Feature article

Five key elements that drive student online engagement

A framework that links social, cognitive, emotional, collaborative and behavioural motivators can help educators promote student engagement

Jay Cohen, Alice Brown, Petrea Redmond

La Trobe University, The University of Southern Queensland

Student happiness versus student satisfaction

Should we be aiming for student happiness or student satisfaction?

Happiness and satisfaction are two sides of the same coin, but crucial differences exist between them – and one serves our students far better, says Doug Specht

Doug Specht

University of Westminster

Peer mentoring to support staff well-being: lessons from a pilot

A peer mentoring scheme designed to support staff well-being is being piloted at Staffordshire University. Fiona Cust and Jessica Runacres share lessons on how the initiative has been developed

Fiona Cust, Jessica Runacres

University of Staffordshire

Helping students to reference external ideas

Tips for designing activities that tackle cheating in digital environments

Bárbara Regina Granados Guzmán provides suggestions on how to help students who struggle with recognising the use of external ideas

Bárbara Regina Granados Guzmán

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Adult learners require a variety of supports at university

I know first-hand that adult learners need a variety of supports to succeed

From flexible class schedules to a friendly smile, colleges that focus on individual needs are best positioned to help learners thrive at school and in life

Shannon Uresti

College of Health Care Professions

The power of gender-sensitive mentoring

Mentoring is a powerful tool to enhance job satisfaction and work-life balance. This guide aims to help mentors adopt a gender-sensitive approach to support women and people who identify as women in teaching-focused roles

Marion Coderch

Durham University

Bringing confusion into class can actually benefit students

Confusion diffusion: nine ways to prepare students to work with uncertainty

Jenny Moffett explores classroom techniques to help students meet the demands of an increasingly complex and rapidly changing society

Jenny Moffett

RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

There is no right and wrong way to do ungrading in higher education

Why there isn’t one ‘right way’ to practise ungrading

Extricating ourselves from A-F grading scales requires an inclusive, big tent approach in which we de-emphasise grades in a way that best fits our individual contexts

Multiple authors

Various

A group of university staff in discussions

Action to improve diversity and inclusion for Black students and staff

Where should action to improve equity, diversity and inclusion within universities be focused in order to have a tangible impact? Christina Dzineku and Patrice Sewou explain

Christina Dzineku, Patrice Seuwou

Leeds Trinity University, University of Northampton

Decolonising learning through access to primary sources

Mathematicians have always looked at old problems in new ways. A database of original sources will give university-level mathematics students a global, historical view of their subject

June Barrow-Green , Brigitte Stenhouse

The Open University

An introduction to microlearning

Dulce Julissa Salas Benavides and Jesús Alejandro Salas Benavides explain the basics of microlearning, from how it works to benefits and key features

Dulce Julissa Salas Benavides , Jesús Alejandro Salas Benavides

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Impostor syndrome is common in higher education

When am I going to be found out? Tackling academic impostor syndrome

Do you find yourself thinking ‘everyone knows more than I do’ or ‘I shouldn’t have got this promotion’? If so, Jo Clift has tips for challenging your impostor syndrome

Jo Clift

Jo Clift Consulting

When to use online laboratories for STEM teaching and why

A guide to help STEM educators understand which aspects of practical laboratory learning can most effectively be delivered online and the benefits of this approach

Helen Lockett

The Open University

People-first leadership in university and higher education

The importance of being a people-first leader – and tips on how to do it

There are many small ways you can show appreciation for your employees and make them feel valued on a daily basis, says Sabrina Casas

Sabrina Casas

Colorado State University Global

Learned words: using poetry to reflect on practices in higher education

Poetry writing can aid reflection on your teaching and learning or research practices, offering a fresh way of organising thoughts, as Sam Illingworth explains

Sam Illingworth

Edinburgh Napier University

Top three teaching and learning tips for higher education

Good teachers need to be good learners

Patrick Bailey draws on four decades of university experience to identify the three things he thinks have the biggest impact on successful teaching and learning

Patrick Bailey

London South Bank University

Leading through mentorship: a guide to the ups and downs

Anna Chur-Hansen reflects on her experiences as a mentee and mentor, how this skill can be developed and how it contributes to the building of a meaningful career

Anna Chur-Hansen

Adelaide University

Writing and presenting reports for government: five dos and five don’ts

A guide for academics on the dos and don’ts of writing and presenting research reports designed to inform policymakers

Naresh Pandit

The University of East Anglia, Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN)

Knowledge and approaches needed for trauma-informed teaching

What steps can be taken to minimise trauma in the classroom? Marc Mason explains how it works and presents itself

Marc Mason

University of Westminster

Female student writing in the university library

Mini virtual writing retreats to support and connect tutees

A guide to organising mini virtual writing retreats each week to build a supportive scholarly community within a personal tutoring group

Aspasia Eleni Paltoglou

Manchester Metropolitan University

Promoting academic integrity in a massive online master’s programme

Understanding why students cheat is key to preventing it. Not only that, but three key tips turn supporting integrity into an opportunity to foster culture rather than dish out punishment

David Joyner

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Lesson plans – a blueprint for success

Think of your lesson as a story and your lesson plan as its script. And remember that a good plan considers the people involved in the lesson, not just the activities

John Weldon

Victoria University

Leading with empathy is more important than ever in HE

How to be an empathetic leader during times of change

No one style is the panacea for all leadership challenges but, as Rachel Gibson explains, empathy is a crucial ingredient for leadership success

Rachel Gibson

Adelaide University

Five steps for engaging policymakers with research

Five steps for engaging policymakers with research

Five pointers to help researchers get policymakers interested in their work, based on a guide co-created by government and academics from the University of Leeds

Ben Walmsley

University of Leeds, Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN)

Being a public scientist is not an easy choice

When scholars know their data well and can see their findings being ignored, they should be comfortable enough to speak out. Here, Paul McGreevy offers advice to those contemplating putting their heads above the parapet

Paul McGreevy

University of New England

Five ways to motivate and inspire a high-performing team

Senior leaders should hold themselves and their teams accountable for performance-driven metrics, foster psychologically safe workplaces and reward values-based behaviours

Sandy Jones

Colorado State University Global

Supporting university students in recovery

Universities must acknowledge the value of students in recovery

University throws up many temptations, but if we offer the right support for addiction we are often rewarded with strong, tenacious students and staff

Simon Lee

University of Sunderland

Image depicting the financial burden of higher education

Pay it forward: how to help students secure financial aid

How college administrators can help prospective and enrolled students secure financial aid to see them through higher education, by Aimee Huffstetler

Aimee Huffstetler

Gwynedd Mercy University

Combining business and educational acumen is required for HE leaders

Modern higher education leaders must blend business and educational knowledge

Clearly articulated values, structures that support accountability and metrics that align with strategic goals are the new leadership competencies, says Angela Hernquist

Angela Hernquist

Colorado State University Global

Catching up with academic colleagues is part of keeping it REAL

Authentic leadership: the four pillars of keeping it ‘REAL’

Corinna van den Heuvel explains how developing a strong personal leadership philosophy is key to authenticity as a leader

Corinna van den Heuvel

Adelaide University

A global effort to decolonise a reading list

Academics and students from five countries worked together to decolonise a reading list for a public health module, through a global lens. Here, they describe how they did it

Zheng Feei Ma, Kim Duffy, Juming Shen

University of the West of England Bristol, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Does the UK need an observatory for university engagement with policymakers?

Any such project would need to guard against numerous pitfalls, but the benefits in terms of bringing together various initiatives and engendering new skills could be great

Jonathan Breckon , Sarah Chaytor , Kayleigh Renberg-Fawcett

Capabilities in Academic Policy Engagement (CAPE), Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN), UCL

Image of a digital brain representing AI

A model for deploying AI across a university and region

A new supercomputer, new faculty and partnerships with higher education and industry leaders helped the University of Florida transform itself into an AI powerhouse, creating a blueprint for other institutions to follow

Cheryl Martin

NVIDIA

How to design a rubric in five easy steps university

Build effective rubrics in just five steps

A quick guide to the process of designing successful rubrics and recommendations for successful implementation

Ileana Alejandra Ochoa Arias , José Wbaldo Rivera Nevarez

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Image representing higher education as tied to financial interests

To save higher education, we must look beyond traditional university models

If we are to radically transform universities, we must seek solutions from diverse learning projects that have historically been excluded from, or remained separate to, higher education, argue Fern Thompsett, Kristen Lyons and Richard Hil

Fern Thompsett, Kristen Lyons, Richard Hil

Columbia University , The University of Queensland , Griffith University

Group of students taking part in a classroom debate

Successful classroom discussions begin long before anyone speaks

Classroom discussions help engagement and learning so find out how instructors can get started in facilitating respectful debate among students using a simple framework

Mylien Duong, Jacob Fay

Constructive Dialogue Institute

How to encourage women entrepreneurs at universities

How can we help academia produce more women entrepreneurs?

The key change required to help female academics found spin-out companies is rebalancing the gender diversity of the investment community, but universities have a part to play, too

Simonetta Manfredi

Oxford Brookes University

The secrets of supporting successful student start-ups

Guidance to how universities can support student entrepreneurship and successful business creation, shared by John Lonsdale

John Lonsdale

The University of Edinburgh

Creating innovative social media content

Lessons learned in creating and using innovative social media strategies

If we aspire to enabling better educational decision-making, marketers first have to understand how, when and where prospects make those decisions

Simon Pride

Arts University Bournemouth

Image of diverse groups forming supportive circles

How to train university staff to become anti-racist agents of change

Advice on supporting higher education professionals to become anti-racist agents of change, based on Adam Danquah’s experience doing so within his institution

Adam Danquah

The University of Manchester

Achieving PR impact for your university on a budget

How to achieve PR impact with little – or no – budget

With finances squeezed across the sector, building trust and engagement – as well as relationships with partners and journalists – is crucial for PR impact, explains Tanya Wood

Tanya Wood

King’s College London

Three adult students working at a shared desk

A guide to promoting equity in HE for refugees and asylum seekers

Steps that universities can take to help refugees and asylum seekers access and successfully progress through higher education

Yeşim Deveci, Claire Mock-Muñoz de Luna , Jess Oddy

University of East London

Knowledge transfer partnerships a guide to doing them well

Knowledge transfer partnerships: a guide to doing them well

Advice on running a successful knowledge transfer partnership, based on the experience of James Selfe and Jim Richards co-developing a portable rehabilitation device for sports injuries

James Selfe, Jim Richards

Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Central Lancashire

A digital boost to music teaching and performance

Drawing on an audiovisual project to create a virtual studio where researchers and students can test sound in multiple settings, from a cathedral to a cave, William Minty shares lessons on how to manage institution-wide tech developments

William Minty

Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM)

Young men need to be involved in research if we're to close the attainment gap

Tips for involving young people in research in meaningful ways

To effect real transformation, research must be carried out with young people, who should be made aware of the key role they play and knowledge they bring to the process

Susan Morgan, Andrew Hamilton, Brian Murphy

Ulster University

Strategies for developing live student-client projects

Projects in which students work in a professional consulting capacity with “client” organisations can bring many benefits for all involved, but need careful set-up and support, as Lyvia Royd-Taylor explains

Lyvia Royd-Taylor

University of Brighton

Sprint to the finish: redesigning university programme validation

Sprint methodology can compress university-wide validation of academic programmes into an intense, hierarchy-free three-day process

Leanne de Main, Sarah Jones

De Montfort University, University of Gloucestershire

How to rethink university comms with student voice at the centre

Tactics for revamping your comms with students front and centre

How can you stay on top of the evolving student voice and ensure it’s at the heart of your communications? Kim Graakjaer shares her thoughts and some takeaway tips

Kim Graakjaer

The University of Manchester

Advice on effective communication for international collaborations

Clear communication as the key to international collaboration

The success of international research collaborations rests upon clear communication, writes Marian Brady as she offers advice on what this involves in practice

Marian Brady

Glasgow Caledonian University

Recognise work-life imbalance and restore resilience

How can academics stay energised and resilient? The first step, says Aaron Davis, is take stock of those tasks and worries that deplete energy, then add activities that refill your cup

Aaron Davis

University of Washington

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