THE clinic

Find advice, solutions and how-to explanations to help academics and university staff excel in key areas of higher education

Advice on moving from printed to digital teaching materials to improve student engagement and sustainability

How using digital workbooks can increase student engagement and help institutions go green

How to move from printed to digital workbooks rich with interactive content such as audio, video and quizzes, to improve online learning outcomes while boosting sustainability

Yan Wei, Paul Tuck

Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University

Using 'career corners' to present employment options to students

Career corners: a simple way to improve student job preparation

Many students enter their final year with no idea what they wish to do after university. Career corners aim to help by providing job and industry overviews that facilitate informed choices

Alexander Bradley

The University of Portsmouth

Advice on using photography to complement written materials when teaching human rights

Using photography as a teaching tool in human rights and international affairs

Photography is a powerful way to bring topics to life and enhance students’ understanding of different perspectives and representations of world events and people, as Noam Schimmel explains

Noam Schimmel

University of California, Berkeley

Questions to ask to examine your own role in perpetuating racism in higher education and what steps to take

Questions you should ask yourself about your role in institutional racism

Questions individuals working in academia should ask themselves to gain an honest appraisal of their role in institutional racism and take active steps to counteract it, by Henrika McCoy and Madeline Y Lee

Henrika McCoy, Madeline Lee

University of Illinois Chicago, California State University San Marcos

How to address breakout room anxiety: advice for teaching academics

Four ways to address breakout room anxiety

Ari Badlishah draws on her recent experience completing a master’s degree largely online to offer advice on how educators can help minimise students’ anxiety about virtual breakout rooms

Ari Badlishah

University of Edinburgh

Advice on taking a trauma sensitive approach to teaching

A trauma-sensitive approach to teaching and learning

A four-step framework for taking a trauma-sensitive approach to teaching in universities, explained by Kitty Wheater

Kitty Wheater

University of Edinburgh

Advice on using literary reviews to create a narrative and context for new research projects

Using literature reviews to strengthen research: tips for PhDs and supervisors

Anne Wilson explains how to develop a narrative and context for new research through your literature review, with tips for early career researchers and their supervisors

Anne Wilson

Royal Literary Fund

Advice on mentoring and teaching women with disabilities in higher education

Mentoring and teaching women with disabilities in universities

Inclusive teaching and mentoring practices that support women with disabilities to succeed in higher education, while improving access for all students, shared by Molly M. King

Molly M. King

Santa Clara University

Building your research profile via social media, with a focus on LinkedIn

A guide to creating effective researcher profiles on social media, with practical tips for using LinkedIn

Tjitske Dijkstra

Academic Career Coach

How to embed gender equality work into an institution's teaching and research practices so it is not lost when key individuals move on

Institutionalising gender equality work within a university

Strategies to ensure that gains in gender equality work at universities are not lost when the individual staff members driving them move on

Kathryn Rebecca Maude

American University of Beirut

Advice on supporting Black women to progress in academic careers

Hidden in plain sight: spotlighting invisible Black female academics

Jummy Okoya outlines actions higher education institutions should take to encourage more Black women into academia and support their career progression

Jummy Okoya

University of East London

Recommendations for support measures universities could put in place to support working parents among their staff

What parents need to succeed in academia and how universities can help

From working hours that fit in with childcare to a place to pump, Nadia von Benzon explains how universities can support staff who are parents

Nadia von Benzon

Lancaster University

Advice for educators to take proactive steps that help students form social bonds and support networks, in person and online

WhatsApp and campus trails: supporting students in building peer support networks

Group activities and social networks help students to feel supported. Here’s how to facilitate interactions that build peer-support networks

Kelly Edmunds , Helen Leggett, Becky Lewis

University of East Anglia

Advice on instilling democratic principles into your assessment methods

Democratic assessment: why, what, and how

Divya Bheda shares five ways educators can embody democratic principles through their assessment practices to help students learn civic-minded values and behaviour

Divya Bheda

ExamSoft

Advice on overseeing new curriculum development based on the general education reforms in Hong Kong

Seven lessons from interdisciplinary general education curriculum reform

Adrian Lam highlights lessons drawn from the implementation of interdisciplinary general education curriculum reform in Hong Kong universities

Adrian Man Ho Lam

University of Hong Kong

Advice on adapting courses to teaching online using small chunks of material

Non-linear approaches to course structure that improve learning

Chris Jones shares advice for designing online courses that take a non-linear approach to learning, by breaking up teaching content into chunks that can be repeatedly revisited

Chris Jones

Pearson College London

Advice on using your research to inform and impact policy decisions

Learning the craft of using your research to engage in policy

David Garcia explains how academics can get their research noticed by politicians in order to inform and impact policy decisions

David R. Garcia

Arizona State University

Social media influencer or blogger present and review recording or streaming vlog

How to start an academic YouTube channel: tips from a psychology YouTuber

YouTube is a wide-open opportunity for university teachers and researchers to share their knowledge with a broader audience, says Dennis Relojo-Howell

Dennis Relojo-Howell

University of Edinburgh

Advice on developing a course portfolio that meets workplace demand for upskilling

Pivoting university course offerings to upskill the workforce

Teresa Ironside outlines how universities can develop their course portfolio to meet changing workplace skills demands and deliver education to a wider range of learners

Teresa Ironside

University of Edinburgh

Advice on how to use different styles of assessment to enhance learning outcomes

Strategies for the constructive use of varied assessment methods

Layal Hakim explains when and how to implement different types of assessment throughout a course in order to support learning

Layal Hakim

University of Exeter

Learning as becoming, lifelong education, holistic approach, HELF framework

Learning as becoming: what do students become as a result of their higher education experience?

A learning framework can help students understand their transition from higher education to the professional world as well as support their holistic experience of university life

Alexandra Osika, Stephanie MacMahon, Jason M. Lodge, Annemaree Carroll

The University of Queensland

Making connections online is incredibly important for student motivation in universities

Top tips for establishing close relationships with students online

The quality of the connection between teachers and their charges is a true learning booster for students and can become a source of well-being for teachers, too

Rebeca Elizabeth Alvarado Ramírez

Monterrey Institute of Technology

IT technician with a laptop computer and black male engineer colleague in data centre

Connecting on-campus learning with preparation for careers and life beyond the hedges

Career preparation begins before graduation. Ellenor Anderbyrne and Daniel Youd describe lessons learned from building a student career-readiness programme from the ground up

Ellenor Anderbyrne, Daniel Youd

Beloit College

Noisy big megaphone. Speaker announcing news to target audience, science communication

Get your research out there: 7 strategies for high-impact science communication

From news angles to dealing with trolls, here are seven areas to consider when sharing your findings with the media and wider public

Christina Zdenek

The University of Queensland

Virtual work experience can be a game changer for young students

How to work with Forage to implement virtual internships

Ben Powell provides tips and reflections on how universities can improve student employability using Forage, a free online platform offering a range of virtual internship programmes

Ben Powell

University of Westminster

Advice on using project-based learning to get students learning away from their screens

Using project-based learning to boost student motivation and engagement

Worapoom Saengkaew shares key lessons from using project-based learning to get students away from their screens and into the real world, boosting their enthusiasm for their studies

Worapoom Saengkaew

Siam University

Advice on designing pedagogies that encourage positive psychological growth among students after such a challenging period

From struggle to strength: positive psychological growth through teaching and assessment

Kathleen Chim and Benjamin Chan offer practical advice on creating meaningful pedagogies, assignments and assessments that promote positive psychological growth in challenging times

Kathleen Chim, Benjamin Tak Yuen Chan

Hong Kong Metropolitan University

Design thinking can be used in universities and by academics to help bring about new approaches to working in teams

Five tips for using design thinking to transform your academic practice

Jenny Moffett explains how embracing design thinking may offer ways to combat academic perfectionism and develop vital skills for navigating uncertain paths

Jenny Moffett

RCSI, University of Medicine and Health Sciences

Advice on applying user experience thinking to enhancing your student services in teaching and on campus

Are you optimising the user experience for your students?

Kevin Curtis provides an introduction to simple user experience (UX) techniques that can help when considering how students and staff engage with higher education services and their campus surroundings

Kevin Curtis

The University of Portsmouth

Yellow paper figure surrounded by headlines about health and money anxieties, Covid uncertainty

How educators can help manage Covid anxieties on campus

Simple strategies can allow teachers to connect more deeply with students and help prepare them for stressful professional environments

Michael Ellwood

The University of Queensland

Advice on teaching the basics of critical thinking to students who are new to the concept

How to teach critical thinking to beginners

Sarah Ivory explains how she teaches critical thinking through application rather than theory, tasking students with applying three core elements of the process in their regular classes

Sarah Ivory

University of Edinburgh

Laptop and glowing light bulb illustrating resource about matching tech to learning outcomes

Using the right technology at the right time in the flipped classroom

Course design that matches ed-tech with learning outcomes can allow students to learn from their mistakes and develop resilience

Laura Sokal

University of Winnipeg

Advice on setting up your workspace to record good quality footage for use on social media

How to use social media more effectively in teaching and research, part one: your recording set-up

Andy Miah shows how academics could set up their workspace to record good-quality video content for use on social media

Andy Miah

University of Salford

Advice on helping students to form social bonds and join clubs and societies after two years of isolation

Building student social networks offline

Becky Lewis explains how to purposefully encourage and support students in forming social bonds and groups after two years of remote learning, isolated from their peers and lecturers

Becky Lewis

University of East Anglia

Advice on purposefully creating a sense of belonging among black students in majority white universities

How to create a sense of belonging for black students in a majority white academy

Taking active, practical and nuanced approaches to ensuring the belonging of black students in majority white universities, at a micro and macro level, is everyone’s responsibility, explains Edith Lewis

Edith Lewis

Canterbury Christ Church University

Advice on developing online courses using ABC Learning Design as your framework

Easy as ABC: design an online course in 90 minutes

Want to create an online course but not sure where to start? Lizzy Garner-Foy shares tips on how to create engaging online learning using a quick, easy method: ABC Learning Design.

Lizzy Garner-Foy

University of Edinburgh

Two young women in eating sandwiches in park

How to facilitate the small changes in teaching that make a big difference

Through their podcast, Alastair Stark and Sebastian Kaempf champion the ‘sandwich conversations’ between colleagues that lead to impactful incremental shifts in teaching practice

Alastair Stark, Sebastian Kaempf

The University of Queensland

Woman on rock at beach dipping toes in water illustrating work-integrated learning

Helping students to see the future career value of their work-integrated learning

Real-world experience and outputs tailored to industry allow students to see the relevance of what they learn in the classroom

Sabine Matook

The University of Queensland

Advice for taking your university teaching out of the lecture theatre or classroom

Bringing learning to life: nine tips for teaching in outdoor places and spaces

David A. G. Clarke reflects on his experience of teaching in outdoor spaces and provides valuable tips on how to take higher education outside the classroom

David A. G. Clarke

University of Edinburgh

Advice on looking to the wider research community for resources and training to upskill your research team

Core data science skills: filling the gaps with community developed workshops

The scientific research apprenticeship model lacks training in core data science skills. Community-developed workshops delivered by academic peers can help to fill this gap, Alison Meynert and Edward Wallace explain

Alison Meynert , Edward Wallace

University of Edinburgh

International team of people sitting around table, putting colourful puzzles together

How to enhance students’ participation in teamwork that is not assessed

Rebecca Wang outlines a learning structure that supports students who are new to team-based research projects

Rebecca Wang

University of Westminster

Advice on ways to improve the teaching of higher education mathematics

Top tips to improve the teaching of mathematics in universities

Layal Hakim shares advice for improving higher education mathematics teaching, from preparation to delivery styles

Layal Hakim

University of Exeter

Advice on university teaching strategies that will develop student employability

Developing student employability within universities

Yhing Sawheny shares effective strategies for higher education institutions to equip students with the skills they need for the workplace

Yhing Sawheny

Siam University

Advice on presenting live coding 'labs' as a series of short videos which take students through the problem step by step

Video makes the coding star: teaching problem-solving in bite-sized chunks online

Aidan McGowan explains how converting practical coding ‘labs’ into a series of short videos taking students through the problems step-by-step has improved learning outcomes

Aidan McGowan

Queen's University Belfast

Advice on the key steps to design and deliver effective microcredentials that meet diverse learner needs

Three steps to developing useful microcredentials

The key considerations for developing an effective microcredentials portfolio that meets the needs of diverse learners and employers

Natcha Thawesaengskulthai, Bajinder Pal Singh , Warinya Chemnasiri , Pietro Borsano

Chulalongkorn University

Key considerations for designing a university curriculum

Shaping a curriculum framework: the fundamental principles

Adrian Lam outlines a list of fundamental principles for consideration when shaping a curriculum framework

Adrian Man Ho Lam

University of Hong Kong

Advice on embedding proper interdisciplinarity into university teaching

Interdisciplinarity in teaching: what it is and how to make it work

Loy Hui Chieh explains what true interdisciplinarity is and how to successfully embed it into university courses

Loy Hui Chieh

National University of Singapore

Career planning advice for early career researchers on how to secure your first permanent academic job

Landing your first lectureship: top five academic career planning tips

Utsa Mukherjee shares five tips to help early career researchers build their professional experience and CV in order to secure their first permanent academic post

Utsa Mukherjee

Brunel University London

Using media such as Spotify or TikTok can help academics connect with university students

Ideas for using media to connect with students

Students need to be motivated and engaged to be successful, which is where podcasts, social media and music come in, say Esmeralda Niño-Perez and Angeles Carolina Aguirre-Acosta

Esmeralda Niño-Perez , Angeles Carolina Aguirre-Acosta

Monterrey Institute of Technology

Advice on drafting effective proposals for interdisciplinary research projects

All together now: how to write an interdisciplinary research proposal

Advice on drafting successful research proposals to secure support and funding for interdisciplinary projects, from three academics with experience developing research partnerships and collaborations

Catherine Healy, Catherine Lyall, Isabel Fletcher

Trinity College Dublin, University of Edinburgh

Checklists are just one method by which university academics can encourage students to assess their own learning

How to plan an online learning-friendly assessment

Maribell Reyes explains how to create comprehensively designed learning assessment strategies for an online course

Maribell Reyes

Monterrey Institute of Technology

University students can benefit from immersive experiences such as carrying out real-life tasks in a virtual reality factory

Answering common questions about immersive experiences

Not sure about introducing extended reality? Gabriela Sánchez Castillo offers insights into developing immersive experiences that are useful for assessing real-world skills

Gabriela Sánchez Castillo

Monterrey Institute of Technology

An online meeting. University professors and lecturers need to learn to work together online in the new normal

Eight essential tips for remote interdisciplinary teamwork

Rocío Elizabeth Cortez Márquez and Elia Esther Mendoza Carabeo give advice on making interdisciplinary teams work online

Rocío Elizabeth Cortez Márquez , Elia Esther Mendoza Carabeo

Monterrey Institute of Technology

Advice on guiding reflective practices among students as part of their university curricula to aid their professional and personal development

Students as reflective practitioners: a personal development journey

Professional development is often taken for granted and seldom well embedded into university curricula. Alexandra Mihai looks at how intentional learning design can help make it an integral part of students’ learning experience

Alexandra Mihai

Maastricht University

Advice on questions to ask and actions to take to stop your university perpetuating racism against BAME academics

Yes, your university perpetuates racism against BAME academics: what can you do?

Henrika McCoy and Madeline Lee run through the questions you should ask when examining if your institution perpetuates inequities against BAME academics and what actions you can take to address systemic racism

Henrika McCoy, Madeline Lee

University of Illinois Chicago, California State University San Marcos

Fostering interdisciplinary thinking in students is a great idea for universities

How to lay the groundwork for interdisciplinarity in students

Recent events have shown the necessity of working together, and it’s never too early for universities, faculty and students to begin thinking about this, says Georgina Harris

Georgina Harris

Arden University

A guide to gathering student feedback that can help you refine your teaching

How to systematically improve your teaching using student feedback

Jochen Wirtz introduces a simple but effective tool for gathering student feedback that will help educators to cement strengths and reduce weaknesses in their teaching

Jochen Wirtz

National University of Singapore

The hologram professor project beams a life-sized video of university lecturers into classrooms

Missing face-to-face interaction? Try becoming a ‘hologram professor’

Beaming a hologram of lecturers into classrooms offers greater closeness than current video systems, say Carla Victoria Ramírez López, Leticia Castaño Sánchez and Patricia Aldape Valdés

Carla Victoria Ramírez López , Leticia Castaño Sánchez , Patricia Aldape Valdés

Monterrey Institute of Technology

Advice on developing and managing successful interdisciplinary research teams

How to successfully develop and run interdisciplinary research teams

John Domingue explains how to foster a culture of openness and support that encourages and helps staff teams to pursue interdisciplinary research projects

John Domingue

The Open University

Insight on why and how to take a new approach to curriculum design, starting with the outcomes

Start with why, part one: taking a new approach to curriculum development

Graeme Knowles explains how his team have overturned the long-accepted curriculum development process to make the purpose of the programme and its learning outcomes the starting point rather than the end result

Graeme Knowles

University of Warwick

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

Universal design for learning involves creating courses that all university students can use effectively

Universal design for learning: an introduction and getting started

UDL offers ways to plan teaching and learning to accommodate diverse students and help learners develop the self-efficacy they need to be successful, says Dara Cassidy

Dara Cassidy

RCSI, University of Medicine and Health Sciences

An explanation of the application process for academic jobs in the US

Applying for an academic position in the US: the basics explained

Considering academic job opportunities in the US? Angela Douglas provides practical advice to help understand the application process and secure the right position

Angela Douglas

Cornell University

Advice on developing students' identities as learners rather than consumers of their higher education

Building student identities as learners, not consumers, for better academic outcomes

Students who think and act like consumers have worse academic outcomes, research shows. Louise Taylor Bunce shares practical steps to help build students’ identities as learners rather than as consumers of education

Louise Taylor Bunce

Oxford Brookes University

Advice on practical considerations when ungrading

So, you want to take the grades out of teaching? A beginner’s guide to ungrading

Susan D Blum shares her key recommendations for anyone wishing to remove grades from their teaching, in order to focus their students’ energies upon learning

Susan D Blum

University of Notre Dame

University lecturers should use reverse grading to turn the grading process on its head

Turn the marking process on its head by using ‘reverse grading’

Davita Günbay explains how reversing the narrative between ‘what I got’ and ‘what I was given’ can help learners engage and take responsibility for their learning

Davita Günbay

Near East University

Advice from a doctoral student on overcoming common challenges while studying for your PhD

Transitioning to a PhD: common struggles and how to overcome them

Camille Bou outlines the key struggles she encountered during the first year of her PhD and shares useful insight on how she overcame them

Camille Bou

London School of Economics and Political Science

Man with a laptop computer over his head and a Help! sign

What to do when technology fails: an educator’s survival guide for online classrooms

Jack Wang offers seven solutions to common tech problems during online teaching – from slow internet connection to lack of resources

Jack Wang

The University of Queensland

Using immersive tech, such as augmented reality, can revolutionise assessment in universities

Using technology to revolutionise the way you evaluate

Even amid the great shift online, assessment methods have often remained mired in the traditional system, says Monica Francesca Contrino

Monica Francesca Contrino

Monterrey Institute of Technology

Advice on using peer assessment to encourage deeper student learning

Recommendations for incorporating and guiding peer assessment in the classroom or online

Claudia Hernández and Karla Banda offer practical advice on how to incorporate and direct productive peer assessment among students

Claudia Janeth Hernández Cardona, Karla Margarita Banda Martínez

Monterrey Institute of Technology

Practical and authentic assessment is crucial for students hoping to show employers what they're capable of

How to make sure assessment practices are as authentic as possible

We all want employers to be confident that students have the skills to do the job. And these skills still require assessment, it’s just done a little differently, says Paula Reilly

Paula Reilly

Arden University

Advice on designing worthwhile multiple choice questions for higher education assessment

Creating worthwhile multiple choice questions for higher education assessment

Multiple choice questions are often frowned on as an assessment tool in higher education. But when well constructed, they offer a clear and transparent way of evaluating student progress, as Anthony Evans explains

Anthony J Evans

ESCP Business School

How to set up university mentorship schemes to support students to become the socially responsible leaders of the future

Foster mentorship skills to create the socially responsible leaders of the future

Institutions should look to set up mentorship practices that help students develop the skills they will need to create successful and sustainable companies. Laura-Jane Silverman explains how

Laura-Jane Silverman

London School of Economics and Political Science

Advice on embedding socio-emotional learning into curricula across disciplines

Mind matters: embedding socio-emotional learning in higher education curricula

Kathleen Chim and Benjamin Chan explain how universities can embed socio-emotional learning into courses across multiple disciplines to better prepare students for the future workplace

Kathleen Chim, Benjamin Tak Yuen Chan

Hong Kong Metropolitan University

Teaching students to self-assess their written work as a crucial academic skill

Vivid language: teaching online students to assess writing

Audra Spicer explains how online classes can provide opportunities to make student self-assessment visual, engaging, immediate and comprehensible

Audra Spicer

Colorado State University Global

Advice on implementing ungrading to improve student learning outcomes

Feedback rather than ranking: how to start ungrading in order to improve learning

Katharine Johanesen explains how to replace traditional grading with self-assessment and feedback throughout a course in order to improve learning outcomes

Katharine Johanesen

Juniata College

How to apply systems thinking to sustainability related news items as a way to educate students about the SDGs

Studying sustainability by applying systems thinking to news stories

A guide to framing, modelling and acting on sustainable development issues highlighted in the news, shared by Cameron Guthrie

Cameron Guthrie

TBS Education

Advice on improving the design and delivery of more inclusive assessment using digital tools

Inclusive pedagogy: using multimedia as a tool to enhance and transform assessment

Rachel Challen outlines key steps to enhancing the design, direction and delivery of assessment using digital tools

Rachel Challen

Nottingham Trent University

Advice on guiding meta-reflection among students to get the most out of class discussion forums

Using meta-reflection for professional development: how to tap into the full potential of online discussion forums

Adrian Lam offers guiding questions and prompts that help students reflect on their own ways of thinking and working to aid their professional growth

Adrian Man Ho Lam

University of Hong Kong

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

Advice on using music as a way to bring students together and rebuild a sense of community on campus

Play on: how to build community on campus through music

Nick Merwitzer explains why and how music projects can help build a sense of connection and belonging on campus and outlines the key considerations for supporting student ‘bands’

Nick Merwitzer

Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University

Advice on designing and delivering more authentic, equitable and transparent assessment and feedback

Equity, agency and transparency: making assessment work better for students and academics

Carol Evans explains how to design assessment and feedback practices that are authentic and deepen students’ learning and confidence in the long term

Carol Evans

Cardiff University, University of Southampton

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

Medical training has had to adapt quickly to the shift online

How to deliver healthcare education in a hybrid world

Hannah McGee explores solutions to address the unique challenges that universities face in preparing healthcare students for frontline roles

Hannah McGee

RCSI, University of Medicine and Health Sciences

Advice on designing assessments that encourage students to show off their learning in authentic ways

Assessment design that supports authentic learning (and discourages cheating)

Catherine Wehlburg shares tips for creating a learning environment and assessment design that encourages authentic learning and reduces the temptation to cheat

Catherine Wehlburg

Athens State University

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