Navigating global uncertainty together: reframing our approach to control
In an ever-changing academic landscape, focusing on what we can – and can’t – control and influence helps us build resilience. Here, Imogen and Jay offer practical tips and…
The wintering of universities
The fallow moments of retreat are necessary to bring about spring. For universities, we must use this winter to think about what it is we do, writes Katie Normington
THE podcast: the pros and cons of AI in higher education
How should universities manage the rapid uptake of artificial intelligence across all aspects of higher education? We talk to three experts about AI’s impact on teaching,…
Can non-assessed creative play help students develop confidence and critical thinking?
Supporting and enhancing students’ drawing skills improves not only their visual communication but also their mental health and well-being. Chris Wright and Zoë Allman…
Emerging leaders, your universities need you
When a university is undergoing transformational change, emerging leaders are crucial for translating strategy into action. Zoë Allman and Gary Souter share their…
Creating inclusive spaces for inclusive events
Inclusivity efforts must go beyond physical accessibility to include how events are advertised and who is consulted and invited to speak, write Meredith Wilkinson and…
THE podcast: how to lead a university from the front
De Montfort University vice-chancellor Katie Normington talks about leadership, why change is best undertaken quickly, what ballet taught her about resilience and…
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…
Sprinting into blocks: what computing, AI and gaming academics learned
Introducing block delivery using Sprint methodology to design academic programmes saw computing, AI and gaming academics rise to the challenge. De Montfort…
A road map to diagnosis and support for autistic women in higher education
From the journey to diagnosis to the laws that protect employees with autism, this resource sheds light on how to navigate the academic world with this disorder
Sprinting in hindsight: what we learned from validating university programmes at pace
Having used a Design Sprint methodology for university-wide academic programme validation, has the dash to a photo finish improved quality processes? Zoë Allman and…
What support students need to succeed in work placements
Students in work-based learning placements need support before, through and when returning from their experience. Here is advice for universities and academic…
Make universities disability-inclusive, part two: co-creation, workloads and promotion processes
Institutions can become more accessible by co-creating or consulting on their university strategies and strategic changes. Other ways include managing student and staff…
Make universities disability-inclusive, part one: feedback, access and language
Meredith Wilkinson offers advice on how to promote inclusivity for disabled students and staff at universities
Autism in academic settings: unleashing unique strengths with adjustments
Practical accommodations that support autistic individuals in higher education and embrace the strengths they bring to the workforce, fostering inclusion and…
Trauma-informed care within academic settings
As awareness of trauma and its effects on individuals grows, Imogen Perkins delves into what it means to be trauma-informed, and how its five principles could look within …
How to promote disabled women in academia
Disabled women are significantly under-represented in senior roles within universities. Here’s how – and why – institutions can and should support them…
Universities and academics need to make space for ‘useless’ research
The academic race for short-term results and practical applications must be balanced with research that can, in due time, become incredibly useful, writes James Derounian
Written feedback for students – keep it clear, constructive and to the point
James Derounian offers tips for giving compassionate feedback that will enable students to understand where their work went right and wrong
What I’ve learned from a decade of working with a disability in academia
Meredith Wilkinson gives her younger self advice on climbing the academic ladder in an able-bodied world, but also calls for greater support for academics with disabilities
Are block teaching and universal design for learning compatible?
On the face of it, comparing the block teaching planning format with the UDL framework might seem like weighing apples against oranges. In fact, they share …
With an ‘epidemic’ of poor mental health, what can universities do to help?
Practical guidance for universities on how they can support the growing number of staff experiencing challenges relating to mental health and well-being
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
Blocks for building a stronger student community
Block teaching can help rapidly establish bonds among students, and with their lecturers, which in turn maximises learning potential. Here, Sarah Jones offers…
Four practical tips for bringing students and businesses together
New approaches to student and employer “matchmaking” can help address graduate underemployment – and bring enjoyment for both sides, says Adele Browne
Authentic leadership isn’t new – but we need it more than ever in HE
For leadership to be effective, we need to understand our own limitations and listen to others to learn how to overcome them, say Sarah Jones and Alasdair Blair
University leaders need to demonstrate an adaptive mindset
With huge change ahead, leaders must be brave and accept that the right decisions may not always deliver the best spreadsheet results, say Alasdair Blair and Sarah Jones
