Feature article

Ducking out of the algorithm: how observing nature develops students’ sustained focus

Could asking politics students to watch ducks and squirrels help them resist screens and extend their attention? Eloise Harding used a fieldwork-based assessment that drew on their curiosity and critical thinking skills to find out

Eloise Harding

University of Southampton

A mature student with her son on her lap while she works at her desk

What about students who can’t take a placement year?

Ways for academics and careers teams to support students juggling multiple responsibilities, including helping them recognise and articulate the skills they gain beyond their studies

Danny Buckley, Natalia Vershinina, Julia Cook

Loughborough University, Audencia, De Montfort University

Recognise, respond and reflect: spot students struggling in the classroom

How educators can identify struggling students, even in online classes – and what to do about it

Multiple authors

Adelaide University

Black female teacher with adult students handing out papers

Using classroom charters to support inclusive learning: four approaches

Drafting a classroom charter brings students into conversations about expectations, belonging and participation that often prove more valuable than the resulting document

Elodie Duché

York St John University

A man on a bridge using rope to bridge a gap

Level the playing field for BTEC students entering university

A cross-sectoral shared commitment to improving transition, retention and academic preparedness can help universities better serve BTEC entrants, says Chris Johnson

Chris Johnson

University of Chester

A lecturer gestures to a projected image

The hidden emotional labour of the hourly paid lecturer

Dealing with the uncertainty and precarity of part-time and hourly paid lecturer roles can take a mental toll. Here’s how it can shape the career paths of early career academics

Yaz Osho, Katherine Mansfield

University of Westminster

A group of students having a discussion in class

A checklist for inclusive classroom discussions

Many students stay quiet in class discussions because they are unsure about how to contribute. A simple checklist can help

Ya Zhang, Shuhao Zhang, Yu Liu

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

An illustration of a student navigating a computer motherboard with a map

The coordinates that reorient learning in an AI-enabled world

AI has reshaped how knowledge is produced and assessed, so educators need to reconsider where teaching can add value. Here’s how curriculum reform works on a new map

Lin Yue

Adelaide University

‘Universities must manufacture the work experience AI is deleting’

Telling students to become more AI literate does little good if the labour market offers them fewer entry-level roles where they can develop professional judgement. Gleb Tsipursky offers a strategy to fill the gap

Gleb Tsipursky

Independent consultant

White male professor in discussion with diverse group of students in university amphitheatre

Whose knowledge counts? EDI’s role in securing linguistic and epistemic justice

Academic conventions in speaking and writing English can disadvantage first-generation, working-class and multilingual students and scholars. Here are some practical ways to make these norms transparent, negotiable and open to critique

Dylan Williams

Queen Mary University of London

A group of university students sitting on the stairs leading to the entrance of a university building

Make employability accessible by embedding it in curricula

Sometimes, our job is not to give students more examples to add to their CV. It is to help them recognise, value and communicate what is already there, writes Natalie Freeman, who offers guidance on how to do so

Natalie Freeman

The University of East Anglia

A patient group is engaged in discussion

Four ways to create more inclusive patient and public involvement in research

Relying on established patient groups or advertising in the same way for public contribution often means research can suffer from blind spots. Here’s how to spread your reach for a more diverse cohort – and ultimately, more relevant work

Gary Hickey

University of Southampton

The seven traits higher education leaders need to drive change

Higher education is facing 'massive consolidation’, write four US consultants, and leaders will need specific qualities to navigate their communities through mergers or institutional restructure

Ricardo Azziz, Lloyd Jacobs, Richard Katzman, Bonita Jacobs

Center for Higher Education Mergers and Acquisitions, University of North Georgia, University of Toledo, Augusta University

Young Asian female graduate in job interview

How universities can help students translate their skills for employers

A shared language for skills can help students identify the transferable capabilities they are accruing in their studies and present their relevant experiences confidently to employers

Sarah Armour, Harriet Smith

University of Glasgow, Russell Group

Two business students discussing visuals on a dashboard

Beyond analysis: let’s teach business students to act

How to help postgraduate students interpret real-time data and system behaviour to detect early warning signals, identify emerging disruptions and guide decisions – rather than simply report after the fact

José Ignacio Sordo Galarza , Astrid Xiomara Rodríguez Castelblanco

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Three researchers in casual clothing at a lake take water sample

Collaboration is not optional – and conservation science shows why

Today’s research challenges are too complex to be solved in isolation. Conservation science offers lessons for academics everywhere about how to build collaborations that genuinely work

Robert Cooper

Virginia Tech

An engineering student fixing a machine in class

The difference between AI-proof and AI-authentic engineering education

If engineering students are turning to AI first, educators need to think carefully about how to make classroom learning valuable. A simple four-stage approach can help, writes Salman Shahid

Salman Shahid

The University of Manchester

A small human with a sword and a shield attempts to fight a giant robot

Police a losing battle or teach students to think clearly? The choice is ours

Instead of trying to detect and ban AI, let’s teach students to interrogate it. Find five ways to embed critical AI literacy

Naeem Ramzan, Shahid Awan

University of the West of Scotland

A scientist presenting research to an audience

What climate scientists teach us about research communication

People are more likely to engage with research when they understand why it matters to them. Andrew Charlton-Perez and Laura Tobin explore strategies to make academic work feel relevant to a wider audience

Andrew Charlton-Perez, Laura Tobin

University of Reading

Man typing at laptop with sustainability symbols surrounding it

How funding processes can support more sustainable research practices

Universities could embed and improve sustainability throughout the research cycle, including funding requirements, guidance and policy. Here is how one project aimed to use funding as a driver of change

Ava Lorenc, Anne-Laure Donskoy, Matthew Fackrell

The University of Bristol

Develop your students’ characters through real experience of care

Embed virtues in students by helping them practise caring for others. Here is a step-by-step guide to get started

Agustina Ortelli

Universidad Austral

Are you missing a vital ingredient in VR teaching and learning?

VR learning should go beyond aesthetics. Each object, space or interaction must have a pedagogical function, says Nancy Zavala. Learn how a design thinking approach can help students put theory into practice

Nancy Zavala

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Students look at their phones in the lecture hall

The barriers to student engagement – and how to overcome them

Five key barriers in teaching and institutional practices could be preventing students from learning. Find out how to cultivate an environment in which they can thrive

Dina Mohamed Salah , Nimrah Afaq

Dubai Medical University

Young Asian woman gaming with headset on

If games belong in the university curriculum, why are they not in the library?

For many educators, questions about institutional licensing, accessibility and cost end the conversation about digital games before teaching even begins. Here are practical ways to extend availability

Marcus Carter, Jen Scott Curwood, Ben Egliston, Eduardo Velloso

University of Sydney

Lots of traffic lights mounted on single large pole

The colour of comprehension: how to make student understanding visible

Asking ‘any questions?’ rarely gives a true picture of how much a class has taken in. A simple traffic-light strategy can reveal students’ understanding and give instructors insights they can act on immediately

Yunteng He

Central Community College

A counsellor offering advice to a student in an office

How can we better support students experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity?

Universities must take a joined-up, person-centred approach to homelessness and housing insecurity, ensuring every student can access support, feel they belong and succeed, says Melanie-Marie Haywood, who shares advice

Melanie-Marie Haywood

Birmingham City University

Everyone loves interdisciplinary research, but no one wants to fund it

Higher education talks a lot about interdisciplinary research, but finding funding is still an uphill struggle. Lindell Bromham offers a solution

Lindell Bromham

Australian National University

A student raises a hand in a lecture hall

Why face-to-face lectures need to be interactive – and how to do it

In the YouTube era, are lectures still an efficient use of classroom time? Achim I. Czerny argues they are – with a crucial twist

Achim I. Czerny

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

An academic leading seminar activities with flipchart

Demystify open research

How to make open research feel like a natural progression of researchers’ work, rather than a high-risk, low-reward activity

Eilis Hannon, Liam Berrisford

The University of Exeter

Mature female university teacher talking to a class

The best teachers never stop learning

Teaching excellence isn’t something you achieve, but rather something you continually practise and hone. Kim Loeffert explains

Kim Loeffert

Virginia Tech

The best interdisciplinary research begins long before the first experiment

Investment in relationships, humility and shared purpose creates the conditions where breakthrough science can flourish, argues Jacob Barney

Jacob Barney

Virginia Tech

Questions academics should ask when looking for a book publisher

With so many academic publishers out there, how can you decide which one aligns with your values? Here’s what to consider

Katharine Nelson , Elinor Potts

University of London, The London School of Economics and Political Science

A supervisor and supervisee having an conversation

Beyond red ink: how better feedback can transform doctoral supervision

The aim is not to facilitate a perfect thesis through increasingly detailed comments but to develop researchers who can question advice, respond thoughtfully to criticism and make informed decisions about their work, writes Yakubu Salifu

Yakubu Salifu

Lancaster University

Asian students in light-filled university building

Practical advice for supporting international students

For international students to thrive in their studies, they need holistic support that integrates language development and cultural exchange

Kai Cheong Lei

Macau University of Science and Technology

Two students in lecture hall look at a book

Overcome reading reluctance with in-class tasks

While no replacement for tackling long texts, short reading sessions build confidence, boost students’ learning and improve their analysis, synthesis and discussion

Noam Schimmel

University of California, Berkeley

Develop students’ oracy with these activities

Oracy skills can empower graduates to contribute meaningfully to societal challenges in an increasingly dynamic and interconnected world, says Paul Demetriou, who shares practical advice

Paul Demetriou

New City College

Students study together under the teacher's supervision

Five tips to integrate sustainability education into your curricula

Sustainability education is vitally important, yet often faces roadblocks in practice. Get started with education for sustainable development with these tips

Gustavo Espinoza Ramos , Amanda Capucci Polzin

University of Westminster

Diverse group of young adult students listening to their mature female professor during a chemistry lecture in a lab

Strong labs are built on shared ownership – with students as collaborators

Students learn more, contribute more and mature as scientists when given active roles rather than supporting parts in research teams

Robert Cooper

Virginia Tech

A female student taking notes from her online class with other students and a teacher appearing in a gallery view on her screen

The power of feedback to build belonging in online learning

Connection in online learning does not happen accidentally; we must design and nurture it through feedback. Because good feedback conveys attention, recognition and care, write María de Lourdes Gómez Calvo and Estefannía Garza Tamez

María de Lourdes Gómez Calvo, Estefannía Garza Tamez

Tecnológico de Monterrey

How to establish a culture of care on campus

One university found student retention greatly improved when it made a few tweaks to its campus environment, fostering a warmer and more connected culture. Here’s how

Robert Vela

Texas A&M University – Kingsville

Make learning fun with mini whiteboards

The portable, double-sided and easily wipeable mini whiteboard offers a tactile alternative to its big brother at the front of the classroom, promoting active learning in groups of all sizes

Eleanor Hodgson

The University of Exeter

Make your higher education meetings neurodivergent-friendly

For neurodivergent staff, meetings can be something to dread. Here’s how to make them feel comfortable and get the best out of them

Jamie Wilde

University of Southampton

Graph emerging through surface of water, open research concept

How to build ethics into open research

Researchers, library professionals and institutions have ways to address inequalities around how data is collected and shared. Here are considerations to help support ethical, equitable open research

Meghmala Bhattacharya

Teesside University

A woman on a unicycle juggling piles of work

Academic work-life balance isn’t just about reducing the load

With the right institutional support, a demanding academic role can enrich home life. Here’s how

Diep Nguyen

The University of Newcastle, Australia

Five ways to make workplace learning count

How can we make workplace learning relevant to students’ academic journeys? Ice Ko shares five lessons learned from getting the most out of external partnerships

Ice Ko

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Asian students doing pair work in a lecture hall

Help undergraduates sustain critical AI use under deadline pressure

When assignments are due, students might be tempted to skip checks and reflection when they turn to AI tools for support. Here’s a five-stage framework to deter shortcuts

Chris Harwood

Sophia University

Chinese students working together at a laptop

From silence to engagement in Sino-foreign education

Don’t just view silence as a problem to solve, recognise its implications and support students to develop the confidence to participate at their own pace, say Zhou Ge and Irina Shcheglova. Here’s how

Zhou Ge, Irina Shcheglova

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

A teacher advises students on their work

Bring agility to a slow-moving curriculum with intersessions

Short, intensive learning periods can give educators room to experiment, as technology and workplace demands move faster than traditional curriculum cycles. Here’s how it works

Harit Satt

Al Akhawayn University

‘The more I improved my instructions, the better they worked as AI prompts’

Clear instructions tell students about the assessment task, its purpose and its criteria for success, but they also give a large language model a checklist for optimisation. Soohyun Ahn offers advice for navigating educators’ two audiences

Soohyun Ahn

Southern Alberta Institute of Technology

An illustration of a robot towering over a crowd of people and a backdrop of high rises

Teaching utopian and dystopian narratives in higher education

Today’s world is full of complexities and uncertainties, particularly for young people finding their feet. Fiction about better – or worse – worlds offers valuable perspectives and possibilities, write Matthew Leggatt and Emrah Atasoy

Matthew Leggatt , Emrah Atasoy

University of Winchester, The University of Warwick, The University of Edinburgh

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