Research excellence

Deep dives into university research practices around the world, including supervision, community engagement, funding and publication.

Hands high-five in front of a leafy tree

Bridging the SDG awareness gap

Universities have a critical role to play in increasing awareness of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Here’s how to do it

James Miller, Andrew Hursthouse

University of the West of Scotland

A space where ideas can take shape in the creative arts

Out of writer’s block and research into the artistic process have grown a tool and a community to foster new work. Novelist Sue Woolfe describes how an international creativity bar works

Sue Woolfe

University of Sydney

Research group member taking part in performance activities

The Verbatim Formula: using creative arts for collaborative research

Find out how performance practices can support participatory research centred around emotionally charged lived experiences

Sylvan Baker, Maggie Inchley

The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Queen Mary University of London

An illustration of young people putting a lighbulb together

When engaging young people in participatory research, trust is key

How can we collaborate with young people to co-produce research? Keep these three things in mind

Abigail Harrison Moore, Lauren Theweneti

University of Leeds, Sheffield Hallam University

A group of people work around an office table

Embrace the potential of dyslexic thinkers for the future of research

Academia has made progress in recognising neurodiversity, but dyslexic academics still face significant barriers. Here’s how universities can embrace cultural competency to support and unlock the potential of dyslexic thinkers

Edward Ademolu

King’s College London

Illustration of many juggling icons on unicyle

Should academics embrace ambidextrous leadership to future-proof their career?

Ambidexterity requires investing time in training that can provide the skills needed to operate in a dynamic environment but also in the future

Greta Faccio, Valentina Lorenzon

Independent consultant, Independent academic

Two hands fit jigsaw puzzle pieces together

How to achieve interdisciplinary research? Focus on the people

Restructuring research domains around four communities allowed academics to find their natural home, writes Andrew Linn. Here’s how to do it

Andrew Linn

University of Westminster

Children participating in outreach programme School Tasking

School Tasking: forget explosions, it’s all about the skills

Successful university outreach doesn’t always have to involve awe-inspiring explosions and colour-changing chemical reactions, but it should seek to hone key skills through dynamic and interactive activities that enable all children to shine

Ali Struthers, Alex Horne

The University of Warwick, Avalon Entertainment

How to preserve academic credibility when engaging with social media

As political expression on social media can harm public perception of scientists, strategies such as sharing research, separating personal and professional identities, and engaging objectively are ways that academics can use it effectively while preserving credibility

Eleonora Alabrese, Francesco Capozza, Prashant Garg

University of Bath, WZB Berlin Social Science Center, Imperial College London

Campus talks: knowledge exchange and data management as drivers of research and innovation

The University of Oxford’s pro vice-chancellor for innovation on how universities and industry can work together for the benefit of all, plus a leading data scientist on why data needs careful handling to protect future research efforts

Chas Bountra, Sara de Freitas

University of Oxford, Birkbeck, University of London, The Open University

Campus webinar: How to present research to a wider audience for greater impact

Learn about ways to articulate and present your work to non-academic audiences from experts from Campus+ partner institutions in the UK and North America

Gregory Goldsmith, Patricia Raun, Denise Baden, Krystina Silva

University of Alberta, Virginia Tech, University of Southampton, Chapman University

Donors want to see real-world impact. What does that mean for higher education in the sciences?

Amid academia’s challenges related to talent retention and fundraising, universities can use translational research programmes to enhance scientific edge and real-world impact, and strengthen donor relations

Shai Shen-Orr

Technion – Israel Institute of Technology

Team of engineers are conducting an experiment in a lab

Developing a GenAI policy for research and innovation

Establishing a framework to guide AI use in research is vital for ensuring institutions are and remain fully compliant

Helen Brownlee, Tracy Moulton

The University of East Anglia

The UK Houses of Parliament in Westminster

What I learned about knowledge transfer with policymakers during my parliamentary fellowship

Advice on how to share your research with the aim of maximising knowledge transfer among policymakers in parliament

Rajiv Prabhakar

The Open University

How to bring teaching, research and knowledge exchange together

By getting students involved in real-world ‘live’ projects, academics can integrate research and knowledge exchange into teaching, resulting in positive impacts reaching far beyond the classroom, as Alan Chandler explains

Alan Chandler

University of East London

A guide to cultivating a start-up culture in academia

To foster a start-up culture in higher education, we need to encourage risk-taking, reward innovation and get ahead of the trends. Here’s how to get started

Sadaf Majeed

Dubai Medical University

computer technician working on mainframe

Career development for technicians in higher education

Technicians need to advocate for themselves, network and seek leadership opportunities to gain the recognition they deserve, writes Mark Dabee Saltmarsh. Here, he offers career advice for the unsung heroes of higher education

Mark Dabee Saltmarsh

Cardiff Metropolitan University

Building trust to support researchers’ mental health

Principal investigators should know what challenges to trust their research team may face at each stage of a project – from team building to post-project collaboration – so they can focus support effectively

Alex Zarifis

University of Southampton

Plant the seeds for a rewarding balance between family and academia

Balancing the demands of family life and higher education can feel as daunting as starting a garden from scratch. But with careful planning, consistent care and the right tools, you can cultivate a thriving environment where both areas of your life flourish

John Sinclair

Colorado State University Global

Strategies to help students conceptualise their research projects

Effective conceptualisation is key when beginning any research project. Help students get off to a good start using these strategies

Adrian Man-Ho Lam

The University of Hong Kong

How to collaborate with students on research projects

Students and academic staff collaborating on research projects offers many benefits for everyone involved. Here’s how to do it

Louise Owusu-Kwarteng

University of Greenwich

Illustration of a scholar in a lightbulb hot-air balloon

The aspiring academic’s career path from PhD to professor

If you have just finished your PhD or postdoc and realised that an academic career needs more than published papers and teaching, Jan Buermann has advice on how to kick-start progress up the ladder

Jan Buermann

University of Southampton

How to handle data ethically and effectively as a social scientist

New data sources are generating vast amounts of information for researchers. But social scientists and management researchers should put robust practices in place to remain ethical

Anne ter Wal

Imperial College London

Female researcher working on her laptop in a lab

Understanding ethics approval in academic research

The following strategies aim to streamline the ethics approval process, reduce delays and uphold the highest ethical standards

Marios Kremantzis, Fatema Zaghloul, Rushana Khusainova

The University of Bristol

One red megaphone in line of blue, clear communication concept

Why is no one listening?

Academic ways of communicating are often the exact opposite of what you need to draw widespread attention to your research, writes Simon Hall. Here are simple ways to help your message reach its audience

Simon Hall

University of Cambridge

A group of students sit happily around a laptop in the sunshine

Making group work work: how to enable successful student collaboration

How can we help students collaborate without weighing down staff with extra admin? First-year interdisciplinary research projects could be the answer

Jillian Terry

The London School of Economics and Political Science

Centralise laboratory management for better teaching and research

Creating a single department to oversee laboratory operations can streamline your processes and cut costs. Here’s how to do it

Mohd Fatimie Irzaq Khamis

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

Woman inteviewing man, looking thoughtful

Oral history for all: a research method that crosses disciplinary boundaries

Oral history’s potential to capture lesser-known perspectives and fill knowledge gaps deserves appreciation beyond the humanities

Sien van der Plank, Lareb Dean , Padmini Broomfield

University of Southampton

Could AI manage your research project?

The possibilities for using artificial intelligence in research know no bounds – it could even end up in a management role. Here’s what it could do

Henry Sauermann, Maximilian Köhler

ESMT Berlin

Can academic prenups help overcome barriers to interdisciplinary research?

A bottom-up approach could establish shared values, objectives, risk appetites and publication strategies as ways to mitigate challenges that hinder effective progress of interdisciplinary teams

Himanshu Kaul

University of Leicester

Key questions to help universities measure societal impact

When societal impact has so many definitions, how can higher education institutions measure it without overlap or disengagement? This coordinated approach aims to find accepted, effective common ground

Olga Ryazanova , Peter McNamara , Tatiana Andreeva

Maynooth University

AcademiaTok: how to inspire Generation Z with academic research

Explaining research in a short social media video is a major green flag for the Covid-19 generation. Here’s how to use existing resources to hit TikTok and Instagram

Lina Filippidi

The London School of Economics and Political Science

How to make enterprise activities enjoyable and impactful

Incorporating knowledge exchange and enterprise activities into demanding academic schedules can be a challenge but it doesn’t have to be stressful. Here are ways to make it enjoyable, rewarding and impactful

Larisa Yarovaya , Jeni Giambona

University of Southampton

Community of practice concept illustration

A framework to develop communities of practice

Supporting communities of practice across an organisation can provide extraordinary benefits. Drawn from the author’s experience, these tips aim to build connection and engagement through a formalised framework and senior leader sponsorship

Karen Mather

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Embracing disagreement in research co-production

Co-producing a research project is not all consensus and harmony, so these four tips will guide research collaborators in how to allow and enable disagreements and dissenting voices

Gary Hickey

University of Southampton

Researchers communicating their research to policymakers

What can the new government do to strengthen academic-policy engagement?

Following Labour’s landslide victory, all eyes will be on the new government to see how it will respond to current issues within higher education

Sarah Chaytor , Laura Bea, Chris Hewson

Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN)

Campus talks: higher education leaders on their priorities for the new UK government

What will the UK’s new Labour-led parliament mean for university funding, research impact, international student flows and free speech on campus? Two higher education leaders share their perspectives on the challenges ahead

Vivienne Stern, Chris Day

Universities UK, Russell Group

Moving over to the dark side: academic or academic administrator?

Academics may view administrators with suspicion, but Elaine Sharplin recommends stepping over to the dark side – as long as you stay true to your roots

Elaine Sharplin

Nazarbayev University

Practical tips for graduate students undertaking a doctoral dissertation

Producing a doctoral dissertation can be an intimidating process, writes Bill Huckle. Here, he shares practical strategies for graduate students taking on the work to share their original contribution to knowledge with the wider community

William R. Huckle

Virginia Tech

Kids watching demonstration at science centre

School visits are a triple-win for academics, schools and society

For researchers, taking science into the community is an opportunity to hone communication skills, increase impact and enthuse children to pursue their own university studies, writes Ben Kennedy. Plus, it’s fun

Ben Kennedy

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Higher education needs a united approach to AI

If universities’ response to AI and education is as fractured as the sector’s adoption of blended learning, we may well find ourselves in a similar position in 20 years’ time with duplicated costs and missed research opportunities, writes Sara de Freitas

Sara de Freitas

Birkbeck, University of London

Get a head start in the first year of your PhD

Even a marathon begins with first steps, and so it makes sense to master motivation, set healthy habits and get writing early to reap the reward of a polished dissertation at the end of the PhD journey, writes Andreï Kostryka

Andreï V. Kostyrka

University of Luxembourg

How to structure your PhD thesis

Organising your PhD thesis in a logical order is one of the crucial stages of your writing process. Here is a list of the individual components to include

Shama Prasada Kabekkodu

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Campus talks: what does the UK election mean for higher education?

Does the UK general election offer a ray of hope for the beleaguered university sector? Two higher education policy experts give their take on what university leaders can do to make a case for the sector and how a new parliament might tackle hot topics such as international students and research funding

Nick Hillman, Diana Beech

Higher Education Policy Institute, London Higher

Enhance GenAI collaboration for future-proof research support

Embrace the possibilities of generative AI in research support with a strategic mindset. Ryan Henderson, Ayla Kruis and Tse-Hsiang Chen share their practical framework for successful human-AI collaboration

Ryan Henderson, Ayla Kruis, Tse-Hsiang Chen

University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University

How to write an abstract for a research paper

Read about three elements to include in your research paper abstract and some tips for making yours stand out

Ankitha Shetty

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Emotionally challenging research and researcher well-being

Researchers who navigate emotionally challenging topics need support that includes well-being plans, advice on handling distress and risk assessment guidance, writes Tina Skinner. Her work has led to a series of resources for universities

Tina Skinner

University of Bath

Campus Talks: Bringing an outsider’s eye to primary sources

What happens when a literary scholar turns her attention to local archives such as inventories and court records? English professor Alexandra Harris talks about writing history, uncovering centuries of silent lives for her new book, and the interdisciplinary power of the humanities

Alexandra Harris

University of Birmingham

A research student undergoing her viva exam

‘Augmenting’ the doctoral thesis in preparation for a viva

The viva voce exam is the final hurdle for PhD students, but for most it is also a new and fear-inducing experience. Edward Mills offers one framework to help those preparing to discuss their completed thesis at length

Edward Mills

The University of Exeter

Uncovering Indigenous insights: let’s research together

Meaningful engagement with Indigenous communities requires researchers to shift away from conventional methodologies and towards more collaborative and participatory approaches. Here, Sarah Wiki-Bennett shares six key tenets

Sarah Wiki-Bennett

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

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