Curricula development

Advice on shaping the focus and content of university programmes to ensure they deliver what students and employers need. These resources look at how to embed the most sought-after graduate attributes and future skills into university curricula; how to adapt course content to a future shaped by AI; how to weave the Sustainable Development Goals into existing programmes and what effective decolonisation looks like. 

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

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

Place-based learning in digital universities

A discussion of how the exploration and understanding of a place can be the backbone of higher education teaching and learning, whether delivered online or in-person

Elizabeth Langran, Reneta Lansiquot , Robbie Nicol, Abbey S Willis

Marymount University, New York City College of Technology, The University of Edinburgh, Siena College

Advice on working with employers to develop courses that teach the skills needed in the workplace

Teaching the skills wanted by employers in 2021 and beyond

Dilshad Sheikh makes a case for universities to work more closely with employers to shape industry-relevant courses and expose students to more real-world practical training and assessment

Dilshad Sheikh

Arden University

Cultivating creativity in higher education

Academics from the UK and the US discuss the role of creativity in higher education, its many forms and how to foster it through teaching and research

Bashir Makhoul, Giovanni Moneta, Linda Watts, Yong Zhao

University for the Creative Arts, London Metropolitan University, University of Washington, Bothell, University of Kansas, University of Melbourne

Advice on working with employers and leveraging technology to train students in creative problem solving

Using tech to train students in creative problem-solving 

Alison Watson explains how institutions can guide students in developing creative solutions to real-world problems, better preparing them for the demands of the future workplace

Alison Watson

Arden University

Advice on training students in presenting

Make yourself presentable

Richard Gratwick sketches a course designed to develop students’ presentation skills, whether in person or online, using principles that are universal

Richard Gratwick

The University of Edinburgh

Advice on designing university curricula that nurture creativity

How to embed creativity more fully into university curricula

Five key strategies to enhance student creativity through university curricula that encourage exploration and enquiry

Gareth Loudon

Royal College of Art

Collaborating with employers on courses to train work ready graduates

Collaborating with employers to create work-ready graduates

Paula Reilly explains how universities can work with employers and students to shape curricula and courses that better prepare graduates for the future workplace

Paula Reilly

Arden University

An example of how co-creation of curriculum content with students can work

Co-creation of curricula with students: a case study

Eric Tsui outlines a method he uses to enhance student learning through the co-creation of new scenarios for curriculum development in their discipline

Eric Tsui

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

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

Recommendations for how Western institutions can remain attractive to Asian universities and students

Tips for engaging Asian universities and alumni in new modes of collaboration

Western institutions can continue to forge fruitful collaborations with Asian universities and attract students from the region. Here, Benjamin Tak Yuen Chan shares two key recommendations for how to do it

Benjamin Tak Yuen Chan

Hong Kong Metropolitan University

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

Advice for meeting the needs of students in the MENA region

Meeting student needs in the MENA region through digital transformation

Barbar Akle, Rula Diab and George Nasr describe ways universities in the Middle East and North Africa can meet the needs of their students by embracing digital transformation and internationalisation

Barbar Akle, Rula Diab, George Nasr

Lebanese American University

How to embed the SDGs into your online teaching and learning

Academics and experts in sustainability look at how universities can harness online teaching to advance the aims of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals

Fernando Reimers, Natalie Kopytko, Tara Ivanochko

Harvard University, University of Leeds, University of British Columbia

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

Using the SDGs as a lens through which to teach multiple topics and subjects

How to teach through the lens of the Sustainable Development Goals

Terry Sunderland offers insight on how the Sustainable Development Goals can provide a useful framework to guide students’ learning across multiple disciplines

Terry Sunderland

University of British Columbia

Using the Jedi framework to drive the diversity agenda in online teaching

May the force be with you: driving diversity in online teaching

Pardis Mahdavi explains how academics can ensure they support and enhance diversity work in their online teaching through her Jedi – justice, equity, diversity and inclusion – framework

Pardis Mahdavi

Arizona State University

Advice on giving students the skills they need to learn online successfully

Training students to learn successfully online

Universities need to help students develop a whole new set of skills to ensure they get the most out of remote learning, says Nikita Hari

Nikita Hari

University of Oxford

Advice on developing digital capability courses that help students learn online

Lessons in developing digital capability courses for students

Gunter Saunders explains how to design courses that engage and incentivise students to gain the digital skills they need to flourish in the online learning environment and beyond

Gunter Saunders

University of Westminster

How can faculty get the most out of their collaboration with educational technologists

How to enhance collaboration between faculty and digital teams

Educational technologist Roland Sherwood explains how faculty can get the most from their work with digital experts to enhance online teaching

Roland Sherwood, Tamara Kaup

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Using digital scholarship for public engagement

Using digital scholarship to enhance public engagement

Having been pushed to the sidelines of academia for too long, public engagement projects can take a central role in digital courses, furthering students’ learning and reaching wider audiences, explains Warren Stanislaus

Warren Stanislaus

Rikkyo University

Developing students academic writing skills

Improving academic writing skills to boost student confidence and resilience

Academic writing skills are fundamental to most university courses. Andrew Struan explains how Glasgow has taken a whole-university approach to ensure all students are well equipped to succeed

Andrew Struan

University of Glasgow

Developing students' digital literacy skills

Developing students’ digital skills through online learning

Digital skills are key to the future employability of most graduates. Jo Coldwell-Neilson advises on how to embed digital literacy training into all aspects of online higher education

Jo Coldwell-Neilson

Deakin University

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Curricula development

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

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

Students as reflective practitioners: a personal development journey

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

Is your curriculum design limiting students’ learning potential?

Building an inclusive learning community to deliver a race equality curriculum

Developing virtual experiential learning: key takeaways

How to make campuses and courses more compassionate

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

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

Three steps to designing online learning that supports a sustainable future

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

Supporting student action on sustainability

Behavioural change for sustainable development

Embedding social impact considerations into business programmes

Decolonising the curriculum – how do I get started?

Bringing international and intercultural dimensions into your programmes

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

University leaders need to demonstrate an adaptive mindset

Place-based learning in digital universities

Teaching the skills wanted by employers in 2021 and beyond

Cultivating creativity in higher education

Using tech to train students in creative problem-solving

Make yourself presentable

How to embed creativity more fully into university curricula

Collaborating with employers to create work-ready graduates

Co-creation of curricula with students: a case study

How leaders can seize higher ed’s ‘catalytic moment for change’

Tips for engaging Asian universities and alumni in new modes of collaboration

Moving online could signal the death of pedagogy

Meeting student needs in the MENA region through digital transformation

How to embed the SDGs into your online teaching and learning

AI has been trumpeted as our saviour, but it’s complicated

How to teach through the lens of the Sustainable Development Goals

May the force be with you: driving diversity in online teaching

Training students to learn successfully online

Lessons in developing digital capability courses for students

How to enhance collaboration between faculty and digital teams

Using digital scholarship to enhance public engagement

Improving academic writing skills to boost student confidence and resilience

Developing students’ digital skills through online learning

Teaching the skills wanted by employers in 2021 and beyond

Using tech to train students in creative problem-solving 