Curricula development

Advice on shaping the focus and content of university programmes to ensure they a delivering what students and employers need. These resources looking at co-creation of university curricula, delivering on graduate attributes and future skills, decolonisation, embedding the Sustainable Development Goals into courses, inclusive learning, and adapting to changing societal needs for higher education.

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

Full circle: using the cycle of teaching, module design and research

How research, module design and classroom delivery in creative fields inform one another in circular and essential practices. Glenn Fosbraey shares his own teaching as a case study

Glenn Fosbraey

University of Winchester

Decolonising the curriculum through collaboration, partnership and dissemination

Tips on how to decolonise curricula through collaboration, partnership and dissemination, from four university educators

Multiple authors

University of Reading

Image showing a human and AI writing together

ChatGPT and the rise of AI writers: how should higher education respond?

The proliferation of AI text generators such as ChatGPT has major implications for higher education. Nancy Gleason explores how educators should respond to these tools which can write essays in seconds

Nancy Gleason

New York University Abu Dhabi

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

J. T. Torres

Quinnipiac University

The secrets of supporting successful student start-ups

Guidance to how universities can support student entrepreneurship and successful business creation, shared by John Lonsdale

John Lonsdale

The University of Edinburgh

Sprint to the finish: redesigning university programme validation

Sprint methodology can compress university-wide validation of academic programmes into an intense, hierarchy-free three-day process

Leanne de Main, Sarah Jones

De Montfort University, University of Gloucestershire

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

Eight ways to engage with AI writers in higher education

Just as spelling checks and predictive text have become accepted, so too will AI writers, so educators should help students responsibly engage with and understand the potential and limitations of these text generators, writes Lucinda McKnight

Lucinda McKnight

Deakin University

Counter-mapping as a pedagogical tool

Engaging students with urban spaces can contextualise and deepen learning and bring in inclusive perspectives. Daniel Gutiérrez-Ujaque and Dharman Jeyasingham explain how counter-mapping can be used as a pedagogical tool

Daniel Gutiérrez-Ujaque , Dharman Jeyasingham

Brunel University London , The University of Manchester

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

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

Blocks for building a stronger student community

Block teaching can help rapidly establish bonds among students, and with their lecturers, which in turn maximises learning potential. Here, Sarah Jones offers insights from the 50-year history of block scheduling

Sarah Jones

De Montfort University

Threshold concepts: what they are and how they help students learn

Threshold concepts are themes that underpin an academic discipline and can provide a framework for students to build knowledge. But teachers must be mindful of students’ capacity to understand them, as Becky Lewis explains

Becky Lewis

The University of East Anglia

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

Rhythm of a class: lesson-planning and assessment in block teaching

Block scheduling rethinks curriculum design, lesson-planning, assessment and feedback. Tom Clark outlines how this shift, as well as blended learning resources, helped Victoria University meet students’ need for clear and reliable rhythms of study

Tom Clark

Victoria University

Young female scientist examining a sample through a microscrope

Curriculum design in biosciences: setting up first-year students for success

Transferable skills and employability are more important than ever, and students arrive at university with a widening diversity of backgrounds. So, how should we prioritise what to teach in the first year of a biosciences degree?

Audrey Heppleston

The University of East Anglia

Block to the future: why block scheduling has taken so long to catch on

Block teaching has been around since the mid-noughties, but those short-lived early trials were ahead of the curve. Simon Thomson and Carl Flattery explore why block planning might finally be having its day

Carl Flattery, Simon Thomson

Leeds Beckett University, The University of Manchester

Illustration of student career development and Lego

How block teaching supports students from under-represented groups

Shorter, more immersive units are helping raise attainment and success for students with complex and diverse needs

Thomas Roche, Liz Goode, Erica Wilson

Southern Cross University

Campus webinar: Decolonising the curriculum

A panel of academics from Campus+ institutions in the UK and Australia discuss the what, why and how of decolonising the curriculum

Campus team

Campus

Image showing data processing and analytics

Foundations to lay when teaching computational and data skills

Traditional teaching in data analysis focuses on statistics and visualisation but an emphasis on foundational data and computational skills is needed to prepare students to work with real data, explains Philip Leftwich

Philip Leftwich

The University of East Anglia

How to maximise student satisfaction with the flipped classroom

What are the pedagogical, technical and social aspects that lecturers should consider to give students the best possible experience of the flipped classroom?

Erkko Sointu

University of Eastern Finland

Image showing a hand unlocking a door with a giant key to represent how a PhD can unlock students' potential

How humanities and social sciences PhD programmes can adapt to a challenging job landscape

Postgraduate studies in humanities and social sciences help graduates build skills that are applicable across multiple sectors and career paths. Ray Haberski Jr explains how to shape relevant and adaptable PhD programmes in these disciplines

Raymond Haberski Jr

Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)

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

A healthcare professional assisting a male patient

Why and how to build awareness of cultural sensitivity in healthcare curricula

Why and how to adjust curricula to take account of cultural sensitivities relating to the discipline being taught, taking healthcare as an example

Craig Jackson

Loma Linda University

Advice on developing higher education programmes that meet the skills needs of Gen Z students

Catering to Gen Z’s needs: creating a flexible and adaptable education programme

Universities need to teach broad knowledge and skills that will help graduates adapt in a fast-changing future workplace. Three academics share insights from developing a generalist approach to training business students

Eric Chee, Roy Ying, Winnie Chan

The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong

Key considerations for designing a university curriculum

Shaping a curriculum framework: the fundamental principles

Adrian Lam outlines a list of fundamental principles for consideration when shaping a curriculum framework

Adrian Man-Ho Lam

The University of Hong Kong

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

Seven lessons from interdisciplinary general education curriculum reform

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

Adrian Man-Ho Lam

The University of Hong Kong

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

Pivoting university course offerings to upskill the workforce

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

Teresa Ironside

The University of Edinburgh

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

Advice on establishing key themes and learning outcomes in order to shape the overall learning journey

Start with why, part two: building a clear learning journey

In the second part of his guide to curriculum development, Graeme Knowles explains how learning outcomes can be developed and then used to map the overall learning journey

Graeme Knowles

The University of Warwick

Advice on embedding sustainable development into university curricula by aligning it with core subject learning outcomes

Match sustainability learning outcomes to specific curricula to achieve SDG 4.7

Ron Johnston provides a guide to embedding education for sustainable development into university courses by linking it with the learning outcomes of the core subject being taught

Ron Johnston

UNESCO

Insight on why and how to take a new approach to curriculum design, starting with the outcomes

Start with why, part one: taking a new approach to curriculum development

Graeme Knowles explains how his team have overturned the long-accepted curriculum development process to make the purpose of the programme and its learning outcomes the starting point rather than the end result

Graeme Knowles

The University of Warwick

Advice on working with students to develop a well-being module that educates them in mental health and self-care

Co-creating an interdisciplinary well-being module for all students

Elena Riva and Wiki Jeglinska explain how academics can work with students to co-create well-being modules that span multiple disciplines and support students’ self-care, drawing on their own experience of collaborating on such a scheme

Elena Riva, Wiki Jeglinska

The University of Warwick

Advice on guiding reflective practices among students as part of their university curricula to aid their professional and personal development

Students as reflective practitioners: a personal development journey

Professional development is often taken for granted and seldom well embedded into university curricula. Alexandra Mihai looks at how intentional learning design can help make it an integral part of students’ learning experience

Alexandra Mihai

Maastricht University

Advice on supporting academics staff in taking their first steps towards decolonising curricula

How to support academic staff starting the journey of decolonising the curriculum

How do you support the endeavours of academic staff and build student voice into an institution-wide effort to decolonise the curriculum? Mhairi Taylor and Nighet Riaz share lessons from the University of Glasgow’s action plan

Mhairi Taylor, Nighet Riaz

University of Glasgow

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

Hands locked in a circle illustrating race equality curriculum

Building an inclusive learning community to deliver a race equality curriculum

Ricardo Barker and Syra Shakir reflect on how to set up a curriculum that engages everybody in conversations about race equality

Ricardo Barker , Syra Shakir

Leeds Trinity University

Advice on creating virtual fieldtrips to complement in-person teaching

Developing virtual experiential learning: key takeaways

Well-designed virtual experiential learning could have far-reaching useful applications. Here three academics share lessons from developing effective virtual tours and field trips during the pandemic

Mei Yee Leung, Yvonne Yuen Kei Leung, Jacky Tsz Kin Yiu

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

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

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

Sustainability modules can be crucial for universities

The dos and don’ts of creating a large-scale sustainability module

Rachel Lander, Sylvia Snijders and Gustavo Espinoza Ramos discuss lessons learned from creating a sustainability module that’s taken by 600-plus students per year

Rachel Lander, Sylvia Snijders , Gustavo Espinoza Ramos

University of Westminster

Advice on creating short online courses that help drive progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals

Three steps to designing online learning that supports a sustainable future

Lizzy Garner-Foy offers practical guidance on how to plan, design and develop open, accessible online learning materials that support work towards the SDGs

Lizzy Garner-Foy

The University of Edinburgh

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

Advice on using online tools to teach students about sustainability

Supporting student action on sustainability

Students want opportunities to develop skills and knowledge to address sustainability issues. Matthew Lawson describes how sustainability can be embedded into the student experience

Matthew Lawson

The University of Edinburgh

Webinar discussion how to reduce student drop out rates in the context of the pandemic and online learning

Behavioural change for sustainable development

Four European academics explore how universities can encourage positive behaviour change among students in line with the Sustainable Development Goals

Thijs Bosker, Khatereh Ghasemzadeh, Marc Le Menestrel, Jakob Stoustrup

Leiden University, University of Bologna, INSEAD , Aalborg University

Advice on how to get business school students engaging with wider societal issues as part of their programmes

Embedding social impact considerations into business programmes

Ridhima Aggarwal shares effective strategies for fostering a deep understanding of how business and society are interlinked and embedding social impact considerations within business school teaching

Ridhima Aggarwal

INSEAD

Advice on where to start in decolonising your curriculum

Decolonising the curriculum – how do I get started?

Rowena Arshad provides pointers for any teaching academics considering how to get started on decolonising their curriculum

Rowena Arshad

The University of Edinburgh

Advice on bringing international and intercultural dimensions into your curricula

Bringing international and intercultural dimensions into your programmes

Jeanine Gregersen-Hermans and Karen M. Lauridsen address how educators may create an internationalised learning experience for all students by including global and intercultural dimensions in curriculum design and delivery

Jeanine Gregersen-Hermans, Karen M. Lauridsen

Zuyd University, Aarhus University, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

Advice on building global perspectives into your curricula to internationalise your teaching from home

Engaging with the world from your home classroom: tips for internationalising the curriculum

Tanja Reiffenrath shares advice on giving curricula an international dimension that helps students develop global perspectives

Tanja Reiffenrath

University of Göttingen

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