Outreach and communication

Engaging with LinkedIn is essential for the modern university academic when looking for a new job

Academic snobs can’t afford to ignore LinkedIn any longer

Considering a career move? When asking for a favour, such as info or an introduction, it helps to build a chain of trust. Which is where LinkedIn comes in, says Emma Williams

Emma Williams

EJW Solutions

The higher education sector in the US is using an antiquated system of judging student metrics

IPEDS and the trouble with student metrics in the US

The IPEDS education data surveys hold great weight in the HE system, but they are not inclusive enough and thus no longer fit for purpose, says Elizabeth Harris

Elizabeth Harris

Colorado State University Global

Even second-generation immigrants are in danger of losing their heritage language, but universities can help

Universities must help their communities preserve heritage languages

Language loss is a real danger among even second-generation migrants – here’s how to help, say Sender Dovchin and Rhonda Oliver

Sender Dovchin, Rhonda Oliver

Curtin University

Insight on how community based research projects can motivate students as their apply their learning to real world problems

Using community-based research projects to motivate learning among engineering students

Trithos Kamsuwan explains how community-based research projects can be used to motivate students, creating opportunities to apply principles they have learned in class to solve real-world problems

Trithos Kamsuwan

Siam University

Universities need to make sure their promo materials and slogans are not as bland as blancmange

How to ensure your university’s branding isn’t as bland as blancmange

Universities’ promo materials and slogans play it safe to the point of indolence, says Jonathan Wilson. He explains how to take a leaf from the global brand playbook

Jonathan Wilson

Regent's University London

Young African women wearing headphones in a university cafe - reconnecting after the pandemic

Reopening and reconnecting: how to establish connection with first-years studying in the new normal

Agnes Chikonzo offers three key ways that university services can engage students and give them a sense of belonging back on campus

Agnes Chikonzo

University of Zimbabwe

How to revitalise student knowledge exchange with local communities

How co-creating an ‘umbrella’ programme can help institutions innovate student knowledge exchange and improve engagement with local communities and businesses, a team from Queen Mary University of London explain

Patrick McGurk, Joanne Zhang, Fezzan Ahmed, Olivia Reid

Queen Mary University of London

Turning an idea into a commercial interest is a hugely rewarding but challenging journey for university academics

Dragon’s zen: how to handle the jump from HE to a commercial venture

The learning curve is steep when leaving academia for an entrepreneurial adventure. John Miles outlines what to expect and says the skills you learned as a researcher can help

John Miles

Inkpath

Advice on shaping meaningful community engagement through research projects

In this together: developing meaningful community engagement

Anna Walas offers advice for facilitating community engagement with research by considering ways in which effective engagement design can help overcome common barriers

Anna Walas

University of Nottingham

Cancel culture, difficult conversations

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

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

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

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

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

THE podcast: How NYU and the University of São Paulo are thinking about climate change

Ahead of COP26, leaders at NYU and São Paulo spoke with us about how universities can be leaders in tackling the climate crisis and what they hope the summit achieves

Katherine Fleming, Tercio Ambrizzi

New York University, University of São Paulo

How to ensure online teaching benefits the education of sustainability issues

Engaging students in applied research to tackle Sustainable Development Goals

Jen O’Brien describes a pedagogical project that engages students in applied research carried out in partnership with external organisations, related to the Sustainable Development Goals

Jen O'Brien

University of Manchester

Empathy is a big part of authentic leadership, along with open decisionmaking

Authentic leadership isn’t new – but we need it more than ever in HE

For leadership to be effective, we need to understand our own limitations and listen to others to learn how to overcome them, say Sarah Jones and Alasdair Blair

Sarah Jones, Alasdair Blair

De Montfort University

Randomised control trials are crucial for good science, but we can also improve their ethics

We can make research more ethical without compromising its quality

The debate on the ethics of randomised control trials isn’t getting us anywhere – it’s time for solutions, says Stefano Caria

Stefano Caria

University of Warwick

A glossary to explain the terminology associated with research impact work

Demystifying impact: a glossary of key terms

The extensive terminology surrounding research ‘impact’ can be confusing for those new to it. To help, Alex Smith and Laura Tucker have compiled a glossary of the most common terms

Alex Smith, Laura Tucker

Vertigo Ventures

Considerations for embedding public engagement into your research projects

Enhance your research through public engagement and collaboration

Emily Burns outlines the key considerations for shaping research around mutually beneficial public engagement and collaboration

Emily Burns

Queen Mary University of London

Advice on getting students involved in community projects which boost their learning experience in creative and practical ways

Creative ways to boost student learning through community-based projects

Jamie Darwen explains how community projects offer creative and practical ways to enhance student learning and shares advice on building successful partnerships outside the university

Jamie Darwen

University of the West of England Bristol

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

THE podcast: what is the civic role of universities post-pandemic?

What does it mean to be a civic university in 2021 and how should institutions improve their public outreach and engagement to increase their value to wider society?

Jeremy Read, Carenza Lewis

University of Winnipeg, University of Lincoln

Advice on developing a strategy for effective civic engagement

How universities can ensure they have a positive impact on local communities

Jane Robinson offers advice on developing effective ‘civic engagement’ strategies to ensure universities have a positive long-term impact on local communities

Jane Robinson

Newcastle University

Step by step advice on embedding public engagement into university research and teaching

How to embed public engagement into your teaching and research activities

Carenza Lewis shares a step-by-step guide for embedding public engagement into your institution’s research and teaching

Carenza Lewis

University of Lincoln

Advice on leading ambitious university civic engagement projects

Making large-scale civic engagement projects a reality

Matthew Andrews offers advice on how universities should approach ambitious large-scale civic engagement projects to bring plans to fruition

Matthew Andrews

University of Gloucestershire

Advice on implementing rapid response public engagement projects

Three steps to successful rapid-response civic engagement with students

Kathleen Riach outlines key lessons from successfully leading a rapid-response civic engagement project with students to help over 50s gain better digital access

Kathleen Riach

University of Glasgow

Advice on shaping research around community needs

Directing research to engage and support local communities

Helen Szoor-McElhinney and colleagues describe how academics can shape their research around key community needs and encourage participation from multidisciplinary faculty, students and local people

Helen Szoor-McElhinney, Alette Willis, Liam Gilchrist

University of Edinburgh

Advice on building meaningful collaborations for better community and civic engagement

How universities can build meaningful collaborations to solve societal challenges

For universities to extend their impact and community engagement, they need to form strong partnerships with external organisations and individuals. Alicia Wilson shares seven guiding principles that support successful collaboration

Alicia Wilson

Johns Hopkins University

Using university physical and digital spaces to better engage local communities

Open to all? Using our physical and digital spaces to better engage local communities

Richard Calvert explores what role universities’ physical spaces should play in civic engagement and how digital technologies can support this

Richard Calvert

Sheffield Hallam University

How to use digital communications to speed the spread of ideas and knowledge

Using digital technology to assist the spread of knowledge and ideas about the SDGs

Gisela Loehlein on how digital communications can assist in spreading knowledge and awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals, through virtual global events and building connections between experts and institutions all over the world

Gisela Loehlein

Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University