Research excellence
Deep dives into university research practices around the world, including supervision, community engagement, funding and publication
How to answer viva questions
Preparing 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 tips
All together now: how to write an interdisciplinary research proposal
Advice on drafting successful research proposals to secure support and funding for interdisciplinary projects, from three academics with experience developing…
How to successfully develop and run interdisciplinary research teams
John Domingue explains how to foster a culture of openness and support that encourages and helps staff teams to pursue interdisciplinary research projects
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
Seven things driving the evolution of the university in the 21st century
How can we align higher education with the changing demands of society? Urbi Ghosh identifies the seven factors involved in transforming the university
The GenAI awakening: navigating the new frontier of research support
As Generative AI gains traction in the world of research, Ryan Henderson and Ayla Kruis shed light on using it responsibly in research support
Community-engaged research can give a voice to marginalised people
Our biggest challenges cannot be resolved by ‘expert’ research alone – community knowledge is essential. Tara Mahoney and Scott Neufeld argue that researchers …
Four ways to defeat public speaking anxiety
Even experienced academics can get anxious before public speaking. Fikrican Kayıkçı suggests four ways to approach speeches with confidence
Using reflective practice to support postgraduate studies in the biosciences
Small-group workshops create space for postgraduate researchers to share ways to manage stress, impostor syndrome, feelings of isolation and student-supervisor…
Practical ways to ease presentation nerves
One way to offset public-speaking anxiety is to have confidence in your presentation. Brandi Quesenberry shares the keys to making your presentation…
How to train world-champion cardiologists
Competition, cooperation and continuity in talent support play integral roles in training and preparing medical professionals, and improving patient care, write three…
THE podcast: interview with Mark Thompson, professor of digital economy at the …
Academic, practitioner and policy commentator Mark Thompson shares his concern that UK higher education is drifting from its true north of research, teaching and …
A framework to teach library research skills
Embedding library skills within disciplines allows teachers and students to link them to learning outcomes and research requirements. Here, a team of engagement…
Interdisciplinary vs multidisciplinary and convergence research
Global challenges demand collaboration across disciplines. This resource explores the associated advantages and challenges
Set sail on the choppy waters of grant proposals with the 3 Gs approach
If 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…
How to make public engagement work for early career academics
Academics 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 …
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, …
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 heading
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 …
Using a business framework to advocate for international research collaboration
In this resource, Daniel Moraru uses a framework to help researchers interrogate the multi-faceted implications of international collaboration in research
Open research: what is it, really?
Open research principles aim to foster openness, transparency, replicability and accountability, writes Steven Vidovic. Here, he offers a fresh perspective along with…
Democratising research through open access journals
The rise of open access publishing has democratised knowledge dissemination, allowing researchers to share their findings with a global audience. Here, Corinne…
Empower ECRs to commercialise their research
Early 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 …
Opening doors to knowledge: making data open access
Making 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…
Unwrapping discovery: the importance of institutional repositories
Self-archiving in university repositories is an alternative academic publishing route to gold open access that can boost citations and diversify users accessing scholarly…
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…
Using storybooks to share research with a wider audience
Storybooks 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…
Open access: why and how to do it
Here, a librarian and master of information student offer insight into facets of open access publishing and the challenges relating to it
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 – …
Sharing qualitative research through open access
Traditional open access repositories are designed for sharing quantitative data. But what about qualitative data – non-numeric information and concepts such as case …
Three ways libraries are championing the open access movement
Scholars and researchers should take advantage of libraries’ support of and expertise around open access publishing. Asking a librarian for help could protect your…
Four ways to create an entrepreneurial culture at your institution
Universities 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 …
Use teamwork to erode the glass cliff
As the UK higher education sector battles a perfect storm, Emma Flynn stresses the importance of building strong teams around female leaders
Steps to take to encourage more support for public engagement in research
By fostering a culture in which public engagement is not just encouraged but embedded into the fabric of academic life, institutions can leave a lasting impact on both the…
What underpins effective patient and public involvement in health and social care research?
Is it rules or values? The two key ways to approach the art of PPI in healthcare research should come together in process, procedures and culture, writes Gary Hickey
Support for faculty on long-term leave is a career lifeline
Institutions and academics both benefit when support frameworks are in place to help extended leavers back into work. Four educators offer a case study in what one…
Could Athenian democracy improve the quality of science?
What if universities were governed according to the open culture that drives scientific research itself? Zoltan Dienes and Jörg Huber look at an ancient model for…
The double-edged sword of open access publishing
Inclusivity is seen as a benefit of open access publishing, but is this an illusion? Here, William E. Donald asks questions about who pays and what counts, and offers…
How to harness community knowledge to tackle complex policy challenges
Working with local communities can help uncover new insights to tackle complex social policy challenges. Saffron Woodcraft and Joseph Cook explain how to set up…
How to engage with the media and expand the impact of your work
Academic scholars are generally not trained to write for broad audiences, so how do you get your compelling, newsworthy research out there? Gregory R. Goldsmith…
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
Believe it or not, you can use conspiracy theories as tools for teaching
When misinformation is a global risk, critical thinking skills are more vital than ever, writes Malcolm Schofield. Here, he offers techniques from parapsychology and…
We set up a thought leadership programme to amplify PhD research
Dalhousie's OpenThink programme shows how universities can empower the next generation of thought leaders and facilitate public engagement
Why press releases are a waste of your comms team’s time
Most universities will track press release output as part of overall communications metrics – but, asks Kylie Ahern, have you considered other ways to generate …
Driving change through knowledge: how to increase policy impact
Academic research is invaluable in informing governments and leaders so they can make decisions that affect us all. Here, Yaryna Basystyuk offers advice on…
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…
Building trust in research: how effective patient and public involvement can help
Involving patients and the public in research results in more relevant outcomes and gathers insight into what issues affect and are of importance to them and …
Empower communities using the Tree of Hope activity for post-project evaluation
Post-project evaluation tools that generate useful participant feedback drive positive, enduring change, write Suthawan Thummasungwan and Prakit…
Show your research impact: a guide for academics and researchers
In academia, effectively demonstrating and communicating the real-world impact of research is increasingly vital for scholars, driven by demands from…
How can universities increase diversity in spin-out founders?
Ensuring that all talented researchers can participate in spin-out leadership is core to translating world-leading discoveries into innovative and impactful businesses, writes…
