Career advice
Tips and resources for building a successful academic career and how to enhance your reputation or move into industry
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
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
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 …
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’…
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
How to balance teaching and research
As an early-career academic, how can you juggle teaching and researching while also prioritising self-care? Callum Russell shares his reflections on striking a balance
Five leadership tips for women in higher education
The first woman of Indian heritage to head a Russell Group business school shares leadership insights for women in higher education, from mentorship and resilience to…
Finding – and raising – my voice as a Black female leader in higher education
Women of colour face a formidable set of challenges in the quest to find their place and voice in higher education. Menah Pratt shares the lessons learned in her …
Questions for the next stage of university leadership
What do I want my legacy as a woman leader to be? These questions can provide a road map for reflection on and planning an academic career, writes Katia Paz Goldfarb
Three principles for leadership in academia
Reflecting on her personal journey, Catherine Moran shares the key guidelines that have shaped her leadership as a woman in higher education in times of change
Effective levers to foster women – specifically women of colour – into leadership roles
Gender and race disparities persist in leadership roles within academic institutions. Here, Menah Pratt shares her advice on effective levers to foster women of colour into…
How to advance your academic career
Working in an industry that shapes the lives of future generations, it is crucial to ensure that your decisions positively impact students’ educational journeys and…
The tough road to leadership as a woman in higher education
Representation matters, writes Marcheta Evans. Here, she offers advice for institutions and educators about the life lessons they need to pass to female scholars (and one for…
Advancing women in academia: geographical mobility and the path to success
Hypermobility has brought opportunities for career advancement in academia, but it comes with expectations and gender-based barriers, writes Lily Kong, especially…
Get real about hiring people with disabilities
For too long ‘lived experience’ has been an inadequate requirement for jobs that make decisions for people with disabilities, and recruitment practices need to change,…
How to face adversity and change in higher education with resilience
In times of stress and uncertainty, university leaders must model calmness, clarity and confidence in their ability to respond to and recover from challenges, writes …
Four ways to achieve a better work-life balance in academia
Switching off can be a considerable challenge for those working in higher education, even though it is essential for a work-life balance and well-being
When good enough is not enough
Back your own abilities and let your talents be seen, writes Verna Yiu. Here, she shares lessons from her own career journey on how women can increase opportunities for…
I found my voice as a woman in academia; here’s how you can do the same
People want to know that you are competent. If you are not a capable pilot, no one is going to get on your plane, writes Veronica Hope Hailey
How to support your staff during personal crises
A little-discussed aspect of leadership is how to support faculty and staff during times of trouble. Here, Helen Norris offers advice for making space and effective communication
How to get promoted from an adjunct to a permanent position
Transitioning from an adjunct to a permanent position requires a multifaceted approach that combines teaching excellence, professional development,…
How to turn down a promotion without losing face
Being offered a promotion might be satisfying, but if it doesn’t align with your career goals, you should not feel obligated to accept the job, writes Shwetha Mudabagilu…
Build yourself a life raft by establishing a strong mentor relationship
Mentorship can offer a place of stability amid the choppy waters of a new role. Ibiyemi Omeihe explains how to find your new guide
Crossing time zones: developing a transnational professional development series
Co-creation with TNE partners allows both front-line educators and host institution opportunities for quality assurance and pathways to build communities of …
How to turn an average collaboration into a dream team
In this extract from ‘Scientific Collaboration’, Jeanne M. Fair advises scientists to hone the skill of collaboration for better research
Strategies for cultivating academic resilience
In a career that will make you question everything, challenge and failure are tools for moving forward, writes Andrew Stapleton. Here, he offers techniques to build…
How academics can ‘stay put’ without ‘staying still’
Moving universities for career advancement is a common practice in academia. But what happens if you want to remain in the same institution? Here, Doune Macdonald…
Researchers should harness the explorer’s spirit to find their career path
Lee Chien Ching shares advice to her younger self and other early career academics on forging your own path through the sometimes forbidding jungle of academia
How to make the move from academia to academic administration
Transitioning from academia to academic administration requires proactivity and a desire to learn. Here are some tips to help you prepare
How to facilitate knowledge exchange and build trust with policymakers
Those seeking to create impact with their evidence should be ready to understand how public sector bodies make sense of the value of research, writes Julian Molina
Conference presentations 101: master the art of speaking to an audience
Don’t get stage fright when it comes to presenting your research. Ayten Ordu offers her tips for preparing for speaking success
How to craft a compelling academic CV
Being able to condense your qualifications and achievements into an impactful academic CV is key to standing out as a researcher. Here, Ishwar…
Why you should do a staff mobility programme and how to set one up
Whether you participate in an exchange or a traineeship, mobility programmes offer teachers unparalleled growth, but there are obstacles universities should help staff…
How to work smarter, not harder in higher education
From effective delegation and tech integration to building networks and embracing self-care, here are some practical tips for academics seeking balance
How to build trust as a research supervisor
Building trust is a crucial foundation of the supervisor-supervisee relationship. Kingsley Omeihe argues it’s a two-way process
In-person events are still necessary
Should academics be travelling to events that could be done virtually? Drawing on her experiences at COP28, Denise Baden shares tips on how to make the most of…
Campus interview: Mike Ibba of Chapman University on mentorship and the future of US…
In this video podcast Mike Ibba, dean of Schmid College of Science and Technology at Chapman University, talks about undergraduate research, what philosophers…
How to show you’re the best person for the job
Many applicants struggle to articulate their successes in their applications for a job, promotion or award. Harriet Dunbar-Morris is here to help you make your case
Enhancing negotiation skills: a step-by-step guide for graduate students
The art of job-offer discussions is a skill that will serve scholars throughout an academic career. Here is what to consider and what to say at each stage of the process
Conferences, TED talks and social media: the ultimate tools for academic profile building
Effective social media use and strategic networking can help you shape a distinctive personal brand as an academic. Padmakumar K offers some practical …
Prepare for promotion: how to develop a strategy for success
How can you ensure you have the best chances of success when applying for a promotion? Here are some tips from careers consultant Eleanor Hennige
It can be different: managing time, tasks and well-being in academia
Academic careers are often associated with long hours, overwhelming workload and burnout – but it doesn’t have to be that way. Understanding the nature of knowledge …
How to embed inclusive recruitment practices in a higher education setting
Hiring practices – from job posting to interview – are key to creating a diverse workforce. Here, Damien Page offers advice on how to drive university-wide inclusivity …
Maximise your research impact with these seven LinkedIn tips
LinkedIn works as a powerful tool for academics who want to share their research, yet self-promotion can be daunting. Here are seven tips to engage with other…
Leverage careers educators’ academic expertise to improve careers education
Careers-focused learning can benefit when careers educators bring their academic expertise into the equation. Anna Branford and Luella Leon of RMIT explain…
Hone the story of your career to make a case for promotion
Reflecting on achievements, considering broader impacts and shaping a narrative that resonates can help you craft a compelling career story that enhances your chances of…
It’s time to fully support promotions on the education pathway
Specialist teaching roles such as librarians and learning designers may not map perfectly on to criteria for professorial posts, but they make significant …
Get the word out: four ways to communicate with non-academic audiences
Sharing scientific research with the wider public can be instrumental in breaking down the barriers to academic work. Ashleigh Johnstone offers advice
The ‘above average’ illusion: tackling overconfidence in the classroom
Overconfidence among business graduates can result in costly personal and professional mistakes. Ekaterina Ipatova proposes a new approach
How to engage your staff in just 15 minutes
You need to get updates and other messages to faculty and staff, but they don’t have much time for internal communications. Here, Kelly Hibbs offers tips to reach a…
