Feature article

Woman sitting at her laptop with her head in her hands

Playing the promotion game: how to navigate upshifting

Done well, upshifting helps you to gain experience and develop capabilities that support your career development and promotion prospects, write educators at the University of Bristol

Rushana Khusainova, Rachael Lamb, Nicki Newman

University of Bristol

Two young women working on cybersecurity

There’s nothing technical about cybersecurity

Discussing and demystifying cybersecurity can help us shift it from a technology issue to being all about people, even at the sector level, writes David Batho

David Batho

Jisc

filling out form on laptop

AI can help fix student evaluations

With large language models to provide reports and analysis, educators can make use of generative AI to improve the process of student evaluations, writes Adnan Ajšić

Adnan Ajšić

American University of Sharjah

A robot hand dangles a businessman above a wastepaper bin

How your graduates can beat AI in the job market of tomorrow

Your students are facing a competition against a faster, better and cheaper opponent in 2025’s job market – AI. Ioannis Glinavos offers his advice on prepping them for the fight

Ioannis Glinavos

University of Westminster

Student in library stacks

A framework to teach library research skills

Embedding library skills within disciplines allows teachers and students to link them to learning outcomes and research requirements. Here, a team of engagement librarians explain how to put a map in place

Anna Hvass, Karen Rolfe, Siân Furmage , Michael Latham

University of Southampton

Reserchers in a lab

The benefits and challenges of interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and convergence research

Global challenges demand collaboration across disciplines. This resource explores the associated advantages and challenges

Sajan Daniel George

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Yellow crocuses growing through snow

In the cold, unforgiving environment of higher education, embrace the promise of spring

Just as the seasons transition from cold, harsh winters to vibrant springs, educators can navigate the challenges of higher education and find moments of growth and inspiration. John Sinclair shows how

John Sinclair

Colorado State University Global

Arrows diverting into two streams

The trouble with Bloom’s taxonomy in an age of AI

When using large language models to create learning tasks, educators should be careful with their prompts if the LLM relies on Bloom’s taxonomy as a supporting dataset. Luke Zaphir and Dale Hansen break down the issues

Luke Zaphir , Dale Hansen

The University of Queensland

Wooden blocks are linked together with an AI block in the centre

The three questions that will define the future of higher education

Generative AI is here to stay – how can higher education respond? Julia Chen poses three fundamental questions to explore a strategic vision for the sector

Julia Chen

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Bitcoin

How to incorporate fintech and Web3 into university curricula

In bringing financial technology and cryptocurrency into university courses, educators must cover regulatory uncertainty, cybercrime risks and asset bubbles while keeping up with developments. Larisa Yarovaya provides insights

Larisa Yarovaya

University of Southampton

Hands clutching soil with green shoots

Real-world experiences can help your creative arts students create real-world change

Integrating real-world experiences into creative industries programmes can create truly meaningful results – for both the students and the wider community. Clare Duffin outlines how

Clare Duffin

University of the West of Scotland

Hand holding three gold medals

Going for gold: how to craft a winning TEF submission

Teaching excellence rests on clear principles and agile strategy, collaboration with students and a frank approach to educational gain, write Emily Pollinger and Julian Chaudhuri. Here, they share tips for maintaining and evidencing success

Emily Pollinger , Julian Chaudhuri

University of Bath

A treasure map, compass and binoculars are laid out on a table

Set sail on the choppy waters of grant proposals with the 3 Gs approach

If securing research funding is like a budding pirate king navigating choppy waters in search of untold treasures, how can we build the resilience to keep journeying on? Peter Tay shows how

Peter Tay

Singapore Institute of Technology

Accounting student working on a laptop

How to distinguish sustainability in your accounting and business teaching

In this resource, Nick Rowbottom offers ways to help students distinguish and evaluate how sustainability is translated within different international reporting standards

Nick Rowbottom

University of Birmingham

data management concept

Data management strategy in higher education: a blueprint for excellence

By assessing data maturity, establishing data governance, creating centralised data teams and adopting a dynamic data reference model, institutions can remain agile in an evolving technological landscape, writes Nick Chaviano

Nick Chaviano

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

A group of students gather round a laptop

Make EDI in higher education a reality by building it into your course design

When designing a new course, equality, diversity and inclusion should be among the first things to consider. Gareth Morris and Joy Edmonson show how

Gareth Morris, Joy Edmonson

University of Nottingham Ningbo China

Student writing in a notepad

How to use student evaluation of teaching to improve learning

Effective SET is the start, not the end, of a conversation about student learning, writes Saranne Weller

Saranne Weller

St George’s, University of London

Woman giving a presentation

Effective public-speaking techniques for university faculty

University faculty need public-speaking skills when they seek to engage students, collaborate with colleagues, secure funding and further their careers. Patty Raun leverages her skills as a stage actor to help higher education professionals improve their presentation chops

Patricia Raun

Virginia Tech

Digital butterfly emerges from cocoon

Ideas that make a difference for the digital transformation of universities

In a series of Campus resources, UK digital adopters explore what has worked (and what has not) as universities go digital and where investment in technology can be most effective

Sarah Dyer, Craig Walker, Lisa Harris, Arunangsu Chatterjee, Niamh Downing

University of Manchester, HEdway Group, University of Exeter, University of Leeds, Canterbury Christ Church University

A group of people sitting round a laptop

Give educators the skills to bring assessment into the future

How can academics get to grips with the most cutting-edge of assessment tools? Matthew Courtney details how to educate STEM experts on modern assessment systems

Matthew Courtney

Nazarbayev University

Illustration of people in silhouette with cityscape

Harnessing the humanities for transformative tech leadership

Amid a growing awareness that humanities students and faculty need data literacy, Rishi Jaitly, a longstanding champion of the humanities in technology, explains why data and technology leaders also need an education in the liberal arts

Rishi Jaitly

Virginia Tech

An illustration of a woman with a laptop sitting on a bar chart

Prepare the workforce of tomorrow by integrating data literacy into your curriculum

Data literacy skills are increasingly important in the modern workplace. Ermal Haranlli, Nedelin Velikov and Kehara Warnakulasuriya offer their advice on readying your students for the future

Ermal Haranlli, Nedelin Velikov , Kehara Warnakulasuriya

The London School of Economics and Political Science

Student looking at a hologram of a brain

How can we teach AI literacy skills?

Universities have made positive strides in improving digital literacy for graduates, but now they need to do the same for AI literacy

Christine O’Dea, Michael O’Dea

King’s College London, University of York

Group of students in greenhouse

How to make public engagement work for early career academics

Academics need to be able to translate what they research to engage a wide range of audiences. But to do that, scientists must first find the public engagement shape that fits them and their schedule. Here’s advice for getting started

Sien van der Plank, John Duncan, Yanna Fidai

University of Southampton, The University of Western Australia, Plymouth Marine Laboratory

A woman makes a speech, talking into a microphone and using a laser pointer

Banish nerves and tap into the excitement of public speaking with these five tips

Public speaking is a key part of academic life. But how to overcome your nerves and actually enjoy it? Ayten Erçoban Evren offers advice

Ayten Erçoban Evren

Near East University

Happy student volunteers

How to create extracurricular activities students will want to attend

Participation and enthusiasm are the goals of those hard-working volunteers, staff and faculty who organise campus activities and events. Here are 12 tips to boost university student engagement

Martyna Iwanicka

University of Warsaw

Professor smiling to camera

Aiming for tenure? Enhance your research’s visibility

By enhancing your networking skills and increasing the visibility of your work, you can demonstrate value to your institution and improve your chances of achieving tenure

Abhishek S Rao K P

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

A laptop displays a lively Zoom call

Welcome aboard! Tips for building an online community of learners

Building an online learning community can help students form social bonds and boost their motivation, but requires specific efforts to be successful. Karin Avnit and Prasad Iyer show us how

Karin Avnit , Prasad Iyer

Singapore Institute of Technology

what's your story speech bubble

How authentic stories can empower the ‘unheard voices’

Storytelling can be a powerful change agent. When proposing change – such as the digital transformation in universities – leadership needs to communicate in ways that cut through the noise and inspire action, write three digital adopters

Lisa Harris, Sarah Dyer, Craig Walker

University of Exeter, University of Manchester, HEdway Group

A businessman works at a laptop

The three stages of developing a framework to support students of open and distance learning

Open and distance learning may offer a way for graduates to separate themselves from the herd, but some struggle with online learning practices. Cheng Yee Ng details how she developed the framework to address these challenges

Cheng Yee Ng

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

Two medical researchers looking at data on a screen

Why every student (and researcher) should know about evidence synthesis

The ability to collect, summarise and analyse data is especially vital for students and researchers in medical and healthcare-related fields, writes Alessio Bellato. Here, he explains what it is and how to access training

Alessio Bellato

University of Southampton

A bird's eye view of a table with reports and laptops

Researchers need support to change the world – here’s how to provide it

To generate world-changing research, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s Research and Innovation Office took on the role of fostering collaboration and allocation of resources to allow their academics to focus completely on their work. Lixin Situ outlines how to provide support.

Lixin Situ

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Student writing in a diary

Fostering critical thinking with reflective journals

Timely, frequent and constructive feedback has a powerful influence on student achievement. However, its impact on higher education students is hotly debated and often highly variable

Lesley Gardner, Udayangi Muthupoltotage

University of Auckland

Colleagues collaborating around a table

Collaboration requires more than not stepping on toes

To get things done in universities, do we need to embrace conflict or find new ways to work together? Here, three digital adopters explain why collaboration isn’t the same as hoping not to annoy anyone

Sarah Dyer, Lisa Harris, Craig Walker

University of Manchester, University of Exeter, HEdway Group

students playing a board game

Creating an impactful social group for neurodivergent students

Meet-ups can support neurodivergent students (mostly those with autism and ADHD) to navigate the social complexities of student life and the workplace. Here, Brooke Szücs and Ben Roden-Cohen share tips for creating inclusive neurodivergent settings, based on their experience

Brooke Szücs, Ben Roden-Cohen

The University of Queensland

How can we make the university experience more inclusive for neurodivergent students?

With an estimated one-fifth of the global population thought to be neurodivergent, more students than ever will need help to thrive at university. Gail Steptoe-Warren discusses how to make higher education more neurodivergent-friendly

Gail Steptoe-Warren

Arden University

digital transformation concept

Why the ‘machine says no’: how asking for less can get you more…

Under-investment and lack of future proofing of core digital systems have left many universities with creaking legacy infrastructure that cannot support increasing demands. Here, three digital adopters suggest that incremental improvements could be a way forward

Craig Walker, Lisa Harris, Sarah Dyer

HEdway Group, University of Exeter, University of Manchester

Man appearing as a hologram

Using telepresence to enrich learning

Implementing cutting-edge technology enriches the learning experiences and prepares students for an increasingly interconnected and diverse world

Sidney Ornelas

Monterrey Institute of Technology

A theatre stage

Anxious about public speaking? Try these tips from the theatre

Hone your performance skills with these techniques from stage actors. Linsey Todd and James Layton encourage us to smell the greasepaint

Linsey Todd, James Layton

University of the West of Scotland

Welcome back to the office

How to manage parental leave for university staff

Parental leave presents challenges for the parent and the workplace, writes Judith Lock. Here are some dos and don’ts for before, during and after the leave period that aim to smooth the return to work and fix academia’s leaky pipeline

Judith Lock

University of Southampton

neurodivergent concept

How to create an inclusive campus for neurodivergent students

Training, consultation and embracing UDL are a few actions that university leaders, faculty and staff can use to support different ways of thinking and learning on campus

Meghan Cosier, Audri Sandoval Gomez

Chapman University

Two people gesture in front of a board covered in post-its

The dos and don’ts of getting started with service learning

Service learning can have many benefits for students, teachers and the wider community, but starting out can be intimidating. Grace Ngai offers one don’t and three dos to begin your journey

Grace Ngai

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

multiracial university students sitting outside

Curriculum reform to boost under-represented students’ success in higher education

Large-scale transition from traditional curricula to a block model can have a positive impact on student achievement. Here, Thomas Roche, Erica Wilson and Liz Goode describe five steps to implement whole-institution reform, based on a study of a regional public university in Australia

Thomas Roche, Erica Wilson, Liz Goode

Southern Cross University

Two people sit and discuss a CV

Four ways to weave job skills teaching into the university experience

With research finding a hefty proportion of graduates underemployed, what can higher education do to improve career readiness? Erica Estes and Sean O’Keefe offer advice

Erica Estes, Sean O'Keefe

University of Arkansas

Two female colleagues discussing some work over a laptop

Eight ways to be a better leader

Being brave enough to make decisions without worrying about failure is important. Lead the way and you can inspire and develop your team, writes Padma Rani

Padma Rani

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Man using a standing desk to work

The power of pacing

Pacing is an energy-management technique that can help people with visible and non-visible disabilities to do more in their everyday lives, including in busy university jobs. Here, Meredith Wilkinson and Imogen Varle offer their top tips for putting it into practice

Meredith Wilkinson, Imogen Varle

De Montfort University

A robot hand takes a survey using emoji faces

How AI can revolutionise the way we analyse student surveys

Student surveys provide a potential goldmine of data. Kirsty Bryant suggests deploying AI to maximise your insight

Kirsty Bryant

University of Westminster

A group of Gen Z students gaze at their phones

We need to empathise with the students of today to shape the minds of tomorrow

Are today’s students too disrespectful and aggressive to be taught? Azlan B. Ahmad offers his advice on dealing with Gen Z

Azlan B. Ahmad

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

Students working in a team on a project

Encouraging effective teamwork in the classroom

Setting group assessments is an excellent way of reducing marking, providing more meaningful, considered feedback for students and restoring work-life balance, writes Becky Lewis

Becky Lewis

University of East Anglia

Asian scholar working at laptop, PhD by publication

Publication-based doctorate: is it for me?

Potential research higher degree candidates from academia or industry will need to decide between a doctorate by thesis or by publication. Here are key questions to ask before embarking on the doctoral journey

Riad Shams

Northumbria University