Feature article

Balancing career readiness and finances: the case for abbreviated internships

Internships give students professional experience, guide career choices and boost job market competitiveness. But what if students need higher-paying summer jobs or can’t afford three months in a far-flung city? That’s where abbreviated winter internships come in

Margarita McGrath

Virginia Tech

Practical tips for graduate students undertaking a doctoral dissertation

Producing a doctoral dissertation can be an intimidating process, writes Bill Huckle. Here, he shares practical strategies for graduate students taking on the work to share their original contribution to knowledge with the wider community

William R. Huckle

Virginia Tech

A yellow ball rolls out ahead of blue blocks

We can face the challenge of corporatisation by embracing subversive leadership

Educational developers must balance the corporatisation of higher education with providing transformative education. To do this, subversive leadership is the key, argues Richard McInnes

Richard McInnes

Adelaide University

Students sitting on a patch of grass talking

The zone of proximal development: how the theory translates to the classroom

Theories of proximal development and social contagion suggest that group activities enhance knowledge-sharing and internalisation through feedback, discussion and the development of skills, writes Shwetha Mudabagilu Krishnappa

Shwetha Mudabagilu Krishnappa

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Kids watching demonstration at science centre

School visits are a triple-win for academics, schools and society

For researchers, taking science into the community is an opportunity to hone communication skills, increase impact and enthuse children to pursue their own university studies, writes Ben Kennedy. Plus, it’s fun

Ben Kennedy

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

A shy owl peeks from a hollowed-out tree trunk

An introvert’s guide to networking

For academics, networking can greatly enhance your career. But if the very idea fills you with dread, Yalinu Poya offers her advice for putting yourself out there

Yalinu Poya

University of the West of Scotland

Bridging the communication gap between administrators and faculty

Academics who understand the needs and priorities of administrative staff will work more effectively – and vice versa. Everybody wins, writes Catherine Léglu

Catherine Léglu

University of Luxembourg

Ways to seamlessly build breaks into your working day

Regular, tailored breaks will not only make your workdays manageable but will lead you towards increased productivity, creativity and overall job satisfaction, writes Dola Saha

Dola Saha

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

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

In a group of wooden toy people, a red one stands out

Emerging leaders, your universities need you

When a university is undergoing transformational change, emerging leaders are crucial for translating strategy into action. Zoë Allman and Gary Souter share their experience of leading on curriculum change

Zoë Allman, Gary Souter

De Montfort University

Hands holding up competing speech bubbles

What should universities focus on when communicating with the next UK government?

Advice for universities on communication strategies that will push their need for policy action up the next government agenda

Joe Marshall

National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB)

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

Student standing outside a campus building

How do we make it easier for refugees to be admitted to universities?

Many students struggle to join universities because their education has been disrupted. Here are ways to improve the inclusivity and accessibility of admissions processes

Georgia Cole, Martha Akello, Apollo Mulondo

The University of Edinburgh, Makerere University

A blue set of steps with a white arrow pointing upwards

Teach the skills required for a future we can’t yet imagine

Times are changing too quickly for any of us to accurately predict what the future employment market will look like. But we can still prepare our students. Hajer N. Sheikh advocates for a more agile approach

Hajer N. Sheikh

Dubai Medical University

‘It falls to us to tell our universities’ stories. Here’s how’

There has been little mention of higher education during the UK general election campaign, so it falls to university leaders to make sure their stories are heard, writes Jane Harrington

Jane Harrington

University of Greenwich , University Alliance

What block learning taught me about meeting diverse student needs

In block learning, where time is condensed, students are at a greater risk of falling behind. Here, Kevin Merry explains how formative assessment can drive targeted instruction and enable students to accelerate their learning

Kevin L. Merry

Global Banking School

A young woman shakes an interviewer's hand over a table

Sharpen your students’ interview skills

The employees of the future will need to showcase their skills in job interviews. Make sure they’re prepared for each setting, writes Lewis Humphreys

Lewis Humphreys

The London School of Economics and Political Science

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

Giving students options when it comes to assessment

By identifying the types of feasible options in assessment and discussing them with your students, you will naturally build their confidence in their assessment, writes Miriam Firth

Miriam Firth

The University of Manchester

Harness pedagogy and technology to engage students in auditing

Creating interactive auditing videos helped students contextualise a complex topic and provided feedback on their progress. Chu Mui Kim outlines how to do it

Chu Mui Kim

Singapore Institute of Technology

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

Four ways to integrate the SDGs into English language classes

Connecting the Sustainable Development Goals with language teaching and learning can provide meaningful learning experiences, writes Chaonan Xu

Chaonan Xu

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

A group of people laugh over a sheet of paper in a well-lit office

Three tips for using capstone projects to improve employability

How can we make sure our students are workplace-ready? Capstone projects may hold the key, writes Ardy Cheung

Ardy Cheung

The London School of Economics and Political Science

What is metacognition? Get students thinking about their thinking

What is metacognition and how can we get students to evaluate and improve their thinking?

Charlie Reis

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

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

A group comforts a woman, sitting with her head bowed

Research shouldn’t cause trauma – let’s find a better way

How can we conduct research and share results without affecting the well-being of those around us? Eileen Harkess-Murphy advocates for a trauma-informed approach

Eileen Harkess-Murphy

University of the West of Scotland

Female hands with a pen and a blank page

Strategies for writing a PhD dissertation: write before you’re ‘ready’

Reading isn’t writing, and knowing about your topic isn’t writing. So, what should graduate students do to get started and make steady progress? Monique Dufour suggests practising well before it’s time to write the thesis or dissertation

Monique Dufour

Virginia Tech

Interviewees lining up for their appointments

How to do self-promotion without the cringe factor

Some recoil at the idea of self-promotion but it’s not all about bragging or stepping over other colleagues to get ahead, writes Shilpa Gopal

Shilpa Gopal

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

A woman in a mortarboard, holding a scroll, looks off into the distance

For the future of higher education, we need to educate the whole student

In this extract from his book ‘The Learning-Centered University’, Steven Mintz lays out his vision of higher education’s future, and proposes a new way of learning

Steven Mintz

University of Texas at Austin

Man being bombarded with requests for an interview

How can universities make their case to a new government?

Three key considerations to convincingly showcase the value of universities to a new government inundated by competing priorities

Hamir Patel

Russell Group

Regional place-makers: how to demonstrate the economic and societal value of higher education

Higher education institutions should build a strong regional presence, addressing local issues, then find innovative ways to demonstrate their impact to the public and policymakers, writes Anthony McClaran

Anthony McClaran

St Mary’s University Twickenham , GuildHE

Illustration of human and robot in an arm wrestle

RIP assessment?

How can educators make learning and human intelligence visible in the age of GenAI? Abby Osborne and Christopher Bonfield outline a model to rethink assessment and reward non-AI knowledge and understanding

Abby Osborne , Christopher Bonfield

University of Bath

The making of: turning a research project into a documentary

To get your research findings into as many hands as possible, consider filming a documentary. James Layton, Paul Tucker and Bettina Talbot offer their advice

James Layton, Paul Tucker, Bettina Talbot

University of the West of Scotland

Students in a classroom on their laptops

Let’s play! Using games to teach statistics and economics

Incorporating games into economics classes can enrich the learning experience. Here are some of the factors to consider when designing them

Joshua Fullard

The University of Warwick

Student and teacher interacting in a classroom

Integrating ethics into course design is vital – here’s how to do it

Integrating philosophical enquiry into course design can enrich teaching practice and help our students act justly, writes Cara E. Furman

Cara E. Furman

Hunter College

Creating inclusive spaces for inclusive events

Inclusivity efforts must go beyond physical accessibility to include how events are advertised and who is consulted and invited to speak, write Meredith Wilkinson and Leanne de Main. Here they offer eight practical ways to make shared spaces welcoming for all

Meredith Wilkinson, Leanne de Main

De Montfort University

A woman massages her temples in front of a desktop computer

To build resilience, we need to embrace failure in the classroom and beyond

Let’s redefine failure by changing the way we teach, assess and support students and staff. Ibham Veza, Mhadi A. Ismael and Taib Iskandar Mohamad outline how

Ibham Veza, Mhadi A. Ismael , Taib Iskandar Mohamad

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

Get a head start in the first year of your PhD

Even a marathon begins with first steps, and so it makes sense to master motivation, set healthy habits and get writing early to reap the reward of a polished dissertation at the end of the PhD journey, writes Andreï Kostryka

Andreï V. Kostyrka

University of Luxembourg

Let’s give learners on all levels the skills for a green future

To support the switch to a green economy, educators need to update sustainability education programmes to meet learners’ needs. Ethan Chong Yih Tng offers his tips

Ethan Chong Yih Tng

Singapore Institute of Technology

Tried and tested ways to teach your students soft skills

The introduction of ChatGPT reignited the debate surrounding employability skills. Add two decades of intensifying international competition and a pandemic, and it is no wonder we’re fundamentally rethinking the modern workplace

Kate Pettifer

The University of Exeter

Students chatting outside a campus building

It’s all in the presentation: how to engage international students during lectures

The visual dimension of lectures and seminars can create additional challenges for international students, but simple strategies can help in creating useful presentations that support learning

Mark Whalley

University of Chester

Multiracial group of students taking a selfie in the park

Where’s Hector? How a scavenger hunt helps first-year students explore the university campus

A collaborative discovery activity has benefits that go beyond simply helping new students get to know the university grounds. It fosters belonging and fun – and even promotes physical well-being, writes Hector Viveros Tapia

Hector Viveros Tapia

Macquarie University

With AI at their fingertips, are students still learning?

The ubiquity of artificial intelligence may be affecting students’ cognitive development. Gareth Morris and Bamidele Akinwolemiwa consider how to address this

Gareth Morris, Bamidele Akinwolemiwa

The University of Nottingham Ningbo China

Buddy system: creating community through writing

Is a writing group or partner an effective antidote to post-pandemic isolation during doctoral education? Lena Steveker and Laura Spadon explain how to put a forum for belonging in place

Lena Steveker, Laura Spadon

University of Luxembourg

Building kindness into an institutional culture

Advice on how to ground humanity in institutional practices, structures and policies to holistically support faculty and staff

Xueli Wang

University of Wisconsin–Madison

A woman waves to others over a video call

Master the art of online and in-person interviewing

Interviewing experts is a key part of scientific research, so it’s important to hone your skills. Mahra Haitham Al Hosani and Mariam Shadan provide eight tips – and three things to avoid

Mahra Haitham Al Hosani, Mariam Shadan

Dubai Medical University

How to structure your PhD thesis

Organising your PhD thesis in a logical order is one of the crucial stages of your writing process. Here is a list of the individual components to include

Shama Prasada Kabekkodu

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Mind your language: inclusive teaching for international students

Learning about your international students and being mindful about how you use language in classes can have a profound impact on students’ experience and attainment

Mark Whalley

University of Chester

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

A woman takes notes from an open textbook

How to navigate the PhD thesis

The PhD thesis may be a mountain to climb, but you can take it one step at a time. Luis R Rojas-Solórzano offers his guidance

Luis R. Rojas-Solórzano

Nazarbayev University

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