Outreach and communication

How universities can use civic engagement and collaboration to impact their local communities as well as communicating and sharing knowledge with the public

Group of schoolchildren

Bridging the gap between academia and local communities

Institutions that integrate public engagement into their core mission will contribute to stronger, more connected communities. Here are lessons from running an on-campus science bazaar

Ellie-May Beaman

Oxford Brookes University

forest with heart-shaped gap to sky

How we partner with landowners to sequester carbon emissions

Universities are turning to external partnerships in a bid to adopt more sustainable practices. Here are tips on how to identify and build relationships and overcome the challenges these collaborations can present

David Bruce

The University of Edinburgh

A teacher live streaming from a smart phone

Go live on social media to engage with prospective students

Meeting prospective international students in person isn’t always possible. Here’s how to create engaging live streams on social media, from selecting valuable content to structuring sessions and encouraging interaction

Alex Fenton

University of Chester

A mentor having a meeting with her mentee

Become a better mentor by asking yourself these questions

Our mentees face a far more complex educational, social and geopolitical landscape than we did, and we must practise humility in the face of that reality, writes Maria LaMonaca Wisdom. In this piece, she explores how self-reflection enhances effective mentorship.

Maria LaMonaca Wisdom

Duke University

Ineffective communication concept

The perils of unheard policy

Effective communication is a core component of successful policymaking. Whether you’re a policy professional or working in communications, how you convey your message can determine whether your ideas thrive or fade

Alistair Sackley

University of Southampton

Male mature-age college student

What makes a university extension programme stand out?

A holistic approach to extension courses that includes easy access to information, personalised support, workforce development assistance and end-to-end engagement will help institutions shine in a crowded market

Jaimie Rush

University of La Verne

Viral Instagram post

The power of positivity: how a simple question went viral

The viral success of a social media post offers insights on how universities can use simple, authentic and emotionally resonant content to drive engagement and strengthen community

Andrew Lam, Riley Phillips

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Close up of a microphone

Make your annual report sing

An annual report is a useful tool for promoting your institution’s work. Here’s how to coordinate its publication and get it seen

Ana Fuster , Perla Téllez

Monterrey Institute of Technology

Two researchers in white coats high five

The university support services that help demonstrate research impact

Library and knowledge transfer services are just two of the institutional resources available to help academics show the impact of their research. Find out which tools to use and when

Tugce Ataci

Université Paris-Est Créteil

A young student laughs and writes on a whiteboard

How a mathematics competition can develop future university students

A national initiative to find the best young mathematicians demonstrated how the subject can bridge the gap between school and university. Find out how to use it to develop students’ soft skills

Rabie Zine

Al Akhawayn University

A teacher speaking to a student

How to prevent compassion fatigue

Many educators experience compassion fatigue at some point in their careers. Prevent it by shifting your perspective, setting boundaries and building strong support networks

Bhawana Shrestha

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Participants of a focus group chatting in a circle

Show students you care

When you prioritise well-being, your students will thank you for it. Show kindness by taking steps to reduce cognitive load and create a welcoming and engaging learning environment

Natalie K. D. Seedan

The University of the West Indies

Students celebrating graduation

Market orientation must be an institution-wide endeavour

As higher education becomes increasingly global, universities must adopt a market-orientated philosophy, balancing student needs, national priorities and competitive differentiation, writes Emily Owen

Emily Owen

THE Consultancy

Young people making a movie with phone

Active, flipped, micro, virtual learning: a toolbox for interdisciplinary teaching

Young engineers need interdisciplinary skills more than ever to communicate science clearly, both to inform the public and to protect shared resources such as the environment. Here are lessons from a cross-course project

Martin Morgeneyer, Esteban Zúñiga Domínguez

Université de Technologie de Compiègne

AI guidelines and policy concept

How to create a higher education AI policy

A successful university AI policy guides internal innovation and usage, directs resources and identifies key contacts for emergent needs. Here are the steps and considerations for writing guidelines

Eric Scott Sembrat

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

A focus group

How to build a citizen science research culture

Practical advice for building inclusive and innovative research cultures that prepare students for real-world challenges

Aadhi Agilan, Sam O’Keefe, Gareth Bilton

University of Chester

Hands tearing off the letter "t" from the word "can't "

Fostering an ‘I can’ attitude in students

Challenging assumptions about competency and student independence and promoting self-reflection can foster agency, writes Megan Jones

Megan Jones

The University of East Anglia

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Campus webinar: How to boost the public perception of higher education

Hear how universities can demonstrate the value of their research, teaching and social impact beyond academia, from senior leaders at Campus+ partner institutions in the US and Canada

Steven W. McLaughlin, Nader Jalili , Rahim Somani

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities, SMU Lyle School of Engineering, University of Northern British Columbia

podcast graphic

THE podcast: a brighter future for academic publishing

Hear from two academics who are developing publishing solutions that encourage and underpin quality research practices and improve access to scholarly work

Paul Ayris, Philipp Koellinger

University College London, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

A webinar with multiple participants

Tips for creating and delivering effective educational webinars

Strategies that incorporate interactive elements and rules setting to help teachers design engaging webinars

Lauren Flannery

The University of East Anglia

A team work on a research project round a table

The power of participatory podcasts as a research method

Instead of seeing podcasting as an alternative output, producing a series with a group of youth curators helped Abigail Harrison Moore and Lauren Theweneti understand how significant it can be for participatory research

Abigail Harrison Moore, Lauren Theweneti

University of Leeds, Sheffield Hallam University

Young man trekking in Tasmania, Australia

From island to screen: marketing the campus experience to future students

When competition to attract students comes from other institutions, not just in your region but around the world, universities need effective marketing tools and a targeted message to stand out

Courtney Geritz

University of Tasmania

A teacher mentoring a student

A recipe for effective undergraduate research mentorship

Strategies for giving effective feedback, addressing common challenges and fostering a supportive and productive mentor-student relationship

Jamie Gilbert Mikell

Athens State University

Hands type on a laptop

Anatomy of an academic book proposal

Pitch your book to publishers with an irresistible proposal. Here are all the elements you’ll need

Richard Baggaley

The University of Westminster

A woman gives a talk to a room of colleagues

A practical guide to better public speaking: part two

The second in a two-part series, here’s how to hone your public speaking skills, using the three Cs

Anna Christodoulou

The University of Westminster

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THE podcast: the benefits of citizen science and community-engaged research

Two leading academics explain why everyone benefits when researchers look beyond academia to seek greater understanding and new knowledge alongside the broader public or affected communities

Chris Lintott, Neeli Bendapudi

University of Oxford, Penn State University

A woman on her phone posting to social media

An academic’s guide to Bluesky

With many HE professionals making the switch to Bluesky, here are the steps you need to take to get started

Wahiba Chair

University Canada West

An academic edits a research paper with a red pen

The pros and cons of peer reviewing

Weighing up whether to take on the role of peer reviewer? Arina Ziganshina draws on her own experience to outline the upsides and downsides

Arina Ziganshina

Dubai Medical College for Girls

A pile of novels in a library

Using literature to increase students’ empathy

Asking students to reflect on emotions through literary works can enhance their empathy. Here are some tried and tested methods

Rouli Esther

The University of Indonesia

A speaker stands at a lectern with a microphone

A practical guide to better public speaking: part one

Getting through long, not-so-interesting talks is a common experience in academia. But if we all agree it can be done better, how can we start delivering better presentations?

Anna Christodoulou

The University of Westminster

Frankenstein's monster

What Frankenstein’s monster can teach researchers about the dark side of ‘impact’

What can a 19th-century novelist tell academics about research ethics? Taking time to see the impact of research on ourselves is a good place to start measuring the social good of scholarly endeavours, writes Jennifer Allsopp

Jennifer Allsopp

University of Birmingham

A group mediation session

Setting up an in-house mediation service at your university

Want to prevent conflict escalation? Make mediation a “first resort” option

Carol Platts

The University of Manchester

A student using their phone

How universities can use research to develop effective digital products

Tips on developing a user-led digital approach at your institution, based on the University of Exeter’s success

Helen Cocks, Amelia Johnson

The University of Exeter

A tutor helping her postgraduate students

How can we better support our postgraduate students?

The challenges postgraduate taught students face are different from those of their undergraduate counterparts. Here are some ways to help them overcome them

Ellen Bell, Kelly Edmunds

The University of East Anglia

Lots of social media users in a grid

We should be using social media more to understand students

How to use netnography to improve communication with prospective and current students

Alex Fenton

University of Chester

Clapperboard

Using documentary film to communicate your social research

Film can humanise your research and make it accessible to an audience beyond your field. Here are five key takeaways from our experience of bringing sociology to life

Rosalind Edwards

University of Southampton

A female student working on her laptop

How can we use microlearning to enhance university teaching?

What are the benefits of microlearning and how can institutions ensure their courses suit the needs of digital natives?

Robert A. Phillips

The University of Manchester

A student at her laptop with earphones on

Key strategies for successfully marketing an online course

Highlighting multimedia aspects, networking opportunities and the value of your course’s credential value are some of the ways institutions should be marketing their online education offering

Valeria Adriazola

Dalhousie University

Multiracial group of students

‘The experience of mixing with peers from other schools and engaging with university life is transformational’

By building a bridge between high school and university, outreach teams can foster aspiration and provide tangible pathways for students who might not otherwise pursue higher education

Gillian Lavercombe

University of the West of Scotland

Female lecturer speaking to students at the front of class

Low-cost ways to support women academics

Offering mentorship opportunities, supporting peer groups and addressing bias are some of the ways institutions can support women academics

Asri Saraswati

The University of Indonesia

An artist in her studio

It’s time to rethink creative industries employability

Employability is often a conversation for or about students, but what if we asked them about their future hopes? How might we co-design employability provision in times of crisis?

Emma Coffield , Katie Markham

Newcastle University

A student typing on their laptop with images representing study and AI superimposed over the top

Promoting ethical and responsible use of GenAI tools

How can we encourage staff and students to use generative AI in ways that do not threaten an institution’s ethics or academic integrity? Read the University of Exeter’s take

Kelly Louise Preece

The University of Exeter

Cut out figures of heads and shoulders connected by a web

Time to switch? A university’s guide to Bluesky

Bluesky’s growth offers academics, departments and institutions the chance to build engaged communities. Here are some tips on setting up a profile

Ned Potter

University of York

Close-up portrait of Tui - Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae - a famous New Zealand endemic honeyeater with yellow pollen on the forehead, in a blurred green background, in New Zealand

Dreaming of tuī returning to campus

Collaboration between community groups, local government and university students has improved bird nest survival rates exponentially as part of a broader biodiversity plan. Here is how one university is bringing native fauna back to campus

Seamus Moran

Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury

A teacher shaking hands with a student in class

Let me introduce you to the art of saying hello

A creative introduction sparks engagement, builds rapport and creates an atmosphere conducive to learning. Here are ways to make a good first impression

Vik Perez

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

podcast graphic

THE podcast: what makes an award-winning academic, university or project?

We speak to past THE Awards winners to find out about the work for which they and their institutions were recognised

Roderick Watkins, Mark Brown, Joanne Pledger, Ruth Spencer

Anglia Ruskin University, Royal Holloway, University of London, University of Central Lancashire

A student standing outside campus thinking

How can we make HE more accessible for those with criminal convictions?

Students with criminal convictions are often left out of higher education widening participation efforts. This resource challenges the narrative and offers strategies to support them

Jayne Price, Paul Taylor

University of Chester

Young student smiling with laptop

Walls into walkways

Access to library spaces in preparation for exams is helping Dublin secondary school students find a pathway into university. Here’s how DCU Library has made them feel welcome

Aoife Murphy, Nuala Murray, Angela Laddaga

Dublin City University

A police offer

Influence social change with your research by building relationships

Researchers from Edinburgh Napier University needed to form relationships with a range of people when evaluating Police Scotland’s use of the drug naloxone. Here’s how they did it

Peter Hillen, Inga Heyman

Edinburgh Napier University

College students in library

Building a university library service where everyone feels welcome

Practical actions and meaningful community engagement can support libraries’ work to be more equitable, inclusive and sustainable. Here are ways to get started

Tracey Stanley, Sara Huws, Susan Cousins

Cardiff University