Failure can feel hot and shameful, but we must normalise itFailure is essential in research, so we need to reframe it into an opportunity for learning, says Emma WilliamsEmma WilliamsEJW Solutions
For the common good: why we need ecological universitiesHigher 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 ThompsettRichard Hil, Kristen Lyons, Fern ThompsettGriffith University, Southern Cross University, The University of Queensland , Columbia University
Tame the to-do list and manage an academic workloadReduce procrastination, forget multitasking and get the to-do list done. From delegating to prioritising urgent versus important tasks, here are six practical ways to balance teaching, research and service for university faculty Kaihan Yang , Ben K. GohMacau University of Science and Technology
Meaning making: how universities can boost the uptake of edtech among facultyThe key to promoting the uptake of new edtech tools and teaching innovation among faculty, based on researchNa Li, Xiaojun Zhang, Maria Limniou Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
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 gainsImelda Bates , Justin Pulford , Lorelei Silvester Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN)
Five steps to help adjunct professors prioritise competing workloadsTeaching at universities while also working in industry can require superhuman powers of organisation. Brooke Wilson offers pointers for staying on top of thingsBrooke WilsonColorado State University Global
University-edtech collaboration: how to leverage the best of both worldsSeven lessons for managing successful university-edtech collaborations that result in innovative new programmes, shared by Mònica CasabayóMònica CasabayóEsade
Considering a university merger? Here’s how to do it wellAssessing a merger’s viability, as well as prioritising trust, openness and maintaining organisational cultures are key to success, says Kayla VasilkoKayla VasilkoPurdue University Northwest
How data from digital learning tools can refine teachingDigital learning tools enable educators to quickly collect and analyse student performance data in order to refine their teaching, as Paul Moss explainsPaul MossAdelaide University
Covid should have taught us that campus needs to be a treasured spaceIf 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 KearneyGemma Ahearne, Treasa KearneyUniversity of Liverpool
Bringing in alumni as guest tutors to teach and inspire students Inviting alumni to contribute to a course can enrich the learning experience for current students. Ellie Devenish-Nelson and Sharron Ogle explain howEllie Devenish-Nelson , Sharron OgleThe University of Edinburgh
How to negotiate the politics of mark agreement between tutorsJames Derounian offers thoughts on how we can unravel the tangled and contested arena of mark negotiation between university tutorsJames DerounianUniversity of Bolton
Zoom fatigue and other exhaustions of international academic lifeFor 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 GriffinIndiana University Bloomington
Dos and don’ts for dual teaching: support for lecturers in higher education Dual teaching, when lecturers host a class with students attending in person and via a screen, requires careful planning to work well. Miriam Firth shares dos and don’ts based on first-hand experienceMiriam FirthThe University of Manchester
Five tips for showing compassion towards and supporting new studentsThe step up from secondary to tertiary education can be daunting. Katherine Mansfield explains how to arm your students with the knowledge they need to succeedKatherine MansfieldUniversity of Westminster
The boundaries to set so your students don’t take over your lifeAs the role of university teacher evolves, a key workplace challenge is how to offer proximity without becoming a 24/7 bot serviceIngrid Benavides , Adela VegaTecnológico de Monterrey
Classroom management techniques you don’t get taught ‘Fake it till you make it’ is a useful motto for new university teachers facing a classroom of antsy students for the first time. Here are seven basic skills to master John WeldonVictoria University
From planning to delivering lessons: getting the basics rightNelly Ramirez Vásquez discusses the nuts and bolts of creating, teaching and overseeing high-quality lessons and courses for delivery online and in personNelly Ramirez Vásquez Tecnológico de Monterrey
The practicalities of delivering a multi-institutional online workshopLessons from planning and delivering a multi-institutional online workshop for university teachers designed to find solutions to common educational challengesKelly Edmunds , Richard BowaterThe University of East Anglia
Linguistic racism can take a high toll on international studentsEven seemingly innocuous comments on the way that students use dominant local languages can have severe effects on mental health, says Sender DovchinSender DovchinCurtin University
Experiential education through a simulated summit to combat human trafficking Advice on setting pedagogical goals and planning a simulated international summit to support experiential learning for remote students, by Clara Chapdelaine-Feliciati Clara Chapdelaine-Feliciati Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
Why my hobbies make me a better scholarNon-academic skills, both motor and cognitive, can enrich research capabilities in unexpected and often unexamined ways, writes Stephen W. HarmonStephen W. HarmonGeorgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities
Blocks for building a stronger student communityBlock 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 schedulingSarah JonesDe Montfort University
How professional practitioners help connect crime theory with real-world investigationsBringing professional practitioners into classes to share real-world case studies helps students contextualise learning and see how theories play out in reality. Paul McFarlane explains how this works on his crime science coursesPaul McFarlaneUCL
Do we need to grade students’ presentation skills?Presentation skills are considered essential by employers, but does this mean they should be graded at university? Marking can distract from the goal of improvement, and there are better ways to motivate students, says Axel WienekeAxel WienekeThe University of Queensland
How we can use AI to power career-driven lifelong learningBy using data from job postings, course catalogues and students’ CVs, AI can help people address skill gaps and plot their educational journeysTeck-Hua Ho National University of Singapore
Why higher education should take an EDI lesson from Kendrick LamarThe Pulitzer-winning rapper’s disdain for performative activism contains lessons for universities who espouse their good intentions rather than enact changeJT TorresQuinnipiac University
Student-staff partnerships: seven strategies for adopting inclusive practices Student-staff partnerships can support skills development and enrich courses, as well as offer life-changing professional and academic opportunities for diverse students. Here, Madelaine-Marie Judd and Brooke Szücs encourage others to embrace this ethosMadelaine-Marie Judd, Brooke SzücsThe University of Queensland
Lessons from completing an award-winning knowledge transfer projectEight key components of a successful knowledge transfer project (KTP), drawing from the experience of an award-winning initiative to develop an online teaching platform for primary care cliniciansRachel McCrindle, Richard Mitchell, Yota DimitriadiUniversity of Reading
Relationship-building: the key to effective teachingTeaching in HE is daunting for new academics, but interpersonal skills honed in the workplace provide strong foundations, say Charles Marley and colleaguesCharles MarleyAdelaide University
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 forwardMalcolm BurtCentral Queensland University
Tactics to ensure students engage with and learn from feedbackStudents often perceive feedback as criticism and fail to take on board the constructive guidance. Rebecca Lewis explains how she encourages student engagement with her feedbackBecky LewisThe University of East Anglia
Virtually friends: building bonds in a remote work environmentWhen Sandy Jones came into her first remote position in 2020, she made it her mission to develop closeness among members of her team – here’s what she didSandy JonesColorado State University Global
Advice for academics interested in working in the NetherlandsTen tips for academics interested in relocating to work at a university in the Netherlands, by Tetyana Krupiy, who spent three years carrying out research in Tilburg Tetyana (Tanya) KrupiyNewcastle University
Digital Universities task force: upskilling the MENA region through online learningAhead of Digital Universities Week MENA, a task force of four higher education experts shared insights on how online learning could help meet the growing demand for key employability skills across the region Miranda PrynneCampus
Classroom tips for debunking the arts and humanities employability mythDavid Dodick offers practical pointers gleaned from a course he designed and taught aimed at communicating the value of arts and humanities degrees for various careers David DodickUniversity of California, Berkeley
How to help students with widely varied prior education to thrive in first yearHow can university educators ensure their first-year teaching caters to widely varying prior knowledge and skills among students? Bethan Gulliver explains a three-pronged approachBethan GulliverThe University of East Anglia
Effective use of machine learning to empower your research Artificial intelligence, or machine learning, can support complex analysis and advance quality research, but only when used carefully. John F. Wu shares advice on how machine learning can empower researchersJohn F. WuSpace Telescope Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University
Design an early career researcher survey that spurs positive changeGuidance for crafting a university survey that encourages participation and leads to meaningful changes in policy, from a team of early career researchers at the University of Melbourne and Monash University Trevor Steward, Hui-Fern Koay, Kelly KirklandUniversity of Melbourne, Monash University
Introducing ‘translanguaging’ – and other ways to promote multilingualismIf universities are serious about internationalisation, they must confront the hegemony of English-medium instruction – here’s how, says Dylan WilliamsDylan WilliamsSeoul National University
In the loop: how formative feedback supports remote teachingWeekly snapshots of how students see their own progress can help teachers adjust teaching methods in real time. An online tool piloted at Georgia Tech has helped fill a feedback loop lost during the pandemic Jonna Lee , Meryem Yilmaz SoyluGeorgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities
Switching career directions: lessons from the first year as a teaching academicThe first year in a teaching role is challenging, particularly following the disruption caused by the pandemic, yet rewarding. Janine Wilkinson shares what she has learnedJanine WilkinsonThe University of East Anglia
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 governmentSarah Purdy, Steve HallThe University of Bristol
Why getting a PhD is like building a Lego duckBen Marder provides a fun exercise that can impart important wisdom to help lessen PhD students’ anxiety over their progressBen MarderThe University of Edinburgh
Three key tips to help balance research and teaching dutiesWith ever-greater demands being placed on university faculty, Megumi Terui offers advice on balancing two key parts of the job Megumi Terui Tecnológico de Monterrey
The fundamentals of successful student knowledge exchangeWhat basics must be considered in order to build a successful student knowledge exchange project? Sharon Ingram shares insight based on supporting a student-led chemistry consultancySharon IngramUniversity of Strathclyde
Higher education has a crucial role to play in reaching out to Indigenous communitiesIndigenous researcher Roselind Wan outlines strategies for universities hoping to champion Indigenous languages and inclusionRoselind WanUniversiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)
Theatre ice-breaker games for team-building in higher education An introduction to using theatre ice-breaker games games to break down barriers between students and promote teamwork and trust at the start of a courseJóna Guðrún Jónsdóttir , Rannveig Björk ThorkelsdóttirUniversity of Iceland
How Socrates can help your students question informationIn a world full of answers, we must take time to ask questions, and the approaches favoured by Socrates can still be useful today, explains Konstantinos Arfanis Konstantinos Arfanis Arden University
Tips for new PhD supervisors: how to hold effective meetingsSupervisory meetings should be planned, regular and positive in tone. Here are key elements to include in thesis supervision meetings for academics new to the roleAlice Ling JiangMacau University of Science and Technology
