Embracing disagreement in research co-productionCo-producing a research project is not all consensus and harmony, so these four tips will guide research collaborators in how to allow and enable disagreements and dissenting voices Gary HickeyUniversity of Southampton
What can the new government do to strengthen academic-policy engagement?Following Labour’s landslide victory, all eyes will be on the new government to see how it will respond to current issues within higher educationSarah Chaytor , Laura Bea, Chris HewsonUniversities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN)
THE podcast: higher education leaders on their priorities for the new UK governmentWhat will the UK’s new Labour-led parliament mean for university funding, research impact, international student flows and free speech on campus? Two higher education leaders share their perspectives on the challenges aheadVivienne Stern, Chris DayUniversities UK, Russell Group
Moving over to the dark side: academic or academic administrator? Academics may view administrators with suspicion, but Elaine Sharplin recommends stepping over to the dark side – as long as you stay true to your rootsElaine SharplinNazarbayev University
Practical tips for graduate students undertaking a dissertationProducing a doctoral dissertation can be an intimidating process, writes Bill Huckle. Here, he shares practical strategies for graduate students taking on the work to share their original contribution to knowledge with the wider communityWilliam R. HuckleVirginia Tech
School visits are a triple-win for academics, schools and societyFor researchers, taking science into the community is an opportunity to hone communication skills, increase impact and enthuse children to pursue their own university studies, writes Ben Kennedy. Plus, it’s funBen KennedyTe Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury
Higher education needs a united approach to AIIf universities’ response to AI and education is as fractured as the sector’s adoption of blended learning, we may well find ourselves in a similar position in 20 years’ time with duplicated costs and missed research opportunities, writes Sara de FreitasSara de FreitasBirkbeck, University of London
Strategies for writing a dissertation: write before you’re ‘ready’Reading isn’t writing, and knowing about your topic isn’t writing. So, what should graduate students do to get started and make steady progress? Monique Dufour suggests practising well before it’s time to write the thesis or dissertationMonique DufourVirginia Tech
Get a head start in the first year of your PhDEven a marathon begins with first steps, and so it makes sense to master motivation, set healthy habits and get writing early to reap the reward of a polished dissertation at the end of the PhD journey, writes Andreï KostrykaAndreï V. KostyrkaUniversity of Luxembourg
How to structure your PhD thesisOrganising your PhD thesis in a logical order is one of the crucial stages of your writing process. Here is a list of the individual components to includeShama Prasada KabekkoduManipal Academy of Higher Education
THE podcast: what does the UK election mean for higher education?Does the UK general election offer a ray of hope for the beleaguered university sector? Two higher education policy experts give their take on what university leaders can do to make a case for the sector and how a new parliament might tackle hot topics such as international students and research funding Nick Hillman, Diana BeechHigher Education Policy Institute, London Higher
Enhance GenAI collaboration for future-proof research supportEmbrace the possibilities of generative AI in research support with a strategic mindset. Ryan Henderson, Ayla Kruis and Tse-Hsiang Chen share their practical framework for successful human-AI collaborationRyan Henderson, Ayla Kruis, Tse-Hsiang Chen University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University
How to write an abstract for a research paperRead about three elements to include in your research paper abstract and some tips for making yours stand outAnkitha ShettyManipal Academy of Higher Education
THE podcast: bringing an outsider’s eye to primary sourcesWhat happens when a literary scholar turns her attention to local archives such as inventories and court records? English professor Alexandra Harris talks about writing history, uncovering centuries of silent lives for her new book, and the interdisciplinary power of the humanitiesAlexandra HarrisUniversity of Birmingham
Emotionally challenging research and researcher well-beingResearchers who navigate emotionally challenging topics need support that includes well-being plans, advice on handling distress and risk assessment guidance, writes Tina Skinner. Her work has led to a series of resources for universitiesTina SkinnerUniversity of Bath
‘Augmenting’ the doctoral thesis in preparation for a vivaThe viva voce exam is the final hurdle for PhD students, but for most it is also a new and fear-inducing experience. Edward Mills offers one framework to help those preparing to discuss their completed thesis at lengthEdward Mills University of Exeter
How to write a PhD thesis: a step-by-step guide A draft isn’t a perfect, finished product; it is your opportunity to start getting words down on paper, writes Kelly Louise PreeceKelly Louise PreeceUniversity of Exeter
Uncovering Indigenous insights: let’s research togetherMeaningful engagement with Indigenous communities requires researchers to shift away from conventional methodologies and towards more collaborative and participatory approaches. Here, Sarah Wiki-Bennett shares six key tenetsSarah Wiki-BennettTe Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury
How exactly does research get funded?Ever wondered how research funding works? Raghavendra U breaks down the entire process in this resourceRaghavendra UManipal Academy of Higher Education
How to answer viva questionsPreparing for a PhD viva can be stressful, but you can take steps to ensure you answer the examiners’ questions about your thesis well. Jenny Scoles provides tipsJenny ScolesThe University of Edinburgh
Improve data literacy among doctoral students In this resource, Vasudha Devi shows how to use a holistic approach to instil data literacy among doctoral students Vasudha Devi Manipal Academy of Higher Education
Seven things driving the evolution of the university in the 21st centuryHow can we align higher education with the changing demands of society? Urbi Ghosh identifies the seven factors involved in transforming the universityUrbi GhoshColorado State University
The GenAI awakening: navigating the new frontier of research supportAs Generative AI gains traction in the world of research, Ryan Henderson and Ayla Kruis shed light on using it responsibly in research supportRyan Henderson, Ayla KruisUtrecht University, University Medical Center Utrecht
Community-engaged research can give a voice to marginalised peopleOur biggest challenges cannot be resolved by ‘expert’ research alone – community knowledge is essential. Tara Mahoney and Scott Neufeld argue that researchers should let communities set the agendaTara Mahoney, Scott NeufeldSimon Fraser University
Four ways to defeat public speaking anxietyEven experienced academics can get anxious before public speaking. Fikrican Kayıkçı suggests four ways to approach speeches with confidenceFikrican Kayıkçı Near East University
How to tackle the PhD dissertationFinding time to write can be a challenge for graduate students who often juggle multiple roles and responsibilities. Mabel Ho provides some tips to make the process less dauntingMabel HoDalhousie University
Using reflective practice to support postgraduate studies in the biosciencesSmall-group workshops create space for postgraduate researchers to share ways to manage stress, impostor syndrome, feelings of isolation and student-supervisor relationships. Here’s how to set up a programmeJo Haszczyn , Johanna Fish , Jennifer Tullet University of Southampton, University of Kent
Practical ways to ease presentation nervesOne way to offset public-speaking anxiety is to have confidence in your presentation. Brandi Quesenberry shares the keys to making your presentation shine and ensuring that it is memorable, impactful and successfulBrandi QuesenberryVirginia Tech
How to train world-champion cardiologistsCompetition, cooperation and continuity in talent support play integral roles in training and preparing medical professionals, and improving patient care, write three cardiologistsGellér László, Zoltán Salló, Nándor SzegediSemmelweis University
THE podcast: interview with Mark Thompson, professor of digital economy at the University of ExeterAcademic, practitioner and policy commentator Mark Thompson shares his concern that UK higher education is drifting from its true north of research, teaching and impact in the wake of complex digital change and the prisoner’s dilemma of whole-sector transformationMark ThompsonUniversity of Exeter
A framework to teach library research skillsEmbedding library skills within disciplines allows teachers and students to link them to learning outcomes and research requirements. Here, a team of engagement librarians explain how to put a map in placeAnna Hvass, Karen Rolfe, Siân Furmage , Michael Latham University of Southampton
Interdisciplinary vs multidisciplinary and convergence researchGlobal challenges demand collaboration across disciplines. This resource explores the associated advantages and challengesSajan Daniel GeorgeManipal Academy of Higher Education
Set sail on the choppy waters of grant proposals with the 3 Gs approachIf securing research funding is like a budding pirate king navigating choppy waters in search of untold treasures, how can we build the resilience to keep journeying on? Peter Tay shows howPeter TaySingapore Institute of Technology
How to make public engagement work for early career academicsAcademics need to be able to translate what they research to engage a wide range of audiences. But to do that, scientists must first find the public engagement shape that fits them and their schedule. Here’s advice for getting startedSien van der Plank, John Duncan, Yanna Fidai University of Southampton, The University of Western Australia, Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Evidence synthesis: what every student (and researcher) should know The ability to collect, summarise and analyse data is especially vital for students and researchers in medical and healthcare-related fields, writes Alessio Bellato. Here, he explains what it is and how to access trainingAlessio Bellato University of Southampton
THE podcast: what is open access?Experts demystify what open access and open research are, tips for best practice, and where the movement and research culture are headingHeather Joseph, Steven U. Vidovic Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition, University of Southampton
Publication-based doctorate: is it for me?Potential research higher degree candidates from academia or industry will need to decide between a doctorate by thesis or by publication. Here are key questions to ask before embarking on the doctoral journeyRiad ShamsNorthumbria University
Using a business framework to advocate for international research collaborationIn this resource, Daniel Moraru uses a framework to help researchers interrogate the multi-faceted implications of international collaboration in researchDaniel MoraruShizuoka University
Open research: what is it, really? Broadly, open research principles aim to foster openness, transparency, replicability and accountability, writes Steven Vidovic. Here, he offers a fresh perspective along with practices to establish trust in research and foster collaborations and future opportunitiesSteven U. Vidovic University of Southampton
Democratising research through open access journalsThe rise of open access publishing has democratised knowledge dissemination, allowing researchers to share their findings with a global audience. Here, Corinne Guimont offers insights on running OA journals at a higher education institutionCorinne GuimontVirginia Tech
Empower ECRs to commercialise their researchEarly career researchers face many barriers when it comes to translating their research into commercial success, be they a lack of time, being overlooked in favour of more established colleagues or simply not knowing where to startLysimachos ZografosThe University of Edinburgh
Opening doors to knowledge: making data open accessMaking data open access has become a cornerstone of transparent and collaborative research practices. Here, Jon Petters provides a brief guide on how to do it, emphasising accessibility, reproducibility and interoperability Jonathan PettersVirginia Tech
Unwrapping discovery: the importance of institutional repositoriesSelf-archiving in university repositories is an alternative academic publishing route to gold open access that can boost citations and diversify users accessing scholarly content, writes Nicki ClarksonNicki ClarksonUniversity of Southampton
How can we imagine a new university?In this existential moment for higher education, the corporate university is not the only end point possible – we can imagine so much more. David J. Staley offers 10 new ways of thinking about universities, in this excerpt from his book ‘Alternative Universities: Speculative Design for Innovation in Higher Education’David J. StaleyOhio State University
Using storybooks to share research with a wider audienceStorybooks offer a collegial method of sharing research findings beyond the peer-reviewed journals of academia – and putting it in the hands of the people who can best use the information, write Dominic Petronzi, Dean Fido and Rebecca PetronziDominic Petronzi , Dean Fido, Rebecca Petronzi University of Derby
Open access: why and how to do itHere, a librarian and master of information student offer insight into facets of open access publishing and the challenges relating to itMelissa A. Rothfus, Catherine GraceyDalhousie University
How can we embed inclusion in our research culture for postgraduate researchers?Small, systemic changes can help universities make their research community more welcoming and collaborative. Here, Maisha Islam looks at four actions to consider – from PGR surveys to widening accessMaisha Islam University of Southampton
Sharing qualitative research through open accessTraditional open access repositories are designed for sharing quantitative data. But what about qualitative data – non-numeric information and concepts such as case studies or interview transcripts? That’s where the Qualitative Data Repository comes inNathaniel D. PorterVirginia Tech
Three ways libraries are championing the open access movementScholars and researchers should take advantage of libraries’ support of and expertise around open access publishing. Asking a librarian for help could protect your work and save you moneyKaren GloverGeorgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities
Four ways to create an entrepreneurial culture at your institutionUniversities are perfectly placed to help start-ups get off the ground. Alan Murray, Robert Crammond and Kingsley Omeihe advise on how best to get your students thinking with a business mindsetAlan Murray, Robert Crammond, Kingsley OmeiheUniversity of the West of Scotland