Feature article

A young female researcher working in the lab

How can PhD researchers be supported to complete an alternative format thesis?

How universities can best support PhD researchers who wish to produce alternative format theses, based on a review of institutional policies

Caitlin Robinson

The University of Bristol

The three Cs of the 21st-century workplace: cognition, character and career

Changing skill demands require a lifelong approach to education that prioritises self-efficacy, critical thinking and a growth mindset. Here is how these elements can fit together in learning and career preparation

Vijayakumari Seevaratnam, Russell Manfield

The University of Queensland

Enhancing manuscript clarity and ethical credibility with ChatGPT

Ikenna Uwanuakwa shares experience and tips for using ChatGPT to improve academic writing without falling foul of ethical considerations

Ikenna Uwanuakwa

Near East University

Open educational resources to make lifelong learning accessible to all

How open educational resources can be created and managed to ensure courses and materials that support lifelong learning are accessible to all aspiring students at little or no cost

Fiona Buckland

The University of Edinburgh

Student survey filled out online at university

Want to know what the future of HE looks like? Ask your students

It’s time to embrace the student voice to improve inclusivity and innovation, and digital technology can be a massive help, writes Kristen McCartney

Kristen McCartney

Northumbria University

A case study in developing the next STEM generation

University ‘taster days’ can introduce teenagers to what global health research and advocacy might be like as a future career. Here four academics describe a pilot training session and what they learned from it

Michael Head, Jessica Boxall, Winfred Dotse-Gborgbortsi, Kathryn Woods-Townsend

University of Southampton

Moving beyond climate change to teach the climate crisis

Ways to scale up education relating to the climate crisis and the questions it must guide students to answer

Adam R. Aron

University of California San Diego

Abstract image representing free thoughts flying from a head in the form of butterflies

Biased AI poses a threat to academic freedom that must be confronted

How academics can manage and guide the use of generative artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT so that it enhances learning and independent thought and does not hamper academic freedom

Shweta Singh

The University of Warwick

Stackable microcredentials for university learners

What’s needed for stackable microcredentials towards a degree?

Forest Tan describes how to begin creating a flexible pathway where learners can accumulate microcredentials aligned to industry that can stack towards a degree

Forest Tan

Singapore Institute of Technology

What is affective learning and how can it foster engagement and critical thinking?

It takes time, patience and training, but a teaching approach that recognises the role that emotions play in learning can result in a more positive, effective and impactful student experience

Jyoti Devi Mahadeo, Rabindra Nepal

University of Bradford, University of Wollongong

How to make access to doctoral study more equitable

A three-pronged look at how to make access to doctoral study more equitable and remove barriers to entry that disproportionately impact students from ethnic minority backgrounds, based on findings of the Equator Project

Benjamin Fernando, Sam Giles, Natasha Dowey

University of Oxford, University of Birmingham, Sheffield Hallam 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

Two female colleagues discussing some work over a laptop

Create a psychologically safe space for honest feedback between colleagues

A guide to creating a culture of respect and honesty in which colleagues feel safe offering and receiving constructive feedback on their work

Jennifer Pulkkinen

University of Derby

Goodbye memorisation, hello open-book test

Claudia Janeth Hernández Cardona offers practical advice on using open-book tests in our student evaluations

Claudia Janeth Hernández Cardona

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Asian man concentrating on writing at a computer

Authenticity sells because it matters

Written communication – whether that’s a press release or IT guidelines – should be clear, sincere and accessible. Here, Mike Brown offers ways to help colleagues build the confidence and skills to tell their stories in an authentic way

Mike Brown

University of Southampton

Student carrying out an assessment exercise

These are the best practices and most common mistakes in learning assessment

Cecilia Tagliapietra Ovies says that, while there is no single formula for learning assessment, there are certain basic principles institutions can follow to help ensure success

Cecilia Tagliapietra Ovies

CETYS Universidad

A robot holds up a sign showing two people talking

Harness human and artificial intelligence to improve classroom debates

A guide to using artificial intelligence to support nuanced class debates that train students’ critical thinking and communication skills

Elmar Kutsch

Cranfield University

Overhead shot of students around a table

What is the cost of students’ social mobility from a community ties perspective?

Personal networking strategies can influence successful academic integration and emotional stability of students from under-represented communities in higher education. Here are ways to support these groups, based an analysis of the egocentric networks of Roma students

Ágnes Lukács J., Beáta Dávid

Semmelweis University

A male lecturer talks to a class of students

The ‘third way’ academic: becoming an education-focused professor

Career development tips for higher education professionals who take an education-focused pathway

Rushana Khusainova, Wayne Holland, Sally Everett, David Boughey, Kathy Daniels

The University of Bristol, The University of Exeter, Aston University, King’s College London

Implementing project-based learning: a practical guide

Ibham Veza and Mohd Syaifuddin Mohd provide practical guidance and methodologies for introducing project-based learning and outline its potential impact on students

Ibham Veza, Mohd Syaifuddin Mohd

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

Why we need a new model for professional development credentials

Close collaboration between universities and industry can help higher education address the ‘skills emergency’ and rebuild trust in university qualifications, writes Mick Grimley

Mick Grimley

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Should we trust students in the age of generative AI?

A look at how institutions can shape their policies relating to generative AI such as ChatGPT to build trust among students and guide them in its responsible use

Loïc Plé

IÉSEG School of Management

How to coach in-employment lifelong learners for success

A team from Singapore Institute of Technology offers insights from working with in-employment learners who are seeking to upskill by studying for degrees

Chow Peck Chee , Julian Matius , May Lim

Singapore Institute of Technology

Unlocking urban secrets: learning through the exploration of our cityscapes

Teaching strategies to tap into the micro-narratives embedded within the urban landscape to support learning outside the classroom

Daniel Gutiérrez-Ujaque , Felipe Saravia

University of Lleida , University of Bio-Bio , The University of Manchester

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

A checklist for advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in medical sciences and education, part two

Three questions that medical sciences lecturers should ask when revising curricula to promote ethical considerations, an understanding of health inequities and diverse perspectives

Musarrat Maisha Reza, Mia-Rose Gillison

The University of Exeter

What makes an effective microcredential programme?

Short, flexible and skills-focused, microcredentials must balance the needs of students and industry. Here are tips on how to develop courses that achieve this

Temesgen Kifle

The University of Queensland

Lessons learned from a fellowship year as a dentist and early career researcher

Winning a fellowship as a dentist and spending a year in Graz as an international scholar not only taught me about the profession but also fostered my self-awareness, writes Dániel Végh

Dániel Végh

Semmelweis University

Student money worries ahead of internship

Equitable access to work-integrated learning is finally on the agenda in Australia

A group of Australian academics discusses what changes could ameliorate the issues faced by students from equity groups when it comes to accessing internships

Anne Hewitt , Craig Cameron , Deanna Grant-Smith , Laura Grenfell

University of Adelaide, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland University of Technology

A hand resting on a shoulder in a display of support and care

Trauma-informed care within academic settings

As awareness of trauma and its effects on individuals grows, Imogen Perkins delves into what it means to be trauma-informed, and how its five principles could look within an academic setting.

Imogen Varle

De Montfort University

School girls take part in activities at the Digital Divas conference

What is needed to run a successful outreach programme?

Lessons on running a successful outreach programme designed to spark school pupils’ interest in university, based on a 13-year project focused on getting more girls studying STEM

Bia Hamed

Eastern Michigan University

Learning to learn: developing students into effective lifelong learners

Kevinia Cheung outlines an institutional approach to developing undergraduates’ ability to ‘learn to learn’

Kevinia Cheung

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Woman with prosthetic arm helping colleague

How to promote disabled women in academia

Disabled women are significantly under-represented in senior roles within universities. Here’s how – and why – institutions can and should support them better for career progression

Meredith Wilkinson, Kelly Pickard-Smith

De Montfort University, The University of Manchester

New students leaving care need extra support to beat the odds (again)

Corin Barton says universities must recognise the various impacts a lack of family support can have on care-experienced students and offers simple steps to promote success

Corin Barton

The University of Law

A man with a prosthetic leg sitting in a forest with his laptop

Ten steps to equity: making fieldwork accessible

Fieldwork can be isolating for disabled students and academics when it is not designed with inclusivity in mind. Becky Alexis-Martin shares 10 strategies to ensure disabled students and academics are included by field-based disciplines

Becky Alexis-Martin

University of Bradford

Five ways universities can protect faculty from online harassment

With more online engagement and interaction have come increased threats and attacks against faculty, staff and students. Here are measures institutions can take to raise awareness and provide support

Alexis Martinez

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

How to select and monitor climate adaptations for universities

In the fourth and final part of their series, Rob Wilby and Shona Smith explain how universities can implement adaptation measures and monitor their progress towards resilient net zero

Robert Wilby, Shona Smith

Loughborough University, University of Leeds

Teaching how to use numbers as a tool for justice

Statistics are not neutral, writes Wendy Castillo. Here, she explains how to use QuantCrit to show students the effect that historic racism and bias have on data collection and analysis

Wendy Castillo

Princeton University

The power and the peril of virtual reality in higher education

From investing in training to identifying educational objectives, Mark Milliron offers advice on fully realising VR’s promise for universities

Mark Milliron

National University

Learning by doing: practical tips from a decade of making Moocs

Lessons gained during a decade of developing and refining massive open online courses from two online learning experts

Stuart Nicol , Fiona Buckland

The University of Edinburgh

How to design and build microcredentials in four steps

A team from Tecnológico de Monterrey explains how to plan, design, deliver and measure microcredentials at your university

Verónica Alejandra Pérez Aguirre , Laura Patricia Aldape , Karla Margarita Banda Martínez

Tecnológico de Monterrey

How to teach creative writing even if you’ve never done any yourself

A successful writing workshop depends on respect, which is a two-way street, observes Toby Litt. Refrain from sneering at bad writing and offer praise to offset the critiques

Toby LItt

University of Southampton

How humour stimulates critical thinking, creativity and communication skills

After assigning students to write comedy scripts instead of seminar papers, André Martinuzzi and Angelo Spoerk explain how humour has great potential as a learning method

André Martinuzzi, Angelo Spoerk

Vienna University of Economics and Business

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

A diverse group of medics sitting through a seminar

A checklist for advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in medical sciences and education, part one

Three questions that lecturers in medical sciences should ask when revising their curricula to promote diverse representation and health equity

Musarrat Maisha Reza, Mia-Rose Gillison

The University of Exeter

Embracing generative AI as a co-design partner for designing and developing courses

Generative AI is here to stay, so what opportunities are there for educational developers and learning designers to leverage it as a partner when designing courses?

Richard McInnes

University of Adelaide

How mentor and mentee can help each other

Mentorship is a symbiotic relationship. Here, two scientists look at steps in the meeting process and benefits from both sides

Greta Faccio, Maria Koumouri

Independent academic, University of Cyprus

University students sitting a written in-person exam

Help your students to become assessment literate

Practical suggestions to address a staff-student disconnect relating to the purpose and practice of assessment and to enhance assessment literacy on your courses

Eleanor Aspey, Gillian Ulph

The University of Manchester

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