How to develop grit for the cold, hard world of higher education

Advice on confronting higher-education-specific challenges

Three female swimmers getting ready to take the plunge

In a field where competition and pressure to succeed are high, developing strategies to help you survive (and thrive) is key. Whether you’re a researcher facing rigorous peer review, an educator developing a curriculum amid a rapidly evolving digital landscape, an outreach worker seeking novel ways to connect with students or any other professional working in a higher education context, this collection aims to help you hone the skills you need, improve your well-being and cultivate resilience in the face of a range of industry-specific challenges.

In the cold, unforgiving environment of higher education, embrace the promise of spring

Just as the seasons transition from cold, harsh winters to vibrant springs, educators can navigate the challenges of higher education and find moments of growth and inspiration. John Sinclair shows how

John Sinclair

Colorado State University Global

Cultivating resilience

Illustration of penguin ballooning over sharks, risk and uncertainty concept

An academic’s advice for navigating risk

From publication to grant applications, the rites of academia come with unfavourable odds. Yet researchers are rarely taught how to deal with uncertainty. Here, Yaniv Hanoch offers mitigation strategies

Yaniv Hanoch

University of Southampton

A man and woman discuss over a laptop

Flip the script on criticism

Criticism is a part of academic life, but you can reframe your perspective to embrace feedback constructively. Tan Xiang Ren offers advice

Tan Xiang Ren

Singapore Institute of Technology

Young black woman rubs temples at laptop, frustration

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 resilience after setbacks

Andrew Stapleton

Independent academic

A tree being blown by gale-force winds

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 Sonia Alvarez-Robinson. Here, she offers practical strategies based on her own experience

Sonia Alvarez-Robinson

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Early career researchers can say no, too

Coming up with a series of questions for ECRs about each ‘opportunity’ as it arises can help them decide what is worthy of their time, says Lucas Lixinski

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

Improving well-being in higher education

female student working on laptop

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 relationships. Here’s how to set up a programme

Jo Haszczyn , Johanna Fish , Jennifer Tullet

University of Southampton, University of Kent

Father with his child at a laptop working

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

Rushana Khusainova

University of Bristol

Woman greets young man with a hand on his shoulder

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

Meredith Wilkinson

De Montfort University

A woman with a hydrating face mask on relaxing in bed

Why students and faculty alike need mental health first-aid training

Basic knowledge and skills could empower university communities to promote and destigmatise mental health issues and empower individuals to recognise risks and seek assistance, writes Noam Schimmel

Noam Schimmel

University of California, Berkeley

Conversations around stress must move beyond ‘I’m fine, how are you?’

Sara Metz offers practical advice on adopting the ‘stress continuum’ – a shared language and system to help staff and students reflect upon and discuss their well-being

Sara Metz

Colorado State University Global

Developing the right skills for a higher education environment

Woman giving a presentation

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 shine and ensuring that it is memorable, impactful and successful

Brandi Quesenberry

Virginia Tech

A theatre stage

Anxious about public speaking? Try these tips from the theatre

Hone your performance skills with these techniques from stage actors. Linsey Todd and James Layton encourage us to smell the greasepaint

Linsey Todd, James Layton

University of the West of Scotland

A group of Gen Z students gaze at their phones

We need to empathise with the students of today to shape the minds of tomorrow

Are today’s students too disrespectful and aggressive to be taught? Azlan B. Ahmad offers his advice on dealing with Gen Z

Azlan B. Ahmad

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

Building blocks ascending as a disembodied hand stacks them on top of one another

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

Catherine Moran

Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury

Classroom management techniques you don’t get taught

‘Fake it till you make it’ is a useful motto for new university teachers facing a classroom of antsy students for the first time. Here are seven basic skills to master

John Weldon

Victoria University