Breaking the rules of higher education for better results

Advice on overturning long-accepted ‘norms’ within universities in order to improve outcomes for students, staff and society as a whole

A collection of advice on overturning long accepted customs in higher education to better serve students, academics and society

Many of the practices in higher education teaching, research and career progression have gone largely unchallenged for decades, in some cases centuries. Yet, many would argue that these customs do not serve students, academics or staff, but instead perpetuate inequities and inefficiencies. The pandemic has spurred a rethink of all aspects of higher education, and consideration of alternative approaches that might achieve better outcomes for all. Here we spotlight ideas from individuals who are throwing out the legacy handbook of higher education.

There are no ‘single authors’: challenging individualism in academia

Abbey S. Willis offers practical advice to encourage collaborative writing by demonstrating the power of sharing ideas to students, and dispelling the myth of the ‘single author’

Abbey S Willis

Siena College

Innovations in teaching

Insight on where disruptive innovation needs to be welcomed into university classrooms to improve higher education for more students

Disruptive innovation in the classroom: making higher education more accessible to a large population

Elizabeth Langran outlines three areas of university teaching where disruptive innovation should be actively encouraged to boost accessibility and engagement for wider student populations

Elizabeth Langran

Marymount University

Giving university students word puzzles, quizzes and using games can be an excellent way for lecturers to engage them

Why interactive and game-based instruction beats lecturing every time

Going through the motions is easy for experienced lecturers, but we should all go the extra mile to make our classes interactive, challenging and fun, says Nancy Boury

Nancy Boury

Iowa State University

Advice on supporting innovation in teaching practices among faculty

How can we support innovation in teaching practices within universities?

As the inaugural director of her university’s ‘education incubator’, Sarah Dyer shares insight on supporting teaching innovation among your faculty

Sarah Dyer

University of Exeter

Advice on introducing new ways to encourage students to reach their potential

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

Now is the time to design a system in which all learning counts

Our conventional, top-down approach fails to recognise that working adults often already possess many critical work skills, say Lisa McIntyre-Hite and Mackenzie Jackson

Lisa McIntyre-Hite, Mackenzie Jackson

Guild Education

Re-routing academic career paths

Too many university academics complain that the leadership talent pool is running dry without making any attempt to reach out to fresh talent

Complaining that the leadership talent pool is running dry? Here’s how to fill it

Abandoning traditional hierarchies and allowing mid- and early-career staff to experience leadership creates a thriving, diverse talent pool, say Jo Cresswell and Peter Hogg

Jo Cresswell, Peter Hogg

Dr Joanne Cresswell Coaching, University of Salford

It is incumbent upon university leaders to create diverse and inclusive communities and curricula

Breaking the oldest rules in the book: making promotion and tenure more equitable

Pardis Mahdavi and Scott Brooks explain how a rethink of the processes that govern promotion and tenure to put diversity work at its heart could result in a more equitable higher education system

Pardis Mahdavi, Scott Brooks

Arizona State University

University academics can take risks to get to the top

I took an alternative route to academic success – and I’m happier than ever

I ignored senior management and marketing departments and experimented with making my work more accessible and interesting – it paid off, says Jonathan Wilson

Jonathan Wilson

Regent's University London

Rejecting perfectionism in order to encourage deeper learning

It’s time to tackle perfectionism head-on in the classroom

Perfectionism has long been the norm in academia. To combat it, we must offer help before it has to be asked for, say Laura March and Maggie Melo

Laura March, Maggie Melo

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Embodied learning: how to bring movement into the classroom, and why it matters

Susan Hrach offers practical advice on using physical activity and outdoor space to enhance learning

Susan Hrach

Columbus State University

Rethinking grading

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

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 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

Advice for academics on managing their time through collaboration rather than a top down approach

Research time disappearing before your eyes? Try student collaborations

Working alongside students can help academics to both protect their research time and boost student employability, say Dean Fido and Louise Wallace

Dean Fido, Louise Wallace

University of Derby

Should we do away with hierarchy in higher education?

I’ve found myself questioning whether a holacratic system, in which there are no managers or leaders, would work in universities, says Aspasia Eleni Paltoglou

Aspasia Eleni Paltoglou

Manchester Metropolitan University

New teaching techniques

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

The University of Warwick

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 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

A group of students. We need to move away from designing HE for the idealised 'traditional' student

Returning to ‘normal’ is really a return to ignorance

Covid revealed that students need flexible and inclusive learning opportunities − something that should have been obvious well before the pandemic, says Torrey Trust

Torrey Trust

University of Massachusetts Amherst

New approaches to building an inclusive community on campus

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

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