Feature article

Getting an academic teaching buddy can help you work out lots of classroom issues rather than struggling alone

Get yourself a teaching buddy to help you thrive

Rather than struggle through classroom-based problems alone, we should recruit meaningful support by seeking out a colleague to discuss our teaching, says Flower Darby

Flower Darby

University of Missouri

Academics need to get the balance right between working hard and being a good colleague

Why we should be humans first and academics second

James Derounian argues for the spirit of kindness in all we do – and provides tips to improve your everyday collegiality

James Derounian

University of Bolton

Image of a researcher conducting fieldwork

How to develop a code of conduct for ethical research fieldwork

A code of conduct for ethical research fieldwork developed by two researchers at the University of Oxford has been taken up by departments across the institution and beyond. The code authors, Catherine Fallon Grasham and Laura Picot, share lessons they learned along the way

Catherine Fallon Grasham, Laura Picot

University of Oxford

Why is collegiality crucial and how can we foster it?

Being an academic can be a solitary pursuit at times, but creating a supportive and enjoyable working environment helps staff do their best work, says Tobias Kliem

Tobias Kliem

Arden University

Merging library and IT services can bring great benefits to university life

Why universities should consider merging library and IT departments

Cultural differences and the need for excellent communication mean that such merging libraries and information technology departments is not easy, but the outcomes can provide tremendous value, says Ravi Ravishanker

Ravi Ravishanker

Wellesley College

A group of diverse and happy looking students

A checklist for making disability inclusion a reality in higher education

Actions that universities must take to promote equal access and opportunity for disabled students in higher education, based on a research-backed framework developed by Carol Evans and Xiaotong Zhu

Carol Evans, Xiaotong Zhu

Cardiff University, University of Southampton, University of Lincoln

Pedagogical wellness specialist: the role that connects teaching and well-being

Does faculty well-being affect student outcomes? Exploring this question in the wake of post-Covid burnout and trauma led UCI to create a new position that prioritises teacher wellness

Andrea Aebersold

University of California, Irvine

Helping students see biology within a broader context

Should educators help students understand their chosen subjects within a broader context of learning? Mark Coleman has been experimenting with this in his biology course and shares his findings so far

Mark Coleman

The University of East Anglia

Everyone at universities need their collegiality stocks replenished post-Covid

We need our collegiality reserves replenished post-Covid – here’s how

While collegiality rests mostly with the people, institutions cannot just sit back and wait for it to spring on its own, says Lucas Lixinski

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

What can human behaviour analytics tell us about student learning?

Human behaviour analytics could be the answer to enhanced student engagement and better learning experiences in computer-aided learning environments

Fang Chen, Kun Yu

University of Technology Sydney

Image of people of different ethnicities joining hands in a heart shape

What will your anti-racist university look like?

Universities continue to make bold commitments to stamp out racism and promote equity, diversity and inclusion, but what does it mean in practice to be an anti-racist university?

Arun Verma

University of Dundee

We may never stop university students cheating but we should still encourage academic integrity

Zero cheating is a pipe dream, but we still need to push academic integrity

David Rettinger and Erica Price Burns offer key points for institutions to consider when creating systems that encourage academic integrity among students

David Rettinger, Erica Price Burns

University of Mary Washington

Image of the red curtains opening at the start of a theatre performance

What’s the story? Creative ways to communicate your research

Early in your academic research, you should ask how you can creatively communicate it to a wide audience. The results may surprise you, says Steven Beschloss

Steven Beschloss

Arizona State University

Bridges to study: how to create a successful online foundation course

Online access courses can enable more students who don’t come to higher education directly from high school to smoothly enter university. Here are tips for designing an effective online university foundation programme

Jane Habner , Pablo Munguia

Flinders University

Communities of practice are an excellent way for staff and faculty to share knowledge

Communities of practice: how to help them thrive

There are few better ways for staff to build and share knowledge within institutions, but while communities of practice can evolve organically, they also need nurturing

Melanie Brown

Adelaide University

A STEAM adventure: running a hybrid English immersion camp

Lessons in designing a hybrid English immersion camp that boosts language proficiency while developing key life skills

Rossana Mántaras , Eugenia Balseiro, Lorena Calzoni

Technological University of Uruguay (UTEC)

Changing academic disciplines is not as impossible as it might sometimes appear

Embracing your impostor syndrome: advice for shifting between disciplines

Changing disciplines can appear impossible at times, but it’s not, especially if academics embrace the mindset that disciplinary boundaries are often somewhat artificial

Amber Phillips

University of the West of England Bristol

Female student frustrated with online learning

Online learning is still challenging for students – they need our support

Isolation and distraction are among the downsides of remote learning, even after two years of “panic-gogy”, which makes intentional online design and student support as important as ever

Jason M. Lodge, Paula de Barba, Jaclyn Broadbent

The University of Queensland , University of Melbourne, Deakin University

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Five strategies to generate a sense of satisfaction in your academic work

Academia is challenging so developing coping mechanisms and boosting satisfaction in your work can be instrumental in building a successful career. Houry Melkonian shares five approaches she has found useful

Houry Melkonian

The University of Exeter

Support for Ukrainian academics and students

Supporting Ukrainian scholars: what’s next for #ScienceForUkraine?

Academics and students from Ukraine at home and in exile need help. Here are ways to support the Ukrainian academic community

Arran Reader , Anna K. Bobak

University of Stirling

Podcast as pedagogy: discovering the joys of a new teaching format

After a first foray into podcasting as a mode of instruction, Alan Bradshaw shares some of the tips he picked up along the way for those considering taking the mic

Alan Bradshaw

Royal Holloway, University of London

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

Please follow the following: user guidance tasks as assessments

Challenging students to create user guidance manuals relevant to their subject, explaining how something should be used or carried out, is an effective way to assess their applied knowledge, Russ Woodward and Nicola Pattinson explain

Russell Woodward, Nicola Pattinson

University Centre Grimsby: The TEC Partnership

Young Indian woman opens a carton of books

How much should you publish?

For reputation or promotion? Book or peer-reviewed journal? Publishing is a high-stakes issue for academics. Catherine Léglu looks at scholars’ motivations to publish, where and how often

Catherine Léglu

University of Luxembourg

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How to address bias in the classroom and in assessment in five steps

Biases can affect personal interactions, course design, learning activities, assessment and institutional practices, thus it is vital that educators work to remove bias from their teaching. Donna Hurford and Andrew Read share helpful approaches

Donna Hurford, Andrew Read

University of Southern Denmark

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

Engineering schools are riddled with issues – reinvention is required

From increasing diversity to embracing flexibility, engineering schools must enter a period of self-reflection if they are to remain viable

David Poole

Liaison International

Image depicting institutional branches scattered around the globe

What determines the success of an international branch campus?

What do successful international branch campuses have in common? Nigel Healey outlines the key characteristics that institutions wishing to extend their presence overseas should take heed of

Nigel Healey

University of Limerick

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

Academic conferences need a hybrid future if inclusion is truly on organisers' agendas

Rejecting hybrid conferences as the new norm reeks of ableism

Failure to offer a virtual component for conferences makes organisers complicit in a system that excludes particular academics, says William E. Donald

William E. Donald

Ronin Institute

Videos and podcasts can be useful tools for assessment

21st-century assessment: improve and update the way you evaluate

Mariana del Sol González offers initial tips and guidance on how to update assessment methods in your classroom

Mariana del Sol González

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Picture of a student watching a tutorial online

Why online learning must remain part of the education toolkit

Critics of online learning often blame the medium itself rather than ineffective instruction, when the focus should be on how to deliver the best teaching possible using all available tools and formats, writes Andreina Parisi-Amon

Andreina Parisi-Amon

Engageli

Group of international students’ showing their national flags

In support of international students’ journey through higher education

International students embark on a challenging personal and educational journey when they enrol overseas. Fiona S. Baker outlines support inside and outside the classroom that can help them succeed

Fiona S. Baker

Durham University

What’s next for AI in higher education?

From assessment to ethics and job security, a new Jisc report highlights AI’s challenges and successes and provides insight into upcoming developments

Michael Webb

Jisc

Address STEM inequality by reconceiving merit

The cultural yardsticks used to measure merit in STEM are warped with bias and often devalue women, people of colour and LGBTQ+ scientists with records equal to white heterosexual male peers. To fix STEM inequality, academia must reconceive merit

Mary Blair-Loy , Erin A. Cech

University of California San Diego , University of Michigan

Podcast starter kit: what you need to get recording and posting now

Podcasting is like chess – easy to begin and hard to master. Here are the basics about equipment, software and hosting sites to get you off to the best possible start

John Weldon

Victoria University

Inclusion of thought v inclusion of feelings: a showdown

In the pursuit of inclusivity, should we adjust what we teach to include students’ sensitivities or expose them to the full range of serious ideas? asks Arif Ahmed

Arif Ahmed

University of Cambridge

Image showing collaboration between doctoral students and supervisors

Co-creation: how to find the ‘super’ in supervision

Co-creation can bring together research supervisors and doctoral students to unpick the tensions and challenges in the supervisory relationship and seek solutions, researchers from the University of Warwick explain

Elena Riva, Louise Gracia, Rebecca Limb

The University of Warwick

Don’t be cruel: how to write a fair peer review report

Not every comment in a peer review report will be positive, but it is possible to highlight weaknesses and errors in a journal article while being constructive. After all, behind every manuscript are authors who have ploughed time and effort into the submission

Sin Wang Chong, Shannon Mason

The University of Edinburgh, Nagasaki University

A step-by-step guide to implementing an agile curriculum

Flexible, innovative and creative, agile curricula offer many advantages over traditional approaches – here’s how to get started, says Olufunke Aluko-Daniels

Olufunke Aluko-Daniels

University of Huddersfield

Creative projects as a way of bringing students together

An institution-wide creative project is an opportunity for students to make friends and learn from one another, writes Karen Amanda Harris. Here, she shares tips for developing an extracurricular language-art project

Karen Amanda Harris

University of the Arts London

There are many simple, free tools in a lecturer's arsenal for making lectures more inclusive

Tips for new lecturers on the human elements that make students feel included

Forget constructive alignment and instructional scaffolding, things like saying ‘hello’ and being encouraging are the real key to good, inclusive lectures, says Andy Grayson

Andy Grayson

Nottingham Trent University

Student-led knowledge exchange using Wikipedia

Challenging students to draft or enhance Wikipedia entries is an effective way to develop their subject knowledge, research and writing skills, as Adrian Man-Ho Lam explains

Adrian Man-Ho Lam

The University of Hong Kong

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

Universities need bigger and better data on the promotions process

The promotion process needs bigger, better data if we’re to make it fairer

Enough of the tiny sample sizes at institutional level – if we want to identify the issues that hold back careers, we need sector-wide figures and cooperation

Patrick Bailey

London South Bank University

Image showing people engaging through social media communications

Why universities in emerging countries should invest in social media marketing

Why should higher education institutions in emerging countries invest in social media rather than flashy marketing campaigns to develop brand credibility and brand equity? Charitha Harshani Perera, Rajkishore Nayak, and Long Thang Van Nguyen explain

Charitha Harshani Perera, Rajkishore Nayak, Long Thang Van Nguyen

Northumbria University, RMIT University Vietnam

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

illustration of written and online resumes

ECRs can still evidence leadership and management skills on their CVs

Even when you’ve ‘just’ been a postdoc, the key is correctly labelling your skills and experience so potential employers understand what you bring to the table

Emma Williams

EJW Solutions

It is time to bring back peace studies

Recent world events point towards the need for a commitment to peace at every level of society, writes Annelise Riles, as she explains how universities can promote peace-making and related skills through teaching, research and collaboration

Annelise Riles

Northwestern University

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