Feature article

Universities should be preparing now to be inundated with older students given workforce shifts

Universities need to prepare for the mature student onslaught

Higher ed is notoriously bad at attracting and accommodating mature students. Given the workforce shifts spawned by the pandemic, this needs to change, says Dilshad Sheikh

Dilshad Sheikh

Arden University

How to be comfortable with uncomfortable conversations

Ruth Woodfield outlines steps that academics, students and university staff can take to support and work through the discomfort of difficult discussions

Ruth Woodfield

University of St Andrews

Advice on developing external partnerships which create opportunities for real world learning

How to develop partnerships that offer students real-world learning experiences

Rhianedd Smith shares insight on how to collaboratively create real-world learning experiences for students with professional partners

Rhianedd Smith

University of Reading

Being an early career researcher does not need to be lonely

Don’t believe the hype: being an ECR needn’t be a lonely existence

Finding ‘PhD pals’ in the same boat, but also learning to communicate your work effectively outside the research bubble, is crucial for ECRs, says Rebekah Ackroyd

Rebekah Ackroyd

University of Cumbria

Advice on creating equitable pathways to better engage all students regardless of background or prior knowledge

Co-creation and empowerment: pathways to better student engagement

Effective approaches universities can take to promote equity and improve student learning outcomes and employability, shared by a team from the University of Salford

Sara Namvar, David Greensmith, Niroshini Nirmalan

University of Salford

Advice on using a free online mindfulness programme to support student well-being

How to foster student well-being with online mindfulness training

Adam Kay explains how educators can effectively use an innovative, freely available, research-backed online mindfulness programme for student well-being

Adam Kay

The University of Queensland

Can universities maintain their cultural identities in our increasingly hybrid world

Can universities maintain their cultural identity in a blended world?

A university’s identity cannot be neatly packaged. It changes over time and has different meanings to the diverse groups that make up that institution, says Nic Beech

Nic Beech

Middlesex University

Advice on shaping community outreach in order to improve educational outcomes for local communities

Changing lives through community engagement and outreach

Josephine Bleach outlines questions that higher education institutions should ask to help them foster authentic community engagement that improves educational outcomes for children, families and communities

Josephine Bleach

National College of Ireland

paper boats illustrating different pathways to PhD

Fostering freedom in PhD students: how supervisors can shape accessible paths for doctoral research

Clive Palmer looks at alternative approaches to PhDs that open postgraduate research to more candidates – for professional development, career change or just love of learning

Clive Palmer

University of Central Lancashire

Virtual and augmented reality can provide powerful experiences for university students, and they are probably not as hard to create as you think

Immersive tech in teaching and learning: first steps into the metaverse

Virtual, augmented and mixed reality can provide powerful experiences for students, and it’s probably not as difficult as you think. Neil McDonnell provides simple, practical advice

Neil McDonnell

University of Glasgow

Woman explaining to student pointing to a computer screen

Strangers in a strange land: how supervisors can support international research students

Ravinder Anand-Ivell explains how early investment of time and empathy can help international postgraduate research students adapt to a new environment

Ravinder Anand-Ivell

University of Nottingham

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

How to have an "overnight" scientific success in 20 years

How to create an overnight scientific success (in 20 years)

Inspirational moments don’t usually happen by chance. Instead, many enabling factors must be put in place over the course of a career, say Peter Hogg and Jo Cresswell

Peter Hogg, Jo Cresswell

University of Salford

Advice on creating a "Hitchikers Guide" to curriculum design

Creating a ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to Curriculum Design’

Russell Crawford explains how to create a ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to Curriculum Design’ that pools all relevant information to support everyone involved in working towards positive student learning outcomes

Russell Crawford

Falmouth University

Advice on inviting industry professionals to share their expertise with students

Hosting industry professionals: embedding vocational skill-building into higher education

Liam Jarvis sets out three common pitfalls and three points of advice for facilitating productive encounters between students and industry professionals in higher education

Liam Jarvis

University of Essex

Advice on what matters most to students in effective research supervision

Lessons from students on effective research supervision

Richard Godwin shares lessons in effective research supervision based on his former students’ feedback

Richard Godwin

Harper Adams University

New approaches to bringing students and businesses together can help address employability issues after university

Four practical tips for bringing students and businesses together

New approaches to student and employer “matchmaking” can help address graduate underemployment – and bring enjoyment for both sides, says Adele Browne

Adele Browne

De Montfort University

Supervisor bullying of PhD students is a stain on universities and higher education

Bullying by supervisors is alive and well – now is the time to tackle it

The arrangements that trap PhD students in toxic relationships with abusive supervisors must be reformed – here’s how, says Timothy Ijoyemi

Timothy Ijoyemi

UCL

Yellow butterfly in a group of blue butterflies

Research supervision: working with the individual in front of you

Lorraine Hope explains how to mitigate student anxiety and avoid toxic competition with a person-centred approach to supervision

Lorraine Hope

The University of Portsmouth

20-something woman with hand over mouth illustrating article about addressing taboo subjects

Talking about taboos: how to create an open atmosphere for discussing difficult subjects

Lindsay Morgan offers practical, step-by-step advice for removing barriers to addressing uncomfortable topics such as consent and menstruation

Lindsay Morgan

Edinburgh Napier University

Microaggressions are often shrugged off due to lack of intent, but intent and impact are very different

So you don’t think microaggressions have an impact?

Microaggressions are often shrugged off by perpetrators because of a supposed lack of intent. But intent and impact are very different indeed, says rashné limki

rashné limki

The University of Edinburgh

Teaching visually impaired students – and making class materials more accessible for everyone at the same time

Hannah Thompson, a partially blind academic, offers six tips for ensuring an inclusive learning environment

Hannah Thompson

Royal Holloway, University of London

Cybersecurity is getting better at universities but they all need to do more

Cybersecurity remains a critical issue that universities must face

Statistics show that universities are getting better at defending against and preparing for cyberattacks, but much more needs to be done, says Heidi Fraser-Krauss

Heidi Fraser-Krauss

Jisc

Advice on intentionally welcoming diverse students into the digital classroom

The educator’s imperative: creating intentional inclusivity in the digital classroom

Building an inclusive online learning environment requires more than just having the right technology – it’s about welcoming your students into the classroom, says Willie Wilborn

Willie Wilborn

DeVry University

Do EDI kitemarks provide any real protection for female academics subjected to online abuse?

Do EDI kitemarks help protect female researchers from online abuse?

While they allow institutions to claim commitment to gender equality, kitemarks do little to challenge them on their actual policies, say Andy Phippen and Emma Bond

Andy Phippen, Emma Bond

Bournemouth University, University of Suffolk

Advice on supporting students to manage and overcome culture shock after arriving at university

Taking the shock out of culture shock: helping international students navigate transitions, part two

Inga Ackermann shares advice on helping students manage and overcome culture shock after their arrival at a university overseas or far from home

Inga Ackermann

The University of Edinburgh

Watch parties are a variation on the flipped learning model used in universities

In praise of the ‘watch party’ – an update to the flipped learning model

Many new students struggle with the amount of self-directed learning at university. Perhaps it’s time to introduce watch parties, say Emily Nordmann and Carolina Kuepper-Tetzel

Emily Nordmann, Carolina Kuepper-Tetzel

University of Glasgow

Advice on using top-down and bottom-up approaches to create a collaborative staff training programme

Fostering collaboration in staff training through a top-down and bottom-up approach

Gustavo Espinoza-Ramos explains how pairing top-down and bottom-up approaches to staff development can promote collaborative learning among university staff at all levels

Gustavo Espinoza Ramos

University of Westminster

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

Advice on university strategies for civic engagement

How to be a civic university: lessons in collaborating with local communities

Deborah Bull outlines how institutions can make their civic duties a strategic priority, developing mutually beneficial partnerships with local communities and organisations

Deborah Bull

King’s College London

Should universities follow the lead of business and think about demolishing hierarchy

Should we do away with hierarchy in higher education?

I’ve found myself questioning whether a holacratic system, in which there are no managers or leaders, would work in universities, says Aspasia Eleni Paltoglou

Aspasia Eleni Paltoglou

Manchester Metropolitan University

Higher education must face up to and answer some difficult questions over how it deals with mental health

Three big mental health questions that academia must talk about

A reckoning with how we handle mental health in higher education is long overdue, says June Gruber

June Gruber

The University of Colorado Boulder

Advice on delivering engaging and interactive tutorials

A guide to running engaging and interactive tutorials

Adrian Lam shares useful tips for how tutors can create engaging and interactive tutorials for students that maximise learning outcomes

Adrian Man-Ho Lam

The University of Hong Kong

Empty desks and chairs in classroom illustrating classroom design

Returning to on-campus classrooms – are they fit for purpose?

Gunter Saunders explains why classroom design must take technology into account in facilitating active, student-centred learning

Gunter Saunders

University of Westminster

Beware the academic undead this Halloween

Fear the zombie student apocalypse

Andy Farnell argues that non-assessed courses could free universities, and the academic undead, from increasing spiritual depletion and a lifeless pursuit of certificates

Andy Farnell

Visiting professor

Online and blended learning must be stepped up to deliver equitable learning as part of the new "metaverse" that university students will come to expect

The educational ‘metaverse’ is coming

The universities best equipped with digital infrastructure and savvy human resources will emerge as the new leaders − no matter where they are, says Kwang Hyung Lee

Kwang Hyung Lee

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

Advice on supporting innovation in teaching practices among faculty

How can we support innovation in teaching practices within universities?

As the inaugural director of her university’s ‘education incubator’, Sarah Dyer shares insight on supporting teaching innovation among your faculty

Sarah Dyer

The University of Exeter

Universities are creating pre-prepared, fully complete courses called shells

How I stopped worrying and learned to embrace pre-prepared courses

I was shocked when first told I had to teach a ‘shell’ prepared by a colleague a few years ago, but I’m actually growing from the experience, says George Justice

George Justice

Arizona State University

Megaphone shouting. Researchers at universities must overcome the struggle with self-promotion

Researchers: fight back against your struggle with self-promotion

Postdoc or professor, the self-promotion struggle is real. So, how can we promote ourselves without sounding too ‘sales-y’? Emma Williams has the answers

Emma Williams

EJW Solutions

Advice on getting students thinking about and preparing for their future careers

Preparing students for an uncertain future through career planning

Lessons in engaging students in future career planning and preparation as part of their university studies, shared by Stephen Warrington, Katherine Cameron and Matt Vickers

Stephen Warrington, Katherine Cameron , Matt Vickers

The University of Edinburgh

After spending my entire career climbing the university career ladder, I'm now wondering what's next

I’ve successfully climbed the academic career ladder − now what?

Having spent my entire career trying to get to where I am now, I’m working out how to slow down and seize the opportunities ahead, says Lucas Lixinski

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

Advice on teaching trends sparked by the growth of ed-tech

Two ed-tech trends that educators should watch for

The growth of ed-tech has sparked fresh approaches to teaching. Here, Vikas Nand Kumar Batheja shares two teaching trends worthy of educators’ attention

Vikas Nand Kumar Batheja

Capital University College

Tempting back adults who left college early without a degree could be key to higher education's recovery

Re-engaging adult learners is key to a sustainable HE recovery

Winning back those who left college without a degree will be key in reversing the declines of the past year, say Kai Drekmeier and Amanda Winters

Kai Drekmeier, Amanda Winters

InsideTrack, National Governors Association

Advice on how to effectively bring co-creation with students into your teaching practices

Co-creating with students: practical considerations and approaches

Stacy Katz explains how to develop meaningful learning experiences by collaborating with students, rather than determining for them

Stacy Katz

Lehman College CUNY

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

Students are demanding action from higher education universities on climate change now

Students demand action on the climate crisis now – not later

COP26 is the world’s best – and perhaps last – chance to get runaway climate change under control, and to reach net zero HE needs to act swiftly, says Manveer Gill

Manveer Gill

Climate Commission for UK Higher and Further Education

Advice on developing advice resources in the form of short videos for students

Creating advice videos to help students and support your teaching

Nicholas Morton tackles five basic questions about creating advice videos designed to help students easily source guidance and information when they need it

Nicholas Morton

Nottingham Trent University

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

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