centred education

The time for incrementalism is over. As responsible humans and academic professionals we must radically rethink the purposes and processes of education and development

Mark Fettes

Simon Fraser University

Universities must think smarter when devising edtech strategies for the future

The ideal vision is one where AI and faculty work together to deliver the best outcomes, rather than a two-tier system where the less privileged are left with a low-cost, automated education

Sarah Grant

Imperial College London

How creating third spaces can help your university campus

Creating ‘third spaces’ will revolutionise your campus

Informal communal spaces bring multiple benefits, from encouraging interdisciplinarity to helping with net zero targets, says Jerry Tate

Jerry Tate

Tate and Co

Self-reflection is crucial for decolonisation in higher education

Why is self-reflection core to decolonisation and anti-racism in the academy?

To move beyond rhetoric, hollow commitments and well-intentioned one-time efforts, we must hold ourselves accountable, says a team from Simon Fraser University

Multiple authors

Simon Fraser University

Collaboration and partnership should be front and centre for university libraries

Seven strategies to turn academic libraries into social organisations

For libraries to secure their future on higher education campuses, they must embrace a model that prioritises partnerships and collaboration, says Sheila Corrall

Sheila Corrall

University of Pittsburgh

Assessment and percentages just don't add up

When is a percentage not a percentage? The problem with HE marking practices

When an assessor awards a percentage to an essay, report or similar piece of work, this is a subjective mark rather than a genuine percentage – and this is deeply problematic

Andy Grayson

Nottingham Trent University

Those of us with dyspraxia are frequently affected by academic ableism

The actions, inertia and discretion of individual academics can be a key driver of ableism – here’s what you and your institution can do to help, says John Macklin

John Macklin

University of East London

Man speaking jargon to confused man and woman

Being elitist about sci-comms damages science

Scientists, if you communicate only with people at your own level of expertise, how will you recruit the best and brightest, engage the public and change the world? Kylie Ahern takes ‘dumbing down’ to task

Kylie Ahern

STEM Matters

How to help disabled students applying to your university

I’m a disabled student – this is what I worry about when applying to your university

Phoebe Allen, an A-level student with cerebral palsy and full-time wheelchair user, outlines how universities can better accommodate disabled students

Phoebe Allen

Student

It’s worth rethinking how we engage graduates – they can be teaching gold

National teaching fellow James Derounian highlights the potential for recycling graduate contributions back into university teaching

James Derounian

University of Bolton

Black bereavement leave in higher education

Where’s our Black bereavement leave?

Higher education routinely ignores the emotional needs of Black faculty and staff, particularly after traumatic events, and it’s time for that to change, says Angel Jones

Angel Jones

Southern Illinois University

What’s next for university admissions?

With the impact of AI on applications as yet unknown and affirmative action in the US at risk, Rick Clark speculates on the future of college admissions. His hope? That the student voice finds new ways to be heard

Rick Clark

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

What does a 21st-century research and science system look like?

Jim Metson explores what is needed from universities and government to create a transformative research, science and innovation sector in New Zealand

Jim Metson

The University of Auckland

What’s your scholarly ‘next big thing’, and how should you choose it?

For those who want to be setting the agenda in their field, a big project is one of the clearest ways of doing it. Lucas Lixinski ruminates on what that could look like

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

Rainbow flag outside Cambridge University for LGBT History Month

How LGBTQ leaders navigate a predominantly non-LGBTQ world

Looking at LGBTQ leadership style as a reaction to the power structures that dominate our culture is essential to finding a common thread through a diverse community, writes Karen Whitney

Karen Whitney

Clarion University

The National Student Survey changes could harm higher education

The changes to the National Student Survey could prove disastrous

The removal of well-being-centric questions and the ability to compare with previous years will impede universities’ ability to offer adequate support

Harriet Dunbar-Morris

The University of Portsmouth

Is your university taking diversity seriously?

How to tell if your university is making a genuine effort to increase diversity

There is zero doubt that bias pervades the HE system. Universities need to show they are taking it as seriously as they take publication and other key performance areas

Keon West

Goldsmiths, University of London

Young woman and older man adult students lifelong learning

Challenges and opportunities of the 60-year curriculum

Lifelong learning for a post-digital-transformation, post-Covid world will need a degree of intention, design and flexibility universities do not yet offer, writes Jeff Grabill

Jeffrey Grabill

University of Leeds

Business school diversity requires disruption

Business school recruitment: disrupt to diversify

A genuine commitment to championing greater equity, diversity and inclusion in business education demands a paradigm shift, says Arnold Longboy

Arnold Longboy

London Business School

Blocks in the air with a yellow one in the middle

New views on the block: schedule or philosophy?

Colorado College founded its Block Plan in the heady, revolutionary late 1960s. What can a look back over 50 years teach us about the future of compressed and modular modes of curriculum delivery?

Steven Hayward

Colorado College

Foundation students moving on up at university

It’s time to end the negative narratives surrounding foundation students

Foundation students are often seen as somehow lacking, but we can challenge the stereotypes around their knowledge and backgrounds to force positive change

Christina Delistathi

University of Westminster

Rainbow light bulb in a row of white bulbs

Leadership and the intersectionality of being queer and living with HIV

Coming out as gay was a first step, but it was being open about living with HIV that showed Raymond Crossman how his whole self shaped his role as president. Here, he talks about intersectionality and leadership

Raymond Crossman

Adler University

The history versus fiction debate revisited (again) thanks to ‘The Crown’

In the wake of the notorious television series it feels more crucial than ever that faculty reiterate to students the difference between historical fact and fiction

Farish A. Noor  

University of Malaya

Will AI writers rob students of their agency and free will

ChatGPT and AI writers: a threat to student agency and free will?

If we resign ourselves to thinking that resistance is futile and allow AI to replace students’ voices, we are surely guilty of abandoning our responsibilities as educators

Adrian J. Wallbank

Oxford Brookes University

ChatGPT has arrived – and nothing has changed

ChatGPT may make it a little easier for students to cheat, but the best ways of thwarting cheating have never been focused on policing and enforcement, says Danny Oppenheimer

Danny Oppenheimer

Carnegie Mellon University

Illustration of giant mortarboard with students

If I redesigned UK higher education, I would…

Pay-as-you-go modules? Choose-your-own first year? Glenn Fosbraey looks to the blue sky for (sometimes radical) ideas for improving the HE experience

Glenn Fosbraey

University of Winchester

Don’t jettison traditional academic writing just yet

Academic writing is transforming – into comics, podcasts, installations – but that doesn’t mean bog-standard peer-reviewed papers are less key to institutional status or individual promotion, writes Pat Thomson

Patricia Thomson

University of Nottingham

Illustration showing profiles in different pastel colours

Intersectionality is the only way to nurture academics of colour

Finding the blind spots in EDI efforts will more effectively support academics sitting at the intersection of minority identities. Here are three places to start

Wajeeha Aziz , Raheela Awais, Melody Obeng , Ellie Harrison

University of Sussex, University of Liverpool, University of Sheffield

The pronoun y'all as inclusive language in universities

Embracing inclusivity with ‘y’all’: why this pronoun deserves a fresh look

In a recent online meeting, a colleague told me that using that word made me sound uneducated. So I set out to see if it is really sending a bad message

Stone Meredith

Colorado State University Global

It’s crucial for universities to bridge the ‘town and gown’ divide

James Derounian considers how universities act as good neighbours to their host communities and recommends a simple exercise to break free of the ivory towers

James Derounian

University of Bolton

Should we be worried? An educators’ introduction to the metaverse

What is it and what might it mean for the future of education?

Paul Bailey

Jisc

Which technology should we delete from universities?

Eliminating harmful digital technologies in universities: a guide

Modern institutions are rife with tech that disenfranchises, dehumanises, excludes and even bullies students and teachers. It’s high time for a rethink, says Andy Farnell

Andy Farnell

Visiting professor

Matching students with college programmes improves employability

In the rush to meet labour market needs, universities can’t forget the human element

Understanding that students are people first, with lived experiences that influence their choice of college and career, will help position graduates for success

Steven Johnson

National University

Is online education killing conversation

Will online education lead to the death of conversation?

Students who can critique ideas and generate sound, reasoned arguments in real time will be better prepared to find success after they graduate, says Rebekah Wanic

Rebekah Wanic

Nova Southeastern University

Hacking their hack: how embracing online summaries revolutionised my classes

With students struggling to focus on and comprehend assignments, summaries can take some of the leg work out of learning and allow students to come to class ready to connect

Catherine Ross

University of Texas at Tyler

Students are disconnected because of higher ed discipline silos

Students are disengaged – and it’s due to how higher ed is structured

Academic structures, such as disciplines, too often silo and limit possibilities for engagement and connection, says JT Torres

JT Torres

Quinnipiac University

Student happiness versus student satisfaction

Should we be aiming for student happiness or student satisfaction?

Happiness and satisfaction are two sides of the same coin, but crucial differences exist between them – and one serves our students far better, says Doug Specht

Doug Specht

University of Westminster

Adult learners require a variety of supports at university

I know first-hand that adult learners need a variety of supports to succeed

From flexible class schedules to a friendly smile, colleges that focus on individual needs are best positioned to help learners thrive at school and in life

Shannon Uresti

College of Health Care Professions

There is no right and wrong way to do ungrading in higher education

Why there isn’t one ‘right way’ to practise ungrading

Extricating ourselves from A-F grading scales requires an inclusive, big tent approach in which we de-emphasise grades in a way that best fits our individual contexts

Multiple authors

Various

Top three teaching and learning tips for higher education

Good teachers need to be good learners

Patrick Bailey draws on four decades of university experience to identify the three things he thinks have the biggest impact on successful teaching and learning

Patrick Bailey

London South Bank University

Supporting university students in recovery

Universities must acknowledge the value of students in recovery

University throws up many temptations, but if we offer the right support for addiction we are often rewarded with strong, tenacious students and staff

Simon Lee

University of Sunderland

Combining business and educational acumen is required for HE leaders

Modern higher education leaders must blend business and educational knowledge

Clearly articulated values, structures that support accountability and metrics that align with strategic goals are the new leadership competencies, says Angela Hernquist

Angela Hernquist

Colorado State University Global

Does the UK need an observatory for university engagement with policymakers?

Any such project would need to guard against numerous pitfalls, but the benefits in terms of bringing together various initiatives and engendering new skills could be great

Jonathan Breckon , Sarah Chaytor , Kayleigh Renberg-Fawcett

Capabilities in Academic Policy Engagement (CAPE), Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN), UCL

How to encourage women entrepreneurs at universities

How can we help academia produce more women entrepreneurs?

The key change required to help female academics found spin-out companies is rebalancing the gender diversity of the investment community, but universities have a part to play, too

Simonetta Manfredi

Oxford Brookes University

Work-life balance in academia can be achieved, but it's not easy

You can have it all, just not all at once

It might just be possible to achieve a good work-life balance in academia, but it requires focusing on certain areas of your life and career at certain times, says Lucas Lixinski

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

No one in academia can agree on what research leadership looks like

No one agrees on what research leadership is, let alone how to do it well

The academy has no common idea of what research leadership really is, why it’s important or what good practice looks like. That needs to change, says Matthew Flinders

Matthew Flinders

University of Sheffield, Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN)

Pretending that academia is a meritocracy harms tutors and students

Looking for a tenured teaching job? I’ve got one piece of advice: get lucky

By reinforcing the myth of meritocracy, we perpetuate a system grounded in cruelty and false promises. It needs to stop, says David Webster

David Webster

King's University College

Universities are policing and surveilling international PGRs

Universities must stop policing and surveilling international PGRs

From controlling travel to failing to provide adequate support, universities’ treatment of international postgrads is harming the research community and the HE sector

Tina Sikka, Heather Proctor

Newcastle University

Transformative not transmissive education for sustainability

The teaching of sustainability and the SDGs needs to equip graduates with the skills to bring about transformative change for a better future. Jen Dollin, Brittany Hardiman and Susan Germein explore what this means for universities

Jen Dollin, Brittany Vermeulen , Susan Germein

Western Sydney University

TikTok can be a great instructional tool for engaged educators

What I learned from spending three years researching TikTok

Far from being an attention span wasteland, the popular social media platform has great instructional potential for engaged and experimental academics, says Elizabeth Losh

Elizabeth Losh

William & Mary

Part-time work could be a great option for work-life balance

In the search for work-life balance, going part-time could provide an answer

James Derounian makes the case for part-time work, particularly as academics advance in their careers – and gives tips on how to begin the transition and make a success of it

James Derounian

University of Bolton

Improving research culture at universities

To improve research culture, we must change the way we measure performance

Jo Cresswell explains how universities can support more collaborative cultures by changing the way academics are reviewed, assessed and rewarded

Jo Cresswell

Dr Joanne Cresswell Coaching

Knocking down the house of policy impact in higher education

It’s high time we rethought policy impact

The frameworks currently in use for rewarding policy impact are peppered with problems and pitfalls – here’s how to fix them, says Christina Boswell

Christina Boswell

The University of Edinburgh

The different steps to improved sustainability

To offset or not to offset – that is the question

Carbon offsetting is a hotly debated issue, with critics positing that it distracts from real efforts to reduce emissions. David Duncan explains why a compromise position in which offsetting is used to complement focused efforts at carbon reduction may be needed

David Duncan

University of Glasgow

To block or not to block? How time affects learning in higher education

From intensive block plans to open-ended study programmes, the ideal length for a unit of study is under interrogation. Jason M. Lodge considers the evidence

Jason M. Lodge

The University of Queensland

Artificial intelligence: a dystopian future for higher education?

AI in higher education: dystopia, utopia or something in between?

To understand how HE can incorporate AI successfully, we need to think about how humans will interact with the technology and change their behaviour, says Ben Swift

Ben Swift

Australian National University

Building a course around target 'customers'

Why higher education must serve students as the customer and the product

An effective university programme should continually adapt in order to add value for and to the students so that they can meet future workplace demands, Haksin Chan and Roy Ying explain

Haksin Chan, Roy Ying

The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong

What I learned from nearly getting cancelled

Being the subject of student complaints was a very difficult experience for all involved – one that I am trying to learn from

Anonymous

Campus

Female athlete performing a backflip outdoors

Flipping the university admissions process on its head

Why should it always be students who seek out their ‘best fit’ campus? It’s time for universities to rethink how they manage traditional admissions – and boost enrolment and diversity as they go, says Joe Morrison

Joe Morrison

Concourse

Building emotional resilience in students is a key goal

Building emotional resilience is not creating a generation of ‘snowflakes’

Many students arrive at university adept at navigating challenging situations. Julia Downes explains how to leverage and add to these skills for positive and validating results

Julia Downes

The Open University

Digital exclusion often strikes early for university students

Digital exclusion hits students hardest at the start of their journey

VLEs, intranets, sports and social apps – the digital ecosystem at university is vast. We must induct students into it quickly and carefully to prevent them falling behind

Claire Smith

University of Sussex

Gender-specific health issues need to be tackled in academia

Breaking barriers for women: closing the gender health gap in academia

In the final part of their ‘breaking barriers for women’ series, eight female academics propose ways to tackle the stigma and career deficits caused by women’s health issues

Nicola Hemmings , Ellie Harrison , Jo L. Fothergill

University of Sheffield, University of Liverpool

The magic motivation fairy does not exist for academics

Bad news, kids (and academics): the magical motivation fairy doesn’t exist

Motivation for tricky tasks doesn’t just appear magically, but with these psychological tricks you can get yourself and your career moving, says Hugh Kearns

Hugh Kearns

Flinders University

Peer mentoring at university can make a difference to student confidence

As a black, female student, I wish I’d had a peer-mentoring scheme

Asking more experienced students to volunteer to help first-years navigate their university journey can make all the difference in terms of belonging and confidence

Bernadine Idowu

University of West London

Failure is crucial in academia, science and research

Failure can feel hot and shameful, but we must normalise it

Failure is essential in research, so we need to reframe it into an opportunity for learning, says Emma Williams

Emma Williams

EJW Solutions

For the common good: why we need ecological universities

Higher education has become too aligned to specific economic interests and needs to be redirected to focus on regenerative values for the common good, argue Richard Hil, Kristen Lyons and Fern Thompsett

Richard Hil, Kristen Lyons, Fern Thompsett

Griffith University, Southern Cross University, The University of Queensland , Columbia University

Strengthen research capacity: how do we do it?

What does ‘strengthen research capacity’ actually mean, and how can we do it?

Leaders of research consortia face a difficult task in carrying out research and improving research capacity, but embedding a specialist team to make recommendations provides great gains

Imelda Bates , Justin Pulford , Lorelei Silvester

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN)

Considering a university merger? Here’s how to do it well

Assessing a merger’s viability, as well as prioritising trust, openness and maintaining organisational cultures are key to success, says Kayla Vasilko

Kayla Vasilko

Purdue University Northwest

Covid should have taught us that campus needs to be a treasured space

If we’re to tempt stay-away students back to the physical campus, we must recognise that place and places matter following disasters, say Gemma Ahearne and Treasa Kearney

Gemma Ahearne, Treasa Kearney

University of Liverpool

How to negotiate the politics of mark agreement between tutors

James Derounian offers thoughts on how we can unravel the tangled and contested arena of mark negotiation between university tutors

James Derounian

University of Bolton

Cat in travel cage with plane in background

Zoom fatigue and other exhaustions of international academic life

For many scholars, a sustainable career means moving countries to follow jobs and opportunities. Here, Clare Griffin talks about the financial, mental and social costs of relocation and offers practical tips for coping

Clare Griffin

Indiana University Bloomington

Linguistic racism in universities can have an adverse effect on mental health

Linguistic racism can take a high toll on international students

Even seemingly innocuous comments on the way that students use dominant local languages can have severe effects on mental health, says Sender Dovchin

Sender Dovchin

Curtin University

Why my hobbies make me a better scholar

Non-academic skills, both motor and cognitive, can enrich research capabilities in unexpected and often unexamined ways, writes Stephen W. Harmon

Stephen W. Harmon

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Kendrick Lamar's lyrics contain EDI lessons for higher education

Why higher education should take an EDI lesson from Kendrick Lamar

The Pulitzer-winning rapper’s disdain for performative activism contains lessons for universities who espouse their good intentions rather than enact change

JT Torres

Quinnipiac University

Virtual reality has failed higher education

Virtual reality has failed education, so what should we do with it?

Getting VR right at a sophisticated level requires a hefty mix of hardware, pricey developers, rock-solid internet and suitable pedagogy – but there is a way forward

Malcolm Burt

Central Queensland University

The importance of promoting multilingual approaches in international universities

Introducing ‘translanguaging’ – and other ways to promote multilingualism

If universities are serious about internationalisation, they must confront the hegemony of English-medium instruction – here’s how, says Dylan Williams

Dylan Williams

Seoul National University

Digital access is crucial and help is required for students to combat digital exclusion

We must remove technology worries from the student cost-of-living crisis

Students and parents cannot be left to make up the shortfall when it comes to financing their studies and tech needs – they need help from universities and government

Sarah Purdy, Steve Hall

The University of Bristol

Higher education needs to be rebuilt from the ground up to make it a fairer place to work for women

Breaking barriers for women: enough talking, time for action

In the second part of their ‘breaking barriers for women’ series, seven female academics outline key changes to help remodel a fairer HE system from the ground up

Ellie Harrison , Tiffany B. Taylor

University of Sheffield, University of Bath

Safeguarding conferences are becoming the land that change forgot

The lack of a firm steer from the universities regulator means a sector left in limbo when it comes to tackling sexual misconduct – and events covering the same issues year after year

Emma Bond, Andy Phippen

University of Suffolk, Bournemouth University

Student voice initiatives in universities need to be rethought

You said, we did – now what? Why student voice initiatives need a rethink

‘Student voice’ initiatives tend towards changes that can be easily packaged and publicised rather than those that demand time, resources and deeper consideration

Claire Kinsella, Linda Kaye

Leeds Beckett University, Edge Hill University

Too many universities are practically identical

Sea of sameness: why universities have trouble with branding

Universities need to better embrace commercial opportunities and stop trying to be all things to all people, says Paul Baines

Paul Baines

University of Leicester

Academics need to get the balance right between working hard and being a good colleague

Why we should be humans first and academics second

James Derounian argues for the spirit of kindness in all we do – and provides tips to improve your everyday collegiality

James Derounian

University of Bolton

Everyone at universities need their collegiality stocks replenished post-Covid

We need our collegiality reserves replenished post-Covid – here’s how

While collegiality rests mostly with the people, institutions cannot just sit back and wait for it to spring on its own, says Lucas Lixinski

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

Is it possible to decolonise the business curriculum?

Untangling business studies from the discipline’s imperial origins might seem an insurmountable task, but it’s up to university leaders to take the lead on this complex challenge, reflects Bobby Banerjee

Bobby Banerjee

City, University of London

Engineering schools are riddled with issues – reinvention is required

From increasing diversity to embracing flexibility, engineering schools must enter a period of self-reflection if they are to remain viable

David Poole

Liaison International

Academic conferences need a hybrid future if inclusion is truly on organisers' agendas

Rejecting hybrid conferences as the new norm reeks of ableism

Failure to offer a virtual component for conferences makes organisers complicit in a system that excludes particular academics, says William E. Donald

William E. Donald

Ronin Institute

Picture of a student watching a tutorial online

Why online learning must remain part of the education toolkit

Critics of online learning often blame the medium itself rather than ineffective instruction, when the focus should be on how to deliver the best teaching possible using all available tools and formats, writes Andreina Parisi-Amon

Andreina Parisi-Amon

Engageli

Inclusion of thought v inclusion of feelings: a showdown

In the pursuit of inclusivity, should we adjust what we teach to include students’ sensitivities or expose them to the full range of serious ideas? asks Arif Ahmed

Arif Ahmed

University of Cambridge

Universities need bigger and better data on the promotions process

The promotion process needs bigger, better data if we’re to make it fairer

Enough of the tiny sample sizes at institutional level – if we want to identify the issues that hold back careers, we need sector-wide figures and cooperation

Patrick Bailey

London South Bank University

It is time to bring back peace studies

Recent world events point towards the need for a commitment to peace at every level of society, writes Annelise Riles, as she explains how universities can promote peace-making and related skills through teaching, research and collaboration

Annelise Riles

Northwestern University

Academics and lecturers should not conflate interesting with entertaining

Beware the pitfalls of making lectures ‘interesting’ and focus on curiosity instead

Conflating ‘interesting’ with ‘entertaining’ and getting caught in a never-ending loop of shinier and shinier edutainment should be shunned in favour of cultivating sustained interest

Lee Li Neng

National University of Singapore

Gamification brings great benefit to online university classes but has negatives too

Next level? The pros and cons of game-based learning

Using gamification in the classroom can work wonders for engagement, but does it come at too great a cost to deep thinking, asks Frederik van Dam

Frederik van Dam

Radboud University

Many academics are far more comfortable using new tech than previously thought

It may be time to rethink the ‘edtech adoption curve’

A new survey of higher ed faculty reveals more early adopters of edtech than previously thought, says Nicole Barbaro

Nicole Barbaro

WGU Labs

The rise and rise of the lecture-tainer

Falling class attendance and shorter student attention spans present challenges for university teachers. Sandi Mann offers advice for tackling the boredom conundrum

Sandi Mann

University of Central Lancashire

Academics and students should not require rhino-thick skin to succeed

Being inclusive also means remembering not everyone has rhino-thick skin

The way we give feedback, from the undergraduate essay right through to peer review, provides opportunities to unconsciously exclude people, says Hugh Kearns

Hugh Kearns

Flinders University

Yes, online learning can teach you to think

The idea that online learning ‘doesn’t teach people to think’, which was suggested by one of our peers recently, is short-sighted and false

Valerie Wood, Laura Shannon

Queen's University

Russia’s intellectual isolation presents opportunities for Central Asian HE

Major universities in this region are now uniquely positioned to build new international partnerships with academic institutions that have lost access to Russia

Daniel Scarborough

Nazarbayev University

The US should admit Ukrainian medical students to help them rebuild their country

A caveat for recipients of such aid would be committing to moving back to Ukraine to practise after they have completed their studies

David Lenihan

Ponce Health Sciences University

A human paper chain representing how university leaders must come together to tackle inequity

How leaders can and must work together to address inequity

Leading by example and striking the right balance between competition and collaboration are crucial points for those hoping to lead HE to a more equitable future

Charles Egbu

Leeds Trinity University

Business schools must play a part in helping solve the world's most pressing issues

Business schools must play their part in supporting those fleeing Ukraine

As providers of education that sits at the interface of industry and academia, the onus is on business schools to step up during times of crisis

Mary Meaney , Celia Moore , Marina Moncayola Lobato

Imperial College London

Original essays written in seconds: how ‘transformers’ will change assessment

Artificial intelligence that generates original text will be both empowering and disruptive for students and higher education at large, say Mike Sharples and Rafael Pérez y Pérez

Mike Sharples , Rafael Pérez y Pérez

The Open University, Metropolitan Autonomous University

Living an interesting life over the summer can help teachers be creative in the classroom

The summer life of a teacher can be a boon for creativity in the classroom

For me, what makes a teacher interesting in the classroom is proportional to what interests them outside it, says Zachary Michael Jack

Zachary Michael Jack

North Central College

Running a diverse team is harder work – but the rewards are immense

John Womersley managed more than 50 nationalities on a €3 billion science project. Here, he reflects on the experience and gives tips on getting the most out of a diverse team

John Womersley

University of Oxford

University senior management should employ authentic leadership to advance EDI

Managers are so far from the front line; how can they advance EDI?

Authentic leadership involves being clear about one’s values but taking a step back to allow others the space to develop the scope of projects, says Harriet Dunbar-Morris

Harriet Dunbar-Morris

The University of Portsmouth

Universities should not decline working together due to fears that their systems won't cooperate

Playing to our strengths: how HE can benefit from shared edtech

Too many inter-institutional collaborations are derailed due to a false belief that institutions’ tech infrastructures are too dissimilar, says John Miles

John Miles

Inkpath

Image of refugees at the Macedonian border

Practical ways to develop a comprehensive university ‘sanctuary’ programme

Seven practical steps to developing a comprehensive sanctuary programme that can support the immediate needs of displaced students and academics while including a broader plan for social change

Leonie Ansems de Vries, Bronwyn Parry

King’s College London

The metaverse opens up huge opportunities for universities that extend well beyond a virtual copy of their campus

The metaverse is much more than a virtual copy of your campus

Most universities are not yet in the metaverse space, nor clear about what is really involved – and we can’t afford to remain in this position, says Andy Miah

Andy Miah

University of Salford

Grade inflation in universities can have many negative effects, says a Columbia student

I’m a Columbia student, and I don’t want my grade inflated

Normalising failure could improve students’ mental health, give them the freedom to learn more effectively and make them more resilient all at once, says Jacob Clay

Jacob Clay

Columbia University

Universities and their researchers have a key role to play in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

The sector’s role in addressing climate change is crucial – and varied

From researching microalgae to evaluating and contributing to climate policy, universities have a significant job to do, says Lucy Meredith

Lucy Meredith

University of the West of Scotland

Collaboration is key for universities and colleges that want to serve their students well

For students’ sake, we shouldn’t be too proud to seek collaboration

It’s difficult to admit as an institution where you aren’t delivering for students, but we must be self-aware enough to seek help when needed

Michael A. Baston

Rockland Community College

Serendipity plays a big part in much scientific discovery - and researchers can increase the chances of it happening

How to enhance your chances of serendipitous research discoveries

Five approaches that will help researchers prepare for and make the most of serendipitous opportunities

Rachel Herbert

Elsevier

Giving students the chance to work in a professional company housed in a university has benefits for all

We started a commercial software company at our university – and you should too

Staffed by students, epiGenesys provides profits for the university and allows students to work in a lively, supportive and successful business environment

Mike Holcombe

University of Sheffield

Western universities need to get theirs heads out of the sand and embrace international partnerships

Western universities need to look further afield or risk alienation

So many institutions have their heads in the sand, but if they create true international partnerships, they can reap great rewards, says Hugh Martin

Hugh Martin

British University in Dubai

Maternity leave can be incredibly hard to navigate for women in academia

Breaking barriers for women: how to build effective parental leave

Seven academics who recently navigated the topsy-turvy world of maternity leave make six recommendations for ensuring motherhood is compatible with academia

Ellie Harrison , Siobhán O’Brien , Tiffany B. Taylor

University of Sheffield, Trinity College Dublin, University of Bath

Partnerships with outside companies can help universities if wielded properly

Could 2022 be the year of partnership models, and should you get involved?

Universities must consider the positives and negatives before jumping into a student support partnership or signing up with an online programme manager

Dawn Gilmore, Chinh Nguyen

RMIT University, Curio

Sexual misconduct is still a big problem in universities

Despite positive steps, much remains to be done on sexual misconduct

A year on from the OfS’ statement of expectations, it’s time to implement effective, evidence-based approaches to address harassment and sexual violence

Emma Bond, Andy Phippen

University of Suffolk, Bournemouth University

Allowing unicorn edtech companies to dominate the sector is a negative for universities

Chasing unicorns: can universities shape the edtech space to their advantage?

Staying abreast of developments outside the big players in the fast-moving world of edtech can benefit institutions while also ensuring a healthy marketplace

John Miles

Inkpath

Teaching university students proofreading skills can be hugely beneficial for their studies and later careers

Teaching your students proofreading skills brings them huge benefits

Being able to produce error-free written communication helps students project competence in class and beyond, says Stone Meredith

Stone Meredith

Colorado State University Global

Research and business need to go hand in hand in an uncertain future

Three big ideas to ensure research helps shape the future of business

High-quality scientific research and the values it encapsulates, such as a focus on empirical evidence over opinion, must be used to help business for years to come

Andrew Stephen

University of Oxford

Colonial power led to differentials between the Global North and South that persist to this day and will not be solved by universities' decolonisation efforts

Does decolonisation in the West do anything for the developing world?

Expanded reading lists do little for the student whose visa is denied because there’s not enough money in their parents’ bank account, says Farish A Noor

Farish A. Noor  

University of Malaya

We should create an army of university student volunteers to help with levelling up and social mobility

We need to create a tutoring army to level up education

Getting student volunteers to tutor less-privileged children would boost fundamental education for those who need it most and provide a national social mobility service, says Lee Elliot Major

Lee Elliot Major

The University of Exeter

Mature students and other non-traditional students are often overlooked by university recruitment teams

How to attract and support non-traditional students in higher education

Hurdles and obstacles are created from the outset and then vice-chancellors wonder why their student population is not diverse, says Dilshad Sheikh

Dilshad Sheikh

Arden University

How I plan to get through REF results day

If the results don’t deliver what we think we’ve earned, it will be a blow, but it won’t change the fact that what we do matters, says John McKendrick

John McKendrick

Glasgow Caledonian University

We must consider the SDGs in local contexts and universities can help

We won’t get anywhere without placing the SDGs in local contexts

Applying the SDGs looks vastly different in a Western city from how it does in a rural Asian village. Su Li Chong explains how universities can help us get past a one-size-fits-all approach

Su Li Chong

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

An image representing the possible outcomes from REF: good, bad and mixed

The good, the bad and the way forward: how UK universities should respond to REF results

How should UK universities respond if their REF results are good, bad or offer a mixed picture? New pro vice-chancellor for research Heather Widdows shares her advice

Heather Widdows

University of Birmingham

Diversity statements in higher education can embed inequality more deeply

Diversity statements: the good, the bad and the ugly

Diversity statements can be created with good intentions but still manage to perpetuate inequality. Henrika McCoy and Madeline Lee detail what to look out for and suggested action

Henrika McCoy, Madeline Lee

University of Illinois Chicago, California State University San Marcos

Outside help for local communities can have unintended negative consequences

Is that overseas field trip you’re looking forward to really necessary?

However well-intentioned, outside interventions can have unintended consequences for local communities if carried out without rigorous research, says James Derounian

James Derounian

University of Bolton

Image of a researcher examining a slide through a microscope

Don’t let the REF tail wag the academic dog

Institutions should resist the temptation to use the REF as a tool for competition and self-promotion and, instead, approach the results in ways that support sector-wide efforts to improve research culture

Marcus Munafò

The University of Bristol

A man walks past a colonial-era building in modern-day Malaysia

Can there ever be a neat history of colonialism?

People today seem to want their history to be linear and totalising, but it is only by addressing the messiness of the past that we can understand the present

Farish A. Noor  

University of Malaya

Is your education not supported? Incompatibility in tech is a big problem for universities

Is your teaching and learning ‘not supported’?

Are you Google or Microsoft? WhatsApp or Signal? The incompatibility driven by Big Tech obstructs research and teaching, so Europe’s mooted Digital Markets Act may be good news

Andy Farnell

Visiting professor

Hand holding megaphone to signify academic freedom

Academics must resist the creeping degradation of academic freedom

Unless an academic is exceptionally bloody-minded, they will eventually take the path of least resistance, which is subtle erosion in action, says Arif Ahmed

Arif Ahmed

University of Cambridge

Educational gag orders threaten the very fabric of US higher education

Educational gag orders could destroy the structure of higher education

Universities and programmes could lose their accreditation and students could lose their financial aid if governors continue signing these legislative restrictions

Jeremy C. Young

PEN America

Everything you need to know about cyberattacks (but were afraid to ask)

From communication to recovery times, Patrick Bailey provides an insider’s guide to dealing with the havoc wrought by cyberattacks, based on first-hand experience

Patrick Bailey

London South Bank University

The cruel optimism of research careers: how to support contract workers

The conversation needs to switch from academic careers being the responsibility of individual researchers to what employers can do to support those in precarious roles

Jess Harris, Simon Bailey, Mhorag Goff, Nerida Spina

The University of Newcastle, Australia, University of Kent, The University of Manchester, Queensland University of Technology

Purpose-driven businesses are leading the way for universities

Universities must follow business and place ‘purpose’ front and centre

More and more businesses are shifting from the short-term myopia of financial self-interest to enduring, aspirational reasons to exist. Universities need to do the same

Victoria Hurth, Iain Stewart

University of Cambridge, University of Plymouth

Naming students in online classes helps them connect and feel that their tutor is present

Naming students is even more crucial in online classes

Naming learners fosters a community in which the teacher is clearly all in and focused on individual members in the unique, shared space of the online classroom

Stone Meredith

Colorado State University Global

In-person teaching now needs to be justified

If we take the same critical lens to in-person learning as we once did to online, rationalising our need for the former, how much better could we make our teaching?

Stephen Dann

Australian National University

Lifelong learning needs a reboot to help professionals untangle their continuing education options

Lifelong learning needs a reboot – here’s how to do it

Instead of untangling a miscellany of education products, lifelong learners should find the structure and purpose of their degree continues into their professional life

Matt Riley

Blueprint Prep

Think differently. University students bring different things to the table so academics should use differentiated instruction to reach them all

Students are different, so why are you still teaching them all the same way?

We know that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t really work. Adriana Plata-Marroquin and Leticia Castaño offer tips on implementing differentiated instruction

Adriana Plata-Marroquin , Leticia Castaño Sánchez

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Working back to front, by writing feedback before students have submitted, can help when teaching large cohorts

Why you should write feedback to your students before they’ve submitted

Starting at the end seems counterintuitive, but anticipating student strengths and weaknesses and automating your responses comes into its own for large cohorts

Andy Grayson

Nottingham Trent University

Edtech needs to be chosen and designed by actual educators

It’s time for teachers to assert their professional opinions on learning delivery

Isn’t it odd that teachers are often just passive users of whatever tech product is selected for them rather than designers of and collaborators in edtech adoption?

Benjamin Tak Yuen Chan

Hong Kong Metropolitan University

University staff and leadership should not forget that the academic and the vocational are deeply intertwined

Don’t forget that the ‘academic’ and the ‘vocational’ are deeply intertwined

It’s not enough to focus solely on academic mission, but neither is it enough to think of universities as little more than training schools, says Sir Chris Husbands

Chris Husbands

Sheffield Hallam University

A teenager with street smarts, but university graduates will need to combine practical and academic skills to boost employability

Do our students need to be book smart or street smart? They need to be both

Employers want talent to jump right in and fulfil new tasks without a lot of coaching. Project-based learning will help prepare students for this new way of thinking and working

Lee Ann Walker

Colorado State University Global

Looking to the future of the workforce and universities

The sector must come together when talk turns to promoting economic success

What could be more important than preparing our students for jobs in the local economy and supporting graduates to become the entrepreneurs of the future? asks Sir David Bell

David Bell

University of Sunderland

Social media can make you sad, so here's how to battle the LinkedIn

Does seeing others’ success on LinkedIn make you unhappy?

LinkedIn can help you find a job and promote yourself, but it may also leave you questioning your own career trajectory – here’s how to combat the social media blues

Laura Lavertu, Sebastian Oliver

The University of Edinburgh

Smartphone and social media addiction is a real danger - and academics would be complicit if we don't start questioning its use more readily

Why I choose not to teach with social media

If social media is eventually revealed as a grave threat to public health, the academy’s unquestioning adoption of it could make scholars complicit

Zachary Michael Jack

North Central College

LinkedIn is becoming academia’s key tool for career progression

For students and academics alike, it’s harder to ignore LinkedIn’s combination of networking and self-promotional opportunities

Gillian McCurdy

Arden University

Opening the Twitter app on a mobile phone

The 10 commandments of academic Twitter

Lucas Lixinski offers tips on how to engage positively with the social media platform, from ‘honour thy hashtags’ to ‘thou shalt live-tweet at events’

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

Using social media data and analytics is key for academics hoping to expand their network

How to use social media analytics to effectively expand your network

Digging deeper into social media, through stats and data, is the key to understanding audience and carving out your niche, says Michael Skiba

Michael Skiba

Colorado State University Global

A female politician gives a speech - academics must tailor their communications with politicians in order to have their research affect policy

Want your research to have an impact on policy? Know your audience

Politicians are novices by design, so tailoring your communications with them gives you the best chance of cutting through, says David R. Garcia

David R. Garcia

Arizona State University

What can universities do to protect Russian and Ukrainian academics fighting for truth?

Academics’ struggle is a stirring reminder that the freedom of scholars and students to speak, teach and publish is neither inviolable nor dispensable, says Ron Daniels

Ron Daniels

Johns Hopkins University

A pros and cons list might be useful for academics deciding whether to adopt new edtech

Failing fast: what universities need to consider when adopting edtech

An edtech company might offer an outstanding technology that fits with the ethos and strategic direction of an institution, but that is just the start, says John Miles

John Miles

Inkpath

Propaganda and disinformation are rife on social media and beyond, and in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, universities need to play their part in countering it

Fake news and disinformation abounds, but what can universities do?

Few universities offer courses on countering propaganda, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine brings this weakness of provision into sharp relief, says Paul Baines

Paul Baines

University of Leicester

Fake news and bias can infect social media feeds, so university teachers need to educate students on how to read their platforms critically

Students aren’t giving up social media, so teach them how to question it

Whatever our own opinions on social media, we must educate our students about locating bias and reading their preferred platforms critically, says Stone Meredith

Stone Meredith

Colorado State University Global

A university leader gives a press conference - standing as a bastion for democracy is key for higher education and its leaders

Four key strategies for higher education leaders to advance democracy

University leaders must use their positions to develop citizens and communities that combat tyranny and facilitate democracy – hard work that is done on and off campus

Jon McNaughtan, Alexander W. Wiseman

Texas Tech University

University emoji friends: encouraging students to make friends on social media before starting university is a great idea, as long as there are protections in place

Social media can help new students make friends – but we must regulate it

There’s much to like about employing social media to help nervous students make connections before being dumped on campus, but universities must not overlook their duty of care

Andy Phippen

Bournemouth University

Opening the door to higher education requires a holistic approach for students from disadvantaged backgrounds

Universities must take a more holistic approach to social mobility

Financial support is only part of the equation – human and social capital are also crucial for helping students from disadvantaged backgrounds, says Andrew Burke

Andrew Burke

Trinity College Dublin

Universities need to promote pluralism and thinking across the divide in order to strengthen democracy

Universities must promote pluralism to ward off threats to democracy

Once the moral basis of anyone who disagrees with us is rejected, then democracy inevitably implodes, says Matthew Flinders

Matthew Flinders

University of Sheffield

Universities and higher education institutions need to sever ties with oil companies and get their ethics in order if they want to tackle the SDGs

Universities aren’t walking the walk on sustainability – not even close

While HEIs continue to take tens of millions of pounds from oil companies, their integrity and commitment to the SDGs looks shaky at best, says James Derounian

James Derounian

Visiting professor

Healthcare professionals need help from universities and higher education when implementing new tech into their practice

Health workers need tech training – for themselves and their patients

There are huge risks involved if current and future healthcare professionals have to take up new forms of practice such as video consultations without sufficient training

Stefan Rennick-Egglestone

University of Nottingham

How to stop unintentionally discriminating against international university students in your classroom through your pedagogy

How to stop unconsciously discriminating against international students

Using enquiry-based learning gives overseas students agency and helps them decide for themselves how they want to be included in the learning process, says Dylan Williams

Dylan Williams

Seoul National University

Cycling, running and other forms of exercise can be encouraged among university students by tutors who offer academic credits for exercise

Want students to exercise more? Make it part of their course

The body hears everything the mind says, so it is said. That is certainly true when teachers offer extra academic credits in return for physical activity, says Roberto Villaseñor-Roldán

Roberto Villaseñor-Roldán

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Sometimes quitting your PhD and leaving academia can be the most rational move for students

Thinking about quitting your PhD? Maybe that’s the right decision

Sometimes not completing a PhD is the rational choice, and having open conversations around it helps stop people feeling isolated and uncertain, says Katherine Firth

Katherine Firth

La Trobe University

Scientists and academics must practise humility and empathy when communicating with the public over issues such as climate change

We’ve forgotten how to communicate science to the public at a crucial time

As we try to tackle climate change, it feels like the pandemic has pushed us back decades to the bad old mode of scientists lecturing the public, says John Womersley

John Womersley

University of Oxford

University teachers must work hard to ensure students become comfortable with the process of peer review

Fostering student collaboration rather than competition using peer review

When students are involved in peer review, they can more easily see the ‘problems’ with classmates’ writing – and this creates opportunities in their own work, too

James Meredith

Colorado State University Global

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

Universal design for learning is a key framework for equity, diversity and inclusion among students in university settings

The case for using universal design for learning at your institution

Universal design for learning can be the answer when searching for true equity in our universities. Jacqui Whittle and Caroline Pike outline the how and why

Jacqui Whittle, Caroline Pike

Arden University

The way university teachers and lecturers speak to first-generation students can make a huge difference to how they get on in higher education

Gatekeepers or greeters? We must demystify university for first-gen students

Stone Meredith gives advice on using positive introductory phrases and how this can help first-generation students navigate university

Stone Meredith

Colorado State University Global

Social media influencer or blogger present and review recording or streaming vlog

How to start an academic YouTube channel: tips from a psychology YouTuber

YouTube is a wide-open opportunity for university teachers and researchers to share their knowledge with a broader audience, says Dennis Relojo-Howell

Dennis Relojo-Howell

The University of Edinburgh

Universities and society at large must promote female involvement and achievements in STEM

Boosting female representation in STEM is crucial to global innovation

Addressing the gender disparity in STEM isn’t just a question of striving for a fairer society, it’s also fundamental to solving the complex challenges that affect us all

Jennifer Tour Chayes

University of California, Berkeley

Outdated thinking has held back universities and higher education for centuries

We must confront the assumptions that have held back HE for centuries

A transformed system of HE would cast off these outdated assumptions about learning and base educational practices on the best research, says Nobel winner Carl Wieman

Carl Wieman

Stanford University

With the right kind of support, university students with mental disabilities can thrive both on campus and in the workplace

We can help students with intellectual disabilities shatter glass ceilings

With the right approach and a strong institutional commitment, students with intellectual disabilities can thrive at university and in the workplace

Meg Grigal, Ann Werbach

University of Massachusetts Boston, InsideTrack

Returning universities to face-to-face-only experiences would be regressive when online learning has come so far

Let’s not allow tradition to stifle innovation in higher education

The UK education secretary has said there are ‘no excuses’ for online learning at universities – but there are many reasons to persevere, says Lil Bremermann-Richard

Lil Bremermann-Richard

Oxford International Education Group

Academics who practise what they preach will always be more effective in the classroom

Professors who ‘practise what they preach’ help humanise research management

There is a need in academia for professors to match teaching and research with professional practice – and be fairly compensated for it

James Meredith

Colorado State University Global

Extended reality and the metaverse must become a research priority for universities

The metaverse will change everything – including academic research

We must push XR research boundaries if we’re to understand and shape our future reality – here’s how, says Neil McDonnell

Neil McDonnell

University of Glasgow

The stress continuum is a traffic light system that might help university staff and students discuss well-being

Conversations around stress must move beyond ‘I’m fine, how are you?’

Sara Metz offers practical advice on adopting the ‘stress continuum’ – a shared language and system to help staff and students reflect upon and discuss their well-being

Sara Metz

Colorado State University Global

Synchronous or asynchronous university lectures are not the issue if students aren't focusing on either of them particularly well

We need to move beyond the synchronous versus asynchronous debate

Academics are agonising over the wrong elements of online education. They should be thinking about active versus passive learning, says Simon Chesterman

Simon Chesterman

National University of Singapore

Freewriting is a useful exercise for university students to help cure writer's block

Focused freewriting is the cure for students’ writer’s block

Freewriting for five minutes warms up the brain and begins to fill students’ blank screens with material that gets their writing going. Anne Carlisle talks through the process

Anne Carlisle

Colorado State University Global

New rules for lecture subtitles and transcripts are creating huge amounts of extra work for time-poor academics

New rules on lecture transcripts give academics an impossible choice

Higher education leaders must engage on new transcription requirements post-pandemic to ensure academics don’t have to choose between inclusion or increased workload

Emily Nordmann, Wilhelmiina Toivo , Rachel O’Neill

University of Glasgow, The University of Edinburgh

A war reporter on the BBC, an organisation that opened its outlook to include overseas voices - which higher education also needs to do

I ran the BBC World Service – it showed me how universities can be truly global

Forget our universities’ Brit-centric approach – developing an authentically global experience needs to be at the core of higher education’s digital future

Peter Horrocks

Learna

University academics can be bad communicators - and this can be a problem when trying to engage industry

External engagement in academia: lessons from the business world

Many academics see external engagement as a chore. Others are just unable to appreciate industry perspectives. Both are stifling the contribution of universities

Kumud Wijayaratna , Ed Cottam

Northumbria University

Creating an interdisciplinary team at research universities is just like playing a fantasy role-playing game

Why interdisciplinarity is just like a fantasy role-playing game

Who’s the barbarian? Which one’s the wizard? Lorena Quilantán García offers practical advice on embarking upon your very own interdisciplinary hero quest

Lorena Quilantán García

Tecnológico de Monterrey

How university researchers can say goodbye to the lab and hello to an admin role

Are you a researcher who’s ready to move away from the bench? Here’s how

Deciphering job titles, utilising your network and coming to problems with ‘fresh eyes’ are all crucial for those moving from the lab to an admin role

Lia Paola Zambetti

University of Sydney

University enrolment teams could learn a lot from the lessons of graduate programmes

Graduate programmes have a lot to teach HE about enrolment

Steady increases in graduate enrolments have been one of the precious few bright spots during perhaps the most volatile period for higher education in recent memory

Toby McChesney

Santa Clara University

Rethinking PhDs to create graduates that are both academic and commercial is crucial to bioscience success

We must rethink PhDs to smash barriers and ensure bioscience success

Redesigning PhD training will help develop commercially savvy researchers, address skills gaps in UK bioscience and bolster innovation, say Simon Cook and Derek Jones

Simon Cook, Derek Jones

Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus

Australian government has invested heavily in university equity initiatives

Has government investment in higher education equity been worth it?

Evaluating the success of sector-wide initiatives is fraught, but there are some universal truths that should be considered, say Steven Howard and colleagues

Steven Howard, Sarah O’Shea, Kylie Lipscombe, Kellie Buckley-Walker

University of Wollongong

Engaging with LinkedIn is essential for the modern university academic when looking for a new job

Academic snobs can’t afford to ignore LinkedIn any longer

Considering a career move? When asking for a favour, such as info or an introduction, it helps to build a chain of trust. Which is where LinkedIn comes in, says Emma Williams

Emma Williams

EJW Solutions

University academics can take risks to get to the top

I took an alternative route to academic success – and I’m happier than ever

I ignored senior management and marketing departments and experimented with making my work more accessible and interesting – it paid off, says Jonathan Wilson

Jonathan Wilson

Regent’s University London

Giving university students word puzzles, quizzes and using games can be an excellent way for lecturers to engage them

Why interactive and game-based instruction beats lecturing every time

Going through the motions is easy for experienced lecturers, but we should all go the extra mile to make our classes interactive, challenging and fun, says Nancy Boury

Nancy Boury

Iowa State University

The higher education sector in the US is using an antiquated system of judging student metrics

IPEDS and the trouble with student metrics in the US

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System surveys hold great weight in the higher education system, but they are not inclusive enough and thus no longer fit for purpose, says Elizabeth Harris

Elizabeth Harris

Colorado State University Global

We know that university students want to learn together

Let’s harness students’ desire for interaction to define the future of learning

We know that students want to learn together. That information should underpin how we allocate resources to best serve their needs, say Derfel Owen and Ant Bagshaw

Derfel Owen, Ant Bagshaw

UCL, Online Education Services

Even second-generation immigrants are in danger of losing their heritage language, but universities can help

Universities must help their communities preserve heritage languages

Language loss is a real danger among even second-generation migrants – here’s how to help, say Sender Dovchin and Rhonda Oliver

Sender Dovchin, Rhonda Oliver

Curtin University

Too many university academics complain that the leadership talent pool is running dry without making any attempt to reach out to fresh talent

Complaining that the leadership talent pool is running dry? Here’s how to fill it

Abandoning traditional hierarchies and allowing mid- and early-career staff to experience leadership creates a thriving, diverse talent pool, say Jo Cresswell and Peter Hogg

Jo Cresswell, Peter Hogg

Dr Joanne Cresswell Coaching, University of Salford

Working alongside students can have positive impacts on research time and also student outcomes

Research time disappearing before your eyes? Try student collaborations

Working alongside students can help academics to both protect their research time and boost student employability, say Dean Fido and Louise Wallace

Dean Fido, Louise Wallace

University of Derby

Santa goes online. But university students and staff seem to be conflating online and blended learning, when they are two separate entities

My Christmas wish? Wider recognition that blended is different from online

Following two years of disruption and jumping between modes of delivery, many students and staff seem to be – incorrectly – conflating blended with online, says Harriet Dunbar-Morris

Harriet Dunbar-Morris

The University of Portsmouth

Large amounts of data can now be collected on students in order to help improve their learning outcomes

Collecting data on our students is the only way forward

Ubiquitous data collection will give rise to large datasets, which can help improve outcomes for all students – especially those most in need, says Daphne Koller

Daphne Koller

Stanford University

Ransomware and other online dangers can be utilised by hackers to attack universities if they do not have their cybersecurity sorted

Cybersecurity in the HE sector – getting the basics right

Managing security updates, vulnerability reviews, password policies and multi-factor authentication are staple university needs, says Clive Madders

Clive Madders

Cyber Tec Security

A group of university students arguing. We should teach students how to work together as a team

Why do we expect students to work well in groups if we don’t teach them how?

If we’re going to assign team projects, and if we really believe working well in a group is important, we must teach effective group processes, says Todd Zakrajsek

Todd Zakrajsek

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Self-regulation is a vital skill for university students to be taught by their lecturers

Is your curriculum design limiting students’ learning potential?

All too often, insufficient emphasis is placed on development of the self-regulatory skill sets that students need most in order to do well, says Carol Evans

Carol Evans

Cardiff University, University of Southampton

Tips for university academics on how to transition to hybrid teaching

Ten useful tips for teaching a hybrid course for the first time

Laura Patricia Zepeda Orantes shares recommendations for delivering hybrid courses, especially for teachers who are new to this way of working

Laura Patricia Zepeda Orantes

Tecnológico de Monterrey

If universities push staff towards social media, they must protect them, too

At the very least, there should be training on managing online discourse, blocking tools and recognising when ‘robust debate’ becomes abuse or libel, says Andy Phippen

Andy Phippen

Bournemouth University

Perfectionism has long been an affliction in academia for students and faculty alike

It’s time to tackle perfectionism head-on in the classroom

Perfectionism has long been the norm in academia. To combat it, we must offer help before it has to be asked for, say Laura March and Maggie Melo

Laura March, Maggie Melo

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

University researchers are too critical of themselves and others

Researchers are too critical – we need to give ourselves (and others) a break

It doesn’t have to be like this. Critical thinking means looking for the evidence – that is evidence both for and against, says Hugh Kearns

Hugh Kearns

Flinders University

Universities need to make sure their promo materials and slogans are not as bland as blancmange

How to ensure your university’s branding isn’t as bland as blancmange

Universities’ promo materials and slogans play it safe to the point of indolence, says Jonathan Wilson. He explains how to take a leaf from the global brand playbook

Jonathan Wilson

Regent’s University London

Universities can learn a great deal from the way Amazon embraced digital tech and constantly evolves

What can universities learn from Amazon?

From putting the customer first to the buzzword that is ‘fulfilment’, there’s much to be gleaned from the way Amazon and its ilk embraced digital technology, says Peter Vervest

Peter Vervest

Erasmus University Rotterdam

Education and grades are often in direct conflict in higher education, so it might be time for a messy divorce

Education and grades are often in direct conflict – it’s time for a messy divorce

Universities don’t do a very good job of credentialing, and the process actively harms students and their learning, so why do we persist? asks Danny Oppenheimer

Danny Oppenheimer

Carnegie Mellon University

Universities should take stock before banishing invigilated exams for good

Let’s all slow down before banishing invigilated exams forever

Despite the detractors, there still aren’t many better ways to ensure academic integrity and test knowledge and understanding, say Andy Grayson and Richard Trigg

Andy Grayson, Richard Trigg

Nottingham Trent University

Creative courses are an easy target and have long been undervalued despite their importance to economies

The government needs to square its rhetoric on creative courses

Undervaluing the creative sector is nothing new, but the government also says it’s part of a ‘rich mix’ needed to deliver its ambitions. So which one is it, asks Paul Thompson

Paul Thompson

Royal College of Art

Profound learning can be a revolution for your university

Classes need less focus on employability and more on profound learning

Classes are sometimes the least transformative elements of what students experience at university. We need to change that, say Davin Carr-Chellman, Ali Carr-Chellman and Michael Kroth

Davin Carr-Chellman , Ali Carr-Chellman, Michael Kroth

University of Dayton, University of Idaho

Turning an idea into a commercial interest is a hugely rewarding but challenging journey for university academics

Dragon’s zen: how to handle the jump from HE to a commercial venture

The learning curve is steep when leaving academia for an entrepreneurial adventure. John Miles outlines what to expect and says the skills you learned as a researcher can help

John Miles

Inkpath

The relationship between supervisor and early career researcher is crucial

Lessons learned from supervising more than 150 researchers

The transition from PhD candidate to ECR is when the relationship between researcher and supervisor comes to the fore, say Tara Moore and Louise Robertson

Tara Moore, Louise Robertson

Ulster University

Universities should be preparing now to be inundated with older students given workforce shifts

Universities need to prepare for the mature student onslaught

Higher ed is notoriously bad at attracting and accommodating mature students. Given the workforce shifts spawned by the pandemic, this needs to change, says Dilshad Sheikh

Dilshad Sheikh

Arden University

Being an early career researcher does not need to be lonely

Don’t believe the hype: being an ECR needn’t be a lonely existence

Finding ‘PhD pals’ in the same boat, but also learning to communicate your work effectively outside the research bubble, is crucial for ECRs, says Rebekah Ackroyd

Rebekah Ackroyd

University of Cumbria

Can universities maintain their cultural identities in our increasingly hybrid world

Can universities maintain their cultural identity in a blended world?

A university’s identity cannot be neatly packaged. It changes over time and has different meanings to the diverse groups that make up that institution, says Nic Beech

Nic Beech

Middlesex University

Now could be a good time to move into environmental research in universities

Now could be a smart time to move into environmental research

Against a backdrop of increased funding and publishing output, aligning yourself with the green economy early could be a shrewd move, says Tim Smith

Tim Smith

IOP Publishing

Supervisor bullying of PhD students is a stain on universities and higher education

Bullying by supervisors is alive and well – now is the time to tackle it

The arrangements that trap PhD students in toxic relationships with abusive supervisors must be reformed – here’s how, says Timothy Ijoyemi

Timothy Ijoyemi

UCL

Microaggressions are often shrugged off due to lack of intent, but intent and impact are very different

So you don’t think microaggressions have an impact?

Microaggressions are often shrugged off by perpetrators because of a supposed lack of intent. But intent and impact are very different indeed, says rashné limki

rashné limki

The University of Edinburgh

Cybersecurity is getting better at universities but they all need to do more

Cybersecurity remains a critical issue that universities must face

Statistics show that universities are getting better at defending against and preparing for cyberattacks, but much more needs to be done, says Heidi Fraser-Krauss

Heidi Fraser-Krauss

Jisc

Do EDI kitemarks provide any real protection for female academics subjected to online abuse?

Do EDI kitemarks help protect female researchers from online abuse?

While they allow institutions to claim commitment to gender equality, kitemarks do little to challenge them on their actual policies, say Andy Phippen and Emma Bond

Andy Phippen, Emma Bond

Bournemouth University, University of Suffolk

Watch parties are a variation on the flipped learning model used in universities

In praise of the ‘watch party’ – an update to the flipped learning model

Many new students struggle with the amount of self-directed learning at university. Perhaps it’s time to introduce watch parties, say Emily Nordmann and Carolina Kuepper-Tetzel

Emily Nordmann, Carolina Kuepper-Tetzel

University of Glasgow

Making university campuses and courses more compassionate will lead to better student outcomes

How to make campuses and courses more compassionate

Telling students that you’ve considered their well-being in organisational culture and curriculum design can in itself bolster confidence, says Louise Lawrence

Louise Lawrence

The University of Exeter

Should universities follow the lead of business and think about demolishing hierarchy

Should we do away with hierarchy in higher education?

I’ve found myself questioning whether a holacratic system, in which there are no managers or leaders, would work in universities, says Aspasia Eleni Paltoglou

Aspasia Eleni Paltoglou

Manchester Metropolitan University

Higher education must face up to and answer some difficult questions over how it deals with mental health

Three big mental health questions that academia must talk about

A reckoning with how we handle mental health in higher education is long overdue, says June Gruber

June Gruber

The University of Colorado Boulder

Empty desks and chairs in classroom illustrating classroom design

Returning to on-campus classrooms – are they fit for purpose?

Gunter Saunders explains why classroom design must take technology into account in facilitating active, student-centred learning

Gunter Saunders

University of Westminster

Beware the academic undead this Halloween

Fear the zombie student apocalypse

Andy Farnell argues that non-assessed courses could free universities, and the academic undead, from increasing spiritual depletion and a lifeless pursuit of certificates

Andy Farnell

Visiting professor

Universities are creating pre-prepared, fully complete courses called shells

How I stopped worrying and learned to embrace pre-prepared courses

I was shocked when first told I had to teach a ‘shell’ prepared by a colleague a few years ago, but I’m actually growing from the experience, says George Justice

George Justice

Arizona State University

Megaphone shouting. Researchers at universities must overcome the struggle with self-promotion

Researchers: fight back against your struggle with self-promotion

Postdoc or professor, the self-promotion struggle is real. So, how can we promote ourselves without sounding too ‘sales-y’? Emma Williams has the answers

Emma Williams

EJW Solutions

After spending my entire career climbing the university career ladder, I'm now wondering what's next

I’ve successfully climbed the academic career ladder − now what?

Having spent my entire career trying to get to where I am now, I’m working out how to slow down and seize the opportunities ahead, says Lucas Lixinski

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

Tempting back adults who left college early without a degree could be key to higher education's recovery

Re-engaging adult learners is key to a sustainable HE recovery

Winning back those who left college without a degree will be key in reversing the declines of the past year, say Kai Drekmeier and Amanda Winters

Kai Drekmeier, Amanda Winters

InsideTrack, National Governors Association

Mindfulness education at university goes beyond pedagogy

It’s past time for a serious appraisal of mindfulness education

True mindfulness education goes beyond pedagogy and improving learning outcomes – it is a holistic approach for developing students and staff, says Christine Rivers

Christine Rivers

University of Surrey

Students are demanding action from higher education universities on climate change now

Students demand action on the climate crisis now – not later

COP26 is the world’s best – and perhaps last – chance to get runaway climate change under control, and to reach net zero HE needs to act swiftly, says Manveer Gill

Manveer Gill

Climate Commission for UK Higher and Further Education

It is incumbent upon university leaders to create diverse and inclusive communities and curricula

Fellow vice-chancellors, we must lead the charge on equality

It’s incumbent on us all to ensure our universities offer inclusive and diverse settings in which anyone, regardless of their background, can flourish, says Craig Mahoney

Craig Mahoney

University of the West of Scotland

Sustainability needs to be taught but also embraced by universities as students become ever more concerned

Prepare for student sustainability demands to go through the roof

Students will be the driving force behind universities finally being held accountable and made to practise what they preach on climate change, says Andreas Kaplan

Andreas Kaplan

ESCP Business School

Race tends to come behind gender when it comes to university work on equality

Competing hierarchies of oppression: why is race a lower priority?

Gender is often given priority in HE because it’s seen as a universal concern that affects all women, but this ignores racism within gender equality work, says Kalwant Bhopal

Kalwant Bhopal

University of Birmingham

International students needs careers advice too

Don’t forget that international students need careers support too

Just 2 per cent of international students find jobs through UK universities’ careers services – a big failure given their economic input, says Alexis Brown

Alexis Brown

Higher Education Policy Institute

Universities should offer master's-level students the opportunity to gain research experience

So you want a novel way to support untapped research talent?

There’s great scope for the sector to offer research development opportunities to taught postgraduate students, says John McKendrick

John McKendrick

Glasgow Caledonian University

Community colleges are at the forefront of work-related study

Community colleges are the front line for workforce innovation

As bachelor’s-granting institutions grow ever more focused on employability, there’s much they can learn from community colleges, say Vicki Karolewics and Bharani Rajakumar

Vicki Karolewics , Bharani Rajakumar

Wallace State Community College, TRANSFR

Universities' conventional, top-down approach fails to recognise that working adults often already possess many critical work skills

Now is the time to design a system in which all learning counts

Our conventional, top-down approach fails to recognise that working adults often already possess many critical work skills, say Lisa McIntyre-Hite and Mackenzie Jackson

Lisa McIntyre-Hite, Mackenzie Jackson

Guild Education

Peer to peer feedback, as used by the Bronte Sisters, is a crucial tool for improving writing skills in university students

If peer feedback was good enough for the Brontë sisters, it’s good enough for us

The shift online provides new ways to harness the power of peer feedback to improve writing skills, say Sherry Wynn Perdue, Pam Bromley, Mark Limbach and Jonathan Olshock

Sherry Wynn Perdue, Pam Bromley, Mark Limbach, Jonathan Olshock

Oakland University, Scripps College, Peerceptiv

In the new normal we might forget the technology and focus on motivating human beings again

Forget the tech – in the new normal, let’s focus on human beings

The key to making learning effective, now and in the post-pandemic world, is focusing on motivation, says Grace McCarthy

Grace McCarthy

University of Wollongong

UK universities have their heads in the sand when it comes to student addiction and recovery

UK universities have their heads in the sand on student addiction

Isolation and shame pose big risks to recovery from addiction problems, yet on-campus support programmes are rare in the UK, say Suzi Gage and Shahroo Izadi

Suzi Gage, Shahroo Izadi

University of Liverpool

The power divide between universities in the Global North and Global South makes equitable partnerships impossible

Equal research partnerships are a myth – but we can change that

The movement for decolonising universities should also be applied to research ‘partnerships’ and their unequal balance of power, say Faith Mkwananzi and Melis Cin

Faith Mkwananzi , Melis Cin

University of the Free State, Lancaster University

The secret to success as a researcher at universities is the ability to manage people

Want to get on in research? You need to manage people effectively

From supervisors to friends and family, the key to success is organising the people around you, says Ellie King

Ellie King

The University of Warwick

Universities and higher education need to do a better job of preparing students for the workplace

How higher education can do better at developing skills for the workplace

Universities must do more to nurture enduring skills that can be transferred across different contexts such as critical thinking, problem-solving and communication, says Ben Nelson

Ben Nelson

Zayed University

Obliterating the academic calendar is just the start for universities if they are to best serve their students

Obliterating the academic calendar is the easy part

More money for US community colleges and new thinking on semester lengths must be accompanied by cohesive pathways to degrees, say Karen A. Stout and Tom Shaver

Karen A. Stout, Tom Shaver

Achieving the Dream, Ad Astra Information Systems

Equality, diversity and inclusion strategies at universities should just be the start of the conversation, not an end in themselves

There are so many reasons why EDI is not the answer

If we wish to transform our institutions, we must see EDI not as an end but as a tool to start recognising the power that feeds oppressive structures, says Manvir Grewal

Manvir Grewal

University of Westminster

Empathy is a big part of authentic leadership, along with open decisionmaking

Authentic leadership isn’t new – but we need it more than ever in higher education

For leadership to be effective, we need to understand our own limitations and listen to others to learn how to overcome them, say Sarah Jones and Alasdair Blair

Sarah Jones, Alasdair Blair

De Montfort University

Randomised control trials are crucial for good science, but we can also improve their ethics

We can make research more ethical without compromising its quality

The debate on the ethics of randomised control trials isn’t getting us anywhere – it’s time for solutions, says Stefano Caria

Stefano Caria

The University of Warwick

Students want feel heard, valued, seen and represented

It’s our duty to teach more inclusively − online, in person or hybrid

Students want to be seen, heard and valued, and there are many ways to include them while fostering equitable learning outcomes, says Flower Darby

Flower Darby

Northern Arizona University

Online CPD is one pandemic innovation that should stay for universities and the higher education sector

Online CPD is one pandemic innovation worth fighting for

Let’s not waste this opportunity to make development broader and more inclusive using the lessons of the past 18 months, says Chris Headleand

Chris Headleand

University of Lincoln

Online learning in its current form is not good at engaging learners, or even at teaching them

The shift online could set digital learning back by years

The digital tools used during the pandemic may help address access and scale, but they do little to help students actually learn, says Tom Adams

Tom Adams

Quantic School of Business and Technology

HE needs to follow tech companies’ lead and go ‘agile’

Universities need shorter cycles of learning and credentialing, such as eight-week academic terms and quick, stackable certificates, says Tom Monahan

Tom Monahan

DeVry University

Stalk of broccoli cut down, illustrating responsibility for staff well-being

Broccoli and birdsong: the shifty discourse of ‘staff well-being’

When institutions put responsibility for wellness onto individuals, they also deflect their role in staff burnout and mental ill health, writes Madeleine Davies

Madeleine Davies

University of Reading

The importance of a structured mentorship programme for ECRs cannot be overstated

How to ensure your mentorship programme isn’t one of the (many) bad ones

Structured mentorship programmes offer a non-judgemental setting in which to ask those pesky questions whose answers shape careers, says Lia Paola Zambetti

Lia Paola Zambetti

University of Sydney

Want to tear students from their phones? Learn their names

Holding students’ attention in a world of digital distractions is tough, but James Lang explains why remembering and using their names can make the task less herculean

James M. Lang

Assumption University

Displaced workers deserve more than short-termism from universities

Institutions must stop and think before helping reshape the career trajectories of millions of workers, says Gangaram Singh

Gangaram Singh

National University

University leaders must build trust and create community

Leaders: how to build community and trust during a crisis

Charles Egbu, vice-chancellor of Leeds Trinity University, reflects on five key lessons he learned while taking the helm during the pandemic

Charles Egbu

Leeds Trinity University

International students generate billions of pounds for the British economy so the nation must act to preserve its reputation overseas

The UK must act now to preserve its reputation internationally

The figures show that the UK is slowly losing its appeal to overseas students, but what can be done about it? asks Vivienne Stern

Vivienne Stern

Universities UK International

Leaks and holes: beyond the pipeline versus process debate on diversity

A pipeline does exist in higher ed, but process and structural violence in education writ large keep puncturing the pipe, says Pardis Mahdavi

Pardis Mahdavi

Arizona State University

A mixed group of students of varying demographics. This is becoming the norm in HE and the sector must listen to and respect the challenges these students face

If we want non-traditional results, we need non-traditional approaches

We must listen to − and respect − the needs and aspirations of learners as they are, not as we wish them to be, say Gregory Fowler and Kate Smith

Gregory Fowler, Kate Smith

University of Maryland Global Campus, Rio Salado College

University leaders must demonstrate an adaptive mindset and be aware they don't have all the answers

University leaders need to demonstrate an adaptive mindset

With huge change ahead, leaders must be brave and accept that the right decisions may not always deliver the best spreadsheet results, say Alasdair Blair and Sarah Jones

Alasdair Blair, Sarah Jones

De Montfort University

A lecturer speaks to university students, but what is the role of the lecture in modern HE?

What is the purpose of a university lecture?

We must continue to question the true role of the lecture and how lecture recordings fit in to the effective delivery of higher education, says Jill MacKay

Jill MacKay

The University of Edinburgh

Students need effective information, advice and guidance to make informed post-18 decisions

Targeted advice and guidance is crucial for widening participation

Especially post-Covid, pupils need a strong foundation that prepares them for future post-18 decisions

Billy Huband-Thompson

Centre for Education and Youth

The word ‘play’ and a downward arrow in neon

Ready, player one? How video games can help engage students

Engaging, rewarding and a great way to encourage active participation, games are a brilliant addition to a teaching and learning environment, says Chris Headleand

Chris Headleand

University of Lincoln

Most students need a helping hand, but giving every student the same thing does not necessarily equate to good support

Do we need equity or equality to make things ‘fair’? Actually, we need both

Fair, to some people, means everyone getting the same thing. But that’s only fair if everyone begins at the same place and needs the same things to succeed, says Todd Zakrajsek

Todd Zakrajsek

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

A magnifying glass among scattered letters represents problem solving

Follow the (learning) science and put problem solving at the centre of teaching

Rather than a digital transformation, universities should undergo a learning transformation that supports effective technology and evidence-based teaching, argue Carl Wieman and Bror Saxberg

Carl Wieman , Bror Saxberg

Stanford University

Early career researchers must master the art of saying no and not be too eager to please

Early career researchers can say no, too

Coming up with a series of questions for ECRs about each ‘opportunity’ as it arises can help them decide what is worthy of their time, says Lucas Lixinski

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

Selection criteria in academia often creates invisible barriers for underrepresented groups

We must dismantle the invisible career barriers in HE

Despite surface appearances, universities’ recruitment and selection practices still present hidden obstacles to under-represented groups

Rebecca Jarrett

Cranfield University

Student holding a wallet illustrating challenge of buying textbooks, affordability

We need to help students overcome their textbook troubles

As institutions re-examine the costs of attending university, the affordability of course materials is again moving to the centre of the conversation, writes Raj Kaji

Raj Kaji

Akademos

Self-directed learning is becoming overlooked by a sector to keen to talk about asynchronous learning and other buzz terms

Self-directed learning is becoming the forgotten ingredient in HE

In the heady rush to extol the virtues of asynchronous learning, we are watering down the main element of students’ learning experience, says Linda Kaye

Linda Kaye

Edge Hill University

Japanese students, as well as the country's institutions, would benefit from greater multiculturalism

How can we solve Japan’s student mobility issues?

Japan struggles with multiculturalism as a concept, let alone a reality, and overseas students can suffer. But online education could offer help, says Haruko Satoh

Haruko Satoh

Osaka University

A laptop, coffee and apple depict an unrealistic working from home set-up

Let’s embrace flexible learning as much as we have flexible working

Much like working from home, remote teaching and learning come with a range of benefits to learners if we just make room for them

Matt Jenner

FutureLearn

Blended learning is too bland - universities need to punk it up and improve their content

Blended learning is so bland − we need to punk things up

Just like musicians on tour, we must focus more on delivery and start holding ourselves to the same standards as any broadcaster or media company, says Jonathan Wilson

Jonathan Wilson

Regent’s University London

Reliability and validity of grading in university courses

Making grading in university courses more reliable

Inconsistent or inaccurate grading can have serious real-world consequences for students. Paige Tsai and Danny Oppenheimer offer tips on how to recognise and fix the problem

Paige Tsai, Danny Oppenheimer

Harvard Business School, Carnegie Mellon University

We must help our students make this a ‘summer of self-love’

It would be wise to keep an eye on our students over the coming months, as the period after lockdown typically brings intense emotional responses, says Bertus Jeronimus

Bertus Jeronimus

University of Groningen

Pushing boundaries and having fun can be crucial ways to rediscover the joys of teaching in universities

Want to be a better teacher? My daughter showed me we need to play more

Testing silly ideas and pushing boundaries are crucial − and liberating − but universities must provide digital spaces where we can do so freely, says Andy Farnell

Andy Farnell

Visiting professor

Traditional universities have often been too slow on the digital uptake

Choppy digital waters lie ahead for many storied institutions

Traditional universities are too often led by the interests of lecturers rather than the employment needs of students or recruitment needs of businesses, says Dilshad Sheikh

Dilshad Sheikh

Arden University

Indian students on campus. It seems unlikely that online or blended learning would find an environment to thrive in India

Is blended learning just a pipe dream for Indian HE?

It’s unlikely we are ready for a seismic shift while simultaneously trying to improve the quality of university education in general, say Gunjan Rajput and Swapnarag Swain

Gunjan Rajput , Swapnarag Swain

Rishihood University, International Management Institute Kolkata

Construction workers huddled over plans represent universities laying foundational steps for online learning

The foundational steps needed to advance online higher education post-Covid

The will to evolve is essential, followed by a technology-led approach to pedagogy, student engagement and interactivity, says Steve Davies

Steve Davies

University of South Wales, Learna

A person texting on their phone representing a teacher responding to students' questions

A low-touch approach to high-touch online teaching

A little strategising can go a long way in increasing contact points with students without sacrificing work-life balance, says Sarah Rose Cavanagh

Sarah Rose Cavanagh

Assumption University

Global education. Utilising the capabilities of online and blended learning could make education more accessible for people all over the world

Blended learning should be embraced for the benefit of all

By using online capabilities, higher education could be transformed from a privilege into a basic human right for anyone who wants it, says Sir Tim O’Shea

Tim O'Shea

Kortext

A student asleep on his laptop. Just because someone has logged into a class does not mean they have engaged with that class.

We shouldn’t confuse online engagement with logging in

When assessing the all-important ‘engagement’ metric, the sector often defaults to the crude measurement of attendance − which is clearly flawed, says Chris Headleand

Chris Headleand

University of Lincoln

A woman communicates with classmates in a synchronous remote classroom

Funny memes and other ways to encourage students to keep their cameras on

Frank R. Castelli offers advice from his evidenced-based strategy to get students to use their cameras without requiring it

Frank R. Castelli

Cornell University

A group of people representing a small discussion group of university faculty

This is how administrators can support faculty to develop their online teaching

Faculty are poised to take their online teaching to the next level, but they’ll need time to reflect as well as appropriate resources and professional incentives

Elizabeth A. Lehfeldt

Cleveland State University

Is it possible to grapple with big questions in a virtual environment?

Is it possible to think big thoughts virtually?

When discussing complex problems online, without the ability to read the room, the focus often shifts to what can be achieved rather than taking risks, says Donna Murray

Donna Murray

The University of Edinburgh

Whitehall sign. The government needs to step up in the battle for student retention

Government needs to step up in the student retention battle

The higher education sector needs the resources to get better at spotting students at risk of falling behind or dropping out altogether, says John Couperthwaite

John Couperthwaite

Echo360

We must admit that things are and have been bad during the pandemic and realise that people are at different stages of comfort with others

My first post-Covid conference showed me we need to prep for the campus return

At this conference, faculty were like the walking wounded, but we can and should learn from it because our students deserve our best selves, says Flower Darby

Flower Darby

Northern Arizona University

Newspaper front covers. The media should work with universities to ease the burden of an already-difficult new academic year

It’s time for the media to work with universities, not against us

The next school year is going to be challenging enough as it is without the skewed and absolutist coverage we’ve seen in the media lately, says Harriet Dunbar-Morris

Harriet Dunbar-Morris

The University of Portsmouth

Tsinghua University. Chinese universities are on the up, but they have a glass ceiling to break through to become players on the world stage

Chinese universities face a tricky route to the top

China’s institutions are undoubtedly on the up, but they need to smash their glass ceiling to truly register on the world stage, says James Chin

James Chin

University of Tasmania

Universities are creating more of their own online content, but with that comes big questions for the future

Why miss out on revenue when universities can take more blended learning in-house?

Institutions are embracing the opportunity to create and deliver their own online programmes, but they’re realising that means more to think about, says Elliot Felix

Elliot Felix

Brightspot

Community outreach can be even better when carried out online

Don’t be fooled – community outreach can be even better online

Covid and the move online made audiences even larger for our student-led social media workshops aimed at local businesses, say Dennis Olsen and Kristin Brewe

Dennis Olsen, Kristin Brewe

University of West London

Road sign for the north and south of the UK. Regional accent differences can be even harder to familiarise oneself with when being taught online

Dead rank? Non-native speakers losing out on local dialects online

Let’s face it, the virtual classroom isn’t the best environment for international students to get to grips with linguistic diversity, says Andrew Mackenzie

Andrew Mackenzie

British Council

Not all broadband access is created equal and universities must take their student demographics into account when deciding on levels of online teaching

Don’t forget that not all internet access is created equal

Broadband quality, and thus suitability for online tuition, varies greatly depending on where students come from, say Darragh Flannery, Dónal Palcic and John Cullinan

Darragh Flannery, Donal Palcic, John Cullinan

University of Limerick, National University of Ireland Galway

This is our chance to create the classroom of the future

We know what works best for learning, and most of it is easier to implement in the online world, says Daphne Koller

Daphne Koller

Stanford University

Passing a note in class. The modern version might be sending an emoji to a friend, but these back channels of communication are crucial

We must encourage the art of passing (virtual) secret notes in class

Far from being unwanted classroom distractions, informal communications such as gifs, emojis and online chat can fulfil basic human needs, say Claire Kinsella and Linda Kaye

Claire Kinsella, Linda Kaye

University of Staffordshire, Edge Hill University

Distance learners deserve better than HE’s latest bait and switch

Remote learning is the latest scapegoat being used to justify returning to the ‘normal’ of rising tuition costs and sky-high student debt, says Zachary Michael Jack

Zachary Michael Jack

North Central College

The role of the community college should not be underestimated in terms of providing civil discourse and education opportunities

Don’t downplay the role of community colleges in healing a nation

At a time of rampant disinformation, these two-year institutions can be the engines of enquiry and purpose that enable the next generation to rebuild our democracy, says Eduardo Padron

Eduardo Padron

Miami Dade College

Universities are heading for a mental health crisis following the pandemic, so they need to start preparing now

A student mental health crisis awaits. Here’s how we avoid a bad fall

Extra funding should be requested now to staff up wellness centres, counselling centres and campus ministries, says Todd Zakrajsek

Todd Zakrajsek

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

A group of students. We need to move away from designing HE for the idealised 'traditional' student

Returning to ‘normal’ is really a return to ignorance

Covid revealed that students need flexible and inclusive learning opportunities − something that should have been obvious well before the pandemic, says Torrey Trust

Torrey Trust

University of Massachusetts Amherst

The shift online will have positive side effects that we haven't realised yet

The digital shift will have many (positive) side-effects

In the not-so-distant future, we’ll realise the digital transformation has changed higher education for the better, in ways we never expected, say Rick Shangraw and Wayne Bovier

Rick Shangraw, Wayne Bovier

Cintana Education, Higher Digital

Leadership game of chess king. University leaders have a unique opportunity to lead change in the HE sector

How leaders can seize higher ed’s ‘catalytic moment for change’

Those that lead by example, reward innovative faculty and increase campus-wide buy-in will determine the future of higher education, says Jon McNaughtan

Jon McNaughtan

Texas Tech University

A stressed student prepares for an online exam. Assessment online brings a new set of problems for academics to be aware of

Are online exams better for student mental health?

Traditional exams under tightly invigilated conditions are highly stressful for students, but online alternatives bring their own issues, says Michael Priestley

Michael Priestley

Durham University

Text and computer code. We should stop fetishizing high-tech teaching and realise that reading is an optimal means of learning

The joy of text in a world of tech zealotry

Why do we fetishise high-tech teaching while denigrating reading as a second-rate learning style? asks Andy Farnell

Andy Farnell

Campus

Socialising is hugely important, but virtual campuses help learning, too

The social elements of university help students succeed academically, so we must start transplanting them online, says Elizabeth Lehfeldt

Elizabeth A. Lehfeldt

Cleveland State University

Preacher man. Academics need to drop the holier-than-thou attitude and sees themselves in their students when it comes to cheating

Professors, stop pretending that you never cheat

Academics should drop the holier-than-thou attitude and look at cheating from a student’s perspective if we want to understand and eradicate it, says Hamish Binns

Hamish Binns

Saint Louis University

We must stop confusing the emergency use online learning we've been relying on during the pandemic with real, well-designed online learning

Let’s stop confusing what just happened with true online learning

During the pandemic, decades of research and practice were tossed aside in a matter of days, says Ali Carr-Chellman

Ali Carr-Chellman

University of Dayton

A student studies at home in bed. Universities must make their moves towards blended learning open and easy to follow.

How do we rescue the reputation of blended learning?

To convince students and stakeholders that blended learning is worth the full tuition fee, we need to tell them exactly how it will work, says Russell Crawford

Russell Crawford

Falmouth University

A university campus. We should seize the opportunity to make our course design reflect the university as an institution

Never forget: your course is not only yours

Too much of our instructional design undershoots the potential of higher education to improve not only individual lives but also the public good, says Robin DeRosa

Robin DeRosa

Plymouth State University

Time pressure. Many in academia are putting in huge numbers of hours that are not rewarded or even recognised

Recognition of academia’s ‘invisible labour’ is long overdue

We must ensure that academic citizenship becomes a key part of our job descriptions, on par with teaching, research and management, say Shari Boodts and Fleur Jongepier

Shari Boodts, Fleur Jongepier

Radboud University

A Chinese departure hall. The influx of Chinese students is on a downward turn and universities worldwide need to be prepared

After the gold rush: how to respond to the Chinese student downswing

As the country’s outbound study trend cools, student recruitment strategies must evolve – and there is no ‘next China’ to fall back on, says Matt Durnin

Matt Durnin

British Council

Collaboration between Asia and the West is a global common good in higher education and beyond

What does the rise of Asia mean for global higher education?

Many hurdles remain, from racism to presumed Western superiority, but equal dialogues and collaborations will foster the global common good, says Xin Xu

Xin Xu

University of Oxford

Will the shift to hybrid learning signal the end of the sage on the stage?

Moving online could signal the death of pedagogy

Shifting to andragogical learning models is the ideal way to prepare students for independent study, research and the world of work, says Steve Davies

Steve Davies

University of South Wales

A diverse group of students requires a diverse range of learning opportunities, an approach that is championed by universal design for learning

Flexibility is key if we want students to connect with their studies

Universal design for learning not only embraces diversity, it also uses it as the basis for providing choice in how students learn – and succeed, says Lillian Nave

Lillian Nave

Appalachian State University

Head in the clouds. Student engagement is used almost universally in HE, but no one seems to agree on what it actually means.

What is student engagement?

The move online compounded matters, but even before that, nobody could agree on what student engagement was – and that needs to change, says Chris Headleand

Chris Headleand

University of Lincoln

Too many devices. Should we be training lecturers to deal with shortened attention spans?

Should lecturers be trained to deal with shortening attention spans?

Would my life be easier if I had received explicit guidance in how to deliver content in TikTok-length pieces? asks Katie Davis

Katie Davis

University of Washington

Diversity faces many challenges in HE, but the Council of Coalitions model at ASU could offer valuable lessons

This model is the future of diversity in higher education

Coming together for support is the only way forward – and the Council of Coalitions is the model for inter-group organising we desperately need, says Pardis Mahdavi

Pardis Mahdavi

Arizona State University

Learning Chinese script. The challenges of teaching students a non-Roman language are manifold, especially online, but it's crucial to preserve linguistic heritage

The trials of teaching a ‘new’ script in a virtual world

Teaching non-Roman scripts online throws up great challenges, but we must preserve the world’s linguistic resources, say Rana Raddawi, Jingjing Ji and Ronit Alexander

Rana Raddawi, Jingjing Ji, Ronit Alexander

Northwestern University

Personal crises can strike students at any time, especially given the pandemic, and those who help them probably need help too.

The sector’s mental health workers need help too

More assistance must be offered to help students survive, let alone thrive – and the same goes for student crisis interventionists like me, says Lula Torres

Lula Torres

InsideTrack

An atmospheric theatre. Beware the futility of wellness theatre

Beware the futility of higher education’s wellness theatre

Surface-level emphasis on self-care without discussing systemic problems in HE runs the risk of gaslighting students who face very real barriers, says Fiona Rawle

Fiona Rawle

University of Toronto Mississauga

Digital poverty is becoming as important an issue as housing, healthcare and education, especially with universities pivoting online

Digital resources now rank alongside housing, healthcare and education

Universities, government, business and local communities must come together and provide strategic action to tackle digital poverty effectively, says Julian Thomas

Julian Thomas

RMIT University

A virtual student competition. These events' move online has resulted in a much greater international spread of participants and collaboration.

Moving student competitions online has made them better than ever

Virtual competitions have flourished and resulted in greater international collaboration, says Gayle DeBruyn

Gayle DeBruyn

Ferris State University

With more and more students achieving high grades, online micro courses can help graduates stand out in the jobs market

Short online courses can grease the wheels of student employability

The degree has transitioned from differentiating factor to basic benchmark. Online microcredentials can help graduates stand out from their rivals, says Madina Tash

Madina Tash

University of Sussex

Made in China. The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated China's position as the world leader in edtech.

Covid-19 has reinforced China’s role as global leader in ed-tech

The country’s giant companies benefit from an ecosystem that supports online learning and a cultural propensity to prioritise education, says Tom C. Varghese

Tom C. Varghese

University of Oxford

Online and blended learning must be stepped up to deliver equitable learning as part of the new "metaverse" that university students will come to expect

The educational ‘metaverse’ is coming

The universities best equipped with digital infrastructure and savvy human resources will emerge as the new leaders − no matter where they are, says Kwang Hyung Lee

Kwang Hyung Lee

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

The government and HE sector must think digital-first when offering employability skills and training.

Digital-first thinking is needed to address youth employability

Younger people are geared towards digital channels, so they’re more likely to engage with innovative, online training as part of their studies, says Harminder Matharu

Harminder Matharu

FutureLearn

Cybersecurity is not just for the geeks in the IT department

Our first-year university students might have received no education on cybersecurity since the age of 13, say Andy Phippen and Emma Bond

Andy Phippen, Emma Bond

Bournemouth University, University of Suffolk

Zoom meetings do not have to be quite so painful for academics and university staff.

Zoom meetings don’t have to be quite so painful

Simple actions can help avoid common pitfalls in the design and execution of online team meetings, say Rob Angell and Ben Marder

Rob Angell, Ben Marder

University of Southampton, The University of Edinburgh

Universities have been taking all the wrong cues when trying to measure engagement.

Forget everything you think you know about online engagement

There’s much interest in how many times students access the virtual learning environment or complete online tasks, but that only provides part of the picture, says Linda Kaye

Linda Kaye

Edge Hill University

Difficult and emotional course content is easier to digest through non-linear, asynchronous delivery

Online micro-learning can transform the teaching of sensitive topics

Non-linear course design means that emotive and uncomfortable content can be paused or skipped and returned to another time, says Gemma Ahearne

Gemma Ahearne

University of Liverpool

The sector should come together to welcome students back to campus

Universities wasted a lot of time developing individual online transition resources last year. Let’s not make the same mistake again, says Donna Murray

Donna Murray

The University of Edinburgh

Sharing knowledge and becoming 'intellectually dependable' are intertwined and should be placed at the forefront of education

Teaching students to think for themselves is not enough

The critical thinking ideal is too individualistic and self-focused − students must learn to help others think well, too, says T. Ryan Byerly

T. Ryan Byerly

University of Sheffield

Doing science at home. Harvey Mudd College in California devised many innovative methods to teach lab work online

Rethinking remote labs to deliver during Covid and beyond

Our faculty has devised truly innovative methods to replace the in-person lab experience, says Maria Klawe

Maria Klawe

Harvey Mudd College

Getting creative in the classroom is crucial in helping stave off online adversity.

A bit of creativity can go a long way when teaching online

It’s crucial to shake things up to stop online delivery from homogenising even the most disparate teaching styles, says Constanza Pacher

Constanza Pacher

MacEwan University

Huge uptake of science subjects is expected in the wake of the pandemic, and we must utilise online learning to serve the demand.

Only a digital drive will allow us to capture the boom in STEM interest

We certainly don’t want to turn away thousands of enthusiastic STEM students due to a lack of capacity, says Steve Davies

Steve Davies

University of South Wales

A robot marks a book. Aritificial intelligence has been trumpeted as our saviour, but the truth is much more complicated.

AI has been trumpeted as our saviour, but it’s complicated

Time saved by lecturers on marking assignments could indeed be used to enrich teaching, but unfortunately many silver linings have a cloud, says Harin Sellahewa

Harin Sellahewa

University of Buckingham

Philosophy and other humanities are at the heart of making sustainability work on a national and international scale

Social sciences, humanities and arts are critical for sustainability

The neglect of social sciences, humanities and arts is at the heart of why the shift to sustainability has been slow − and why it may eventually fail, say Eric Neumayer and Charles Joly

Eric Neumayer, Charles Joly

The London School of Economics and Political Science

A student takes part in a virtual internship

Impostor syndrome can strike even in virtual internships

It’s worrying that students who do internships online underestimate their contributions when employers rate them as valuable, say Chloe Severn and Katie Stote

Chloe Severn, Katie Stote

University of Plymouth

Loudspeaker design. One key takeaway from the Covid crisis is the proven ability of leadership to communicate effectively.

Covid proved that HE can change quickly and effectively after all

Much discussion has focused on what to do better, but we should also recognise strengths that had not been seen prior to the crisis, say Jon McNaughtan and Hugo García

Jon McNaughtan, Hugo García

Texas Tech University

The campus of the future will need to take into account the likely use of hyflex pedagogy

The campus is dead, long live the campus

Potential post-Covid changes to campus design will slide along a spectrum from optimising space to rethinking academic structures, says Jay Deshmukh

Jay Deshmukh

IBI Group

Asian student learning about virtual exchange. There is a need to be clear on the outcomes of virtual exchange as it becomes more common.

Virtual international exchange needs a sharpening of practice

For committed international educators, there is a need to clarify the purpose of virtual exchange before the trend takes hold, says Benjamin Tak Yuen Chan

Benjamin Tak Yuen Chan

Hong Kong Metropolitan University

A photograph of a war zone. When teaching to diverse groups overseas, there are many circumstances to consider.

Lessons learned teaching online, from wi-fi woes to war zones

Human issues, particularly willingness to contribute to discussions, were more significant than tech issues when teaching across borders to diverse audiences, says David Mould

David Mould

Ohio University

Rural America suffers from a lack of high-speed internet access, which in turn hinders social mobility

Biden’s next big deal must include expanded broadband access

The pandemic helped expose an insidious digital divide that imperils efforts to reduce inequality and promote social mobility, says Jem Spectar

Jem Spectar

University of Pittsburgh Johnstown

Co-creation is still possible even though most teaching and learning is taking place online.

Co-creation does not need to stop because we’ve moved online

Co-creation is far more about mindset than suitability for a particular setting, and the evidence demonstrating its benefits is growing, says Catherine Bovill

Catherine Bovill

The University of Edinburgh

Virtual learning, book and laptop merged

Virtual learning environments mustn’t lead to module silos

We must ensure modules complement one another by establishing consistency in their form and functioning, says Maurice Kinsella

Maurice Kinsella, Niamh Nestor, John Wyatt

University College Dublin

A scantron sheet. Do we dehumanise students when we put them into spreadsheet rows?

Grades are dehumanising, but ‘ungrading’ is no simple solution

There is nothing ideologically neutral about grades, and nothing ideologically neutral about the idea we can neatly and tidily do away with them, says Jesse Stommel

Jesse Stommel

University of Mary Washington

A student takes part in an online work placement. Given the huge backlog of placements created by Covid-19, universities should consider e-placements.

It’s time for the sector to embrace online work placements

Placement capacity has been shaken to its core by the Covid-19 pandemic, creating a huge backlog. We must look for sustainable alternative solutions, says Gilly Salmon

Gilly Salmon

Swinburne University of Technology

A shy student. Many young people do not want to see their likeness on-screen.

Teaching in the hall of mirrors: should faculty ever mention appearance?

Educators must pay attention to why young people are using platforms that allow social interaction without visual scrutiny, says Elizabeth Losh

Elizabeth Losh

William & Mary

Cool, modern avatars for young people. Students are ready for the next generation of online comms technology and spaces, but the design of them is important

Life beyond Zoom and Teams: students are ready for next gen online spaces

Virtual spaces can create a sense of community and connect students across disciplines – provided they are designed well, say Yvonne Rogers, Paola Lettieri and Ben Meunier

Yvonne Rogers, Paola Lettieri, Ben Meunier

UCL