North America

American football team starting a new play

Making male athletes key players in preventing sexual assault on campus

Young sportsmen have the influence to shift campus attitudes away from rape culture and misinformation towards accountability and support for survivors. A US-wide programme aims to empower them to do so

Tracey Vitchers

It’s On Us

Four students each responding differently to an assignment question

Tips (from a librarian) for creating assignment prompts

A guide to crafting and writing clear assignment instructions that students can understand and follow

Toni Carter

Athens State University

Two women discuss an investment opportunity

Invest in the future with student-managed funds

Student-managed investment funds are an effective way to give students real business experience and develop their professional skills. But they need careful planning and support from faculty, Ahmad Al Asady explains

Ahmad Al Asady

North Dakota State University

Bag of groceries

A ‘grocery store’ model can help your campus food bank reduce waste

A move from pre-packed hampers can make university food banks more efficient and the space more welcoming – and build a stronger community. Erin O’Neil offers tips for switching to a grocery-store model

Erin O’Neil

University of Alberta

Illustration of man in suit hurdling ahead of robots

Effective assessment practices for a ChatGPT-enabled world

Assessment methods that require students to produce authentic, novel and personalised responses can help educators stay ahead of the uncertainty and workload that AI writers create

Jonna Lee

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Assignment paper with a C-plus grade and 'satisfactory' comment

How the idea of ‘excellence’ can be misleading in higher education

A new approach to achievement could see a focus on As give way to a suite of mastery that meets students’ needs – and helps faculty balance expectations, writes Michael Dennin

Michael Dennin

University of California, Irvine

A man standing on a rock, staring out into the distance

A vision for graduate supervision

Supervising graduate students is a responsibility and skill that goes far beyond the mere transmission of knowledge, as Daniel Jutras explains

Daniel Jutras

University of Montreal

Man speaking through a megaphone while his shadow is urging silence

Unearthing the hidden curriculum in international classrooms

How educators can help international students navigate the unspoken assumptions, expectations and norms of US higher education

Andrea Feldman

University of Colorado Boulder

Podcast discussing building resilience and protecting well-being among university staff and students

THE podcast: an interview with Nicholas Dirks, president and CEO of the New York Academy of Sciences

The former chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley and current president and CEO of the New York Academy of Sciences makes the case for more humanities studies and argues that science shouldn't be leveraged in geopolitics

Nicholas Dirks

THE Campus

Diversity training

Tips for universities on delivering effective EDI degree programmes

Workplace demand for EDI expertise is growing, and numerous universities are now offering full degree programmes in this area. Eli Joseph offers starting points for doing it well

Eli Joseph

Columbia University

Field journal and students

Field journals: a deceptively simple solution for improving engagement

Sending students into the field armed with journals (and latterly iPads) has provided pedagogical lessons that can be applied far beyond my field of natural history, says Michael Brunson

Michael Brunson

Kansas State University

A tired looking man at his laptop rubbing his eyes

Understanding compassion fatigue and how to prevent it

Tips and strategies for reducing compassion fatigue among university faculty and staff

Catherine Wehlburg

Athens State University

Staff training session

Why it is time to start co-creating professional development with employees

Steps to working with employees to shape and improve professional development programmes

Heather Emerson-Young

Northeastern University

Summit of Ha Ling Mountain with Rundle Range and Banff National Park, Alberta, Canadian Rockies in the background

Restructuring a university, part one

When Bill Flanagan took the helm, the University of Alberta was facing a $222 million funding cut – 20 per cent of the university’s operating budget. In this two-part article, he explains how the university undertook a historic overhaul

Bill Flanagan

University of Alberta

illustration of a man climbing a mountain with flag on top

Restructuring a university, part two

When funding pressures made it clear that the University of Alberta had to change, it overhauled its entire way of working. Here, president Bill Flanagan explains how they did it

Bill Flanagan

University of Alberta

Middle-aged woman with laptop looking out office window

You’re not alone: tips to help academics avoid social isolation

Connections with colleagues matter – without them, support during periods of reappointment, promotion or tenure can feel tenuous. And those unwritten expectations of collegiality become opaque, explains Karen Z. Sproles

Karyn Z. Sproles

United States Naval Academy

Five stars

Scales, stars and numbers: the question of evaluation

Marking schemes are a recurring source of contention in academic discussions, where the key word is evaluation. Daniel Jutras offers a brief reflection on the art of grading and feedback

Daniel Jutras

University of Montreal

Group of four multi-racial people holding speech balloons

Small talk: love it or leave it, but teach it to your TAs

Casual conversation fosters a sense of belonging, but it’s not a universal skill. Sarah Kegley details a short workshop that helps international teaching assistants feel at ease making small talk

Sarah Kegley

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Paying cash for academic help

How can we encourage students to seek academic assistance ethically?

Following years researching paid academic support methods, Joel Heng Hartse suggests solutions that can help beat “academic help” companies at their own game

Joel Heng Hartse

Simon Fraser University

Earth-centred education is required to solve the climate crisis

Transformative change is needed to deliver Earth-centred education

The time for incrementalism is over. As responsible humans and academic professionals we must radically rethink the purposes and processes of education and development

Mark Fettes

Simon Fraser University

International students

Peer review in multilingual classes

Peer review can be a powerful pedagogical tool for developing multilingual students’ essay-writing and communication skills if they are given clear guidance on the process, Andrea Feldman explains

Andrea Feldman

University of Colorado Boulder

Self-reflection is crucial for decolonisation in higher education

Why is self-reflection core to decolonisation and anti-racism in the academy?

To move beyond rhetoric, hollow commitments and well-intentioned one-time efforts, we must hold ourselves accountable, says a team from Simon Fraser University

Multiple authors

Simon Fraser University

A young woman working in a library

Five common misconceptions on writing feedback

Misapprehensions about responding to and grading writing can prevent educators using writing as an effective pedagogical tool. Rolf Norgaard and Stephanie Foster set out to dispel them

Rolf Norgaard, Stephanie Foster

University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado State University

Students sitting a traditional in-person exam

Fair approaches to assessment and plagiarism for multilingual learners

By applying principles of universal design for learning, lecturers can develop fairer approaches to assessment and plagiarism for multilingual international students, Andrea Feldman explains

Andrea Feldman

University of Colorado Boulder

How to make working from home work as an academic

Is working from home going to solve your work-life balance problems?

Commitment and good implementation are required from both institutions and individuals to make working from home a success, writes Brenda Lautsch

Brenda Lautsch

Simon Fraser University

Welcome sign for belonging at university

How to foster belonging to advance equitable learning in your classes

We must extend belonging to help students feel they’re cut out for college, lower barriers such as impostor syndrome and ultimately support learning, says Flower Darby

Flower Darby

University of Missouri

Black bereavement leave in higher education

Where’s our Black bereavement leave?

Higher education routinely ignores the emotional needs of Black faculty and staff, particularly after traumatic events, and it’s time for that to change, says Angel Jones

Angel Jones

Southern Illinois University

A class learning about robotics

A universal design approach to teaching multilingual students

An explanation of how universal design for learning can improve teaching for multilingual international students and domestic students alike

Andrea Feldman

University of Colorado Boulder

Young woman talking into a cell phone

What’s next for university admissions?

With the impact of AI on applications as yet unknown and affirmative action in the US at risk, Rick Clark speculates on the future of college admissions. His hope? That the student voice finds new ways to be heard

Rick Clark

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Evolution of man

Adapt, evolve, elevate: ChatGPT is calling for interdisciplinary action

Our response to ChatGPT and its successors should be one that encourages open, interdisciplinary discourse and supports research investigating AI from every angle

Leanne Ramer

Simon Fraser University

Exit sign

Faculty exit interviews: the when, how and why

There’s never a good time to say goodbye. But here, Eli Joseph provides tips and insights on conducting exit interviews for different types of faculty

Eli Joseph

Columbia University

Hand holding a compass in open road

Questions beyond majors: developing mental maturity in students

When undergraduates build their own course plan, reading list and thesis project, the benefits extend beyond the individual student’s mindset to teaching faculty, write Ryan Derby-Talbot and Marjorie Wonham

Ryan Derby-Talbot, Marjorie Wonham

Deep Springs College, Quest University

Students responding to a question in the classroom

An examination of student engagement in the classroom

An exploration of what student engagement means for different individuals and how to support and assess it in the classroom

Stephanie Foster, Kirk Ambrose

University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado State University

Woman holding a box out of which a selection of national flags are flying

How to support multilingual international students in the classroom

Multilingual students face unique challenges that affect their participation and communication in the classroom, but educators can take steps to make them feel welcome

Andrea Feldman

University of Colorado Boulder

Black male student happy looking at laptop

How university leaders can use an ‘innovation for’ mindset to drive enrolment

For US colleges and universities, the key to turning around falling enrolment is to directly respond to concerns about affordability, accessibility and return on investment, writes Nivine Megahed

Nivine Megahed

National Louis University

People doodling a rocket launch on a blackboard

Universities as business launchpads: creating spaces for enterprise to flourish

What are the vital components of an effective university innovation and entrepreneurship hub? Julian Henry explains

Julian Henry

The University of the West Indies

Woman researcher with pipette wearing protective glasses

How faculty support and entrepreneurial programmes can boost research commercialisation

Universities can support an invention as it moves from the lab to real-world impact through key focus areas such as protecting IP and networking, writes Audrey Calvird

Audrey Calvird

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Tips from university students on filming videos to keep them engaged

Tips from students on how to film videos that keep them engaged

A discussion thread on making videos became Keith Pressey’s most successful post in 13 years of teaching – here he shares the key takeaways from the exercise

Keith Pressey

Colorado State University Global

Rainbow flag outside Cambridge University for LGBT History Month

How LGBTQ leaders navigate a predominantly non-LGBTQ world

Looking at LGBTQ leadership style as a reaction to the power structures that dominate our culture is essential to finding a common thread through a diverse community, writes Karen Whitney

Karen Whitney

Clarion University

International academic partnerships can be very useful

A guide to the dos and don’ts of international partnerships

Navigating cultural issues, considering local rules, establishing red lines and much more will be required if you are to create a strong partnership and protect both partners

Jason E. Lane, Jessica D. Schueller

Miami University

Image of a person hidden behind a large question mark

My teacher’s a robot: beating negative perceptions when teaching online

Students on online courses complain of a lack of interaction, motivation and familiarity with teachers, research shows. Wendy Cowan looks at how to build ‘instructor presence’ into online courses

Wendy Cowan

Athens State University

A group discussions with varied perspectives is welcome unpredictability in teaching

Embrace the unpredictability of teaching in community colleges

A diverse community college classroom is full of opportunities for enriching, student-led discussions, says Dale Schlundt

Dale Schlundt

Palo Alto College

Blocks in the air with a yellow one in the middle

New views on the block: schedule or philosophy?

Colorado College founded its Block Plan in the heady, revolutionary late 1960s. What can a look back over 50 years teach us about the future of compressed and modular modes of curriculum delivery?

Steven Hayward

Colorado College

A sliding scale from happy to unhappy

Questions for thinking about your career vitality

Vitality is at the opposite end of the motivation spectrum from burnout. Where do you sit? Here are 10 questions that university faculty can use to reflect on their experience

Rebecca Pope-Ruark

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Fountain pen writing note

The art of fostering collegiality

With responsibility to encourage collegiality in their domain but limited authority to make it happen, what is a department chair to do? Kevin Dettmar shares the uses and misuses of academia’s professional bonds

Kevin Dettmar

Pomona College

See the whole person

Improving admissions: how to evaluate the whole student

Brooke Wilson and Karin-Jill Magaziner Schneider discuss admissions criteria and how best to ensure the process considers the whole student

Brooke Wilson, Karin-Jill Magaziner Schneider

Colorado State University Global

Rainbow light bulb in a row of white bulbs

Leadership and the intersectionality of being queer and living with HIV

Coming out as gay was a first step, but it was being open about living with HIV that showed Raymond Crossman how his whole self shaped his role as president. Here, he talks about intersectionality and leadership

Raymond Crossman

Adler University

How to shift the power dynamic between lecturer and students

Calling all authoritarians: how to shift the power dynamic in your classes

Using the empowerment framework helps build shared purpose, meaning and respect between professors and students, leading to reciprocal growth and learning

Catherine Whaley, Jon McNaughtan

Texas Tech University

Podcast discussing building resilience and protecting well-being among university staff and students

THE podcast: career advice, LGBTQ+ in the academy and public speaking tips

Hear from Ray Crossman, an out university president living with HIV in the US, about his career path, and Brian Bloch, a presentation and communication expert, on how to improve your public-speaking skills

Raymond Crossman, Brian Bloch

Adler University, University of Münster

The DIY guide to academic freedom

A DIY guide to protecting academic freedom

A guide to help faculty manage and respond to threats to their academic freedom, from understanding the source of the challenges to finding allies and resources that can assist

Pedro García-Caro, Katy Krieger, Joe Lowndes, Gabe Paquette

University of Oregon