Feature article

Equipment travellers will take on safari

Why academics need to find adventure beyond the classroom

The best research inspiration happens organically. Here’s how to free yourself from the constraints of campus and go out into the field

Kenneth Pratt

University of the West of Scotland

A student presenting to class

Give students the tools to negotiate in the classroom

Teach students to listen, interpret non-verbal cues and understand their peers’ needs through simple classroom strategies

Elisa González

CETYS Universidad

Young female manager in a meeting

Why university leaders must listen differently in one-to-ones

Talk less and listen more should be a mantra for leaders and managers. When they acknowledge diverse perspectives, avoid dominating discussions and reflect what they have heard, it sets the tone for more inclusive, respectful dialogue

Annie Owen

University of Southampton

A illustration of a laptop offering online learning

Design online learning materials to suit everyone

Create interactive webpages and get to know how your students learn in order to improve e-learning materials. Follow this advice to get started

Nguyen Thi Tu Linh, Nguyen Quoc Minh (Harry) Quan, Nah Yong En

Singapore Institute of Technology

Students working together at a desk

Give students autonomy over their learning

Here are simple ways to nurture self-direction in students – from consulting them on assessments to offering choice on learning objectives – shared by Natalie K Seedan

Natalie K. D. Seedan

The University of the West Indies

Two female Asian fashion design students in workshop

Beyond the creative supplement: reframing the value of arts-based research

When traditional methodologies struggle to capture sensory, emotional and lived dimensions of culture, researchers can turn to arts-based enquiry. This practical advice explains how to integrate audio, visual and reflective data collection into research design

Peng Liu

Macau University of Science and Technology

Doctors of colour clasp hands in a circle

Six ways to grow a network for racial justice

A small online meeting of ethnic minority medical students in 2020 has now grown into an 80-member staff and student community. Here are six ways they’ve thrived

Kate Williams, Shameq Sayeed

University of Leicester

Language class

Turning a student-led initiative into a language-learning community

Simple steps to foster informal, institution-wide language learning can develop into a sustainable programme that builds confidence, encourages cultural exchange and strengthens student community

Viktória Sirokmány

Semmelweis University

A researcher works at a laptop

How to get a four-star impact case study? Stop chasing one

Research assessment exercises have turned impact into a means to an end. Instead of writing a good story, do good work for genuine impact

Andy Phippen, Louise Rutt

Bournemouth University, University of Plymouth

Hands holding up a sign that says "reuse", "recycle" and "reduce" with accompanying icons

The future of sustainable universities is circular

With growing pressure to reduce emissions, costs and waste, now is the time for universities to reimagine their role in the resource life cycle, says Darren Wilkinson

Darren Wilkinson

Lancaster University

Are academics becoming overexposed on LinkedIn?

Social media is key to building an academic network but what about the darker side of putting your professional life on global display? Larisa Yarovaya explores the balance between polished presence and oversharing

Larisa Yarovaya

University of Southampton

Two academics chatting

Tips for mastering the art of negotiation in academia

Whether navigating marking loads or vying for promotion, strong negotiation skills can make all the difference. Drawing on theory and practice, here are five ways to build them

Nick Worthington

The University of Exeter

Human embracing AI in a handshake

Not faster but fairer: tame ‘techno-solutionism’ to build inclusive futures with AI

University leaders and academics must resist an open-armed embrace of AI and ask tough questions about who, really, is benefitting from its use in order to shape an inclusive future, writes Chie Adachi

Chie Adachi

Queen Mary University of London

A close-up of a microphone

How to demonstrate the worth of arts and humanities-based research

Express the tangible benefits of your creative work and practices, by showcasing public value

Mette Hjort

The Education University of Hong Kong

Young Muslim female student in university classroom

What universities gain from involving displaced students in civic engagement

Civic action not only gives displaced students and refugees a sense of belonging and agency, it brings academic communities benefits such as cultural insight and leadership skills

Jonathan Becker, Zarlasht Sarmast

Bard College

An academic listens attentively to a student

University students need emotional support as well as intellectual challenge

Empathetic teaching is about more than lectures and grades – it’s about helping the whole student grow. Find out how

M. Devendran Manogaran , Nor Adilla Rashidi

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

Business and legal education concept

How business schools can capitalise on changes to legal services

Business schools need not compete with law schools. Instead, they can serve as strategic partners as legal services respond to technology, freer markets and client demand, writes Maximiliano Marzetti

Maximiliano Marzetti

IÉSEG School of Management

Students working together on a group project

Teaching future-proof skills: lessons from degree apprenticeships

How degree apprenticeship-style teaching can develop the creative and social intelligence students need to succeed in a changing workplace

Yuxi Heluo

The University of Exeter

A student responding to a prompt on a whiteboard during 2024's Feedback Fest

How a festival makes student surveys fun

A festival-style event can boost survey participation and show students that their feedback leads to change. Here”s how to run one

Emma Craigen

The University of Edinburgh

A student uses a microscope in a lab

Use experiential learning to embed transferable skills in the university classroom

Find out how one educator integrated the transferable skills students need for employability into a content-heavy course

Philip Y Lam

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

AI and integrity concept

Teaching responsible use of GenAI in graduate studies

When graduate students learn to use AI transparently, to seek approvals, respect Indigenous consent and critically assess outputs, they develop skills essential for both academic success and professional practice

Katerina Standish

University of Northern British Columbia

Students use their laptops in class, looking focused

‘GenAI and critical thinking can – and should – work together’ 

Find out how to encourage critical thinking in the university classroom by working with GenAI tools, rather than against them 

Joel Davis, Jane Southworth, Kati Migliaccio

University of Florida

A sound artist surrounded by equipment in a studio

Blend individual and group work to build creative confidence

Combining collaborative accountability with personal ownership helps students take risks, navigate challenges and reflect more deeply, writes Dane Taylor

Dane Taylor

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

University students sitting exams

What can university lecturers do to ease students’ exam anxiety?

Exam stress in all its forms will be familiar to most university lecturers. What is less discussed is how educators’ awareness can ease students’ nerves and lead to better outcomes

Melinda Cserép

Semmelweis University

A smiling woman holds a red, heart-shaped helium balloon

Higher education needs to hold students' hearts, not hands

During times of financial constraint, don’t rush to define kindness to students as an unaffordable luxury. Instead, let’s change the way we think

Rachelle McKay

Dalhousie University

A teacher accepting an award in front of colleagues

The road to recognition: reflecting on our National Teaching Fellowship journeys

Three educators share what they learned from applying for National Teaching Fellowships – from overcoming self-doubt and building peer support to discovering that reflection is its own reward

Jennifer Rose, Nick Weise, Ang Davies

The University of Manchester

Male mechanical engineering student

Three ways to motivate engineering students

Motivating engineering students when information overload threatens to sap their attention requires real-world industrial collaborations, a customised learning experience and a focus on impact

Julien Le Duigou

Université de Technologie de Compiègne

Students discuss their work round a table

A co-curricular approach to SDG education

To accomplish the Sustainable Development Goals, students need to be equipped to tackle real-world issues across disciplines. Here’s how it can be done

Michelle Cheng Wing Tung

The Education University of Hong Kong

UK pound coins and a calculator

Why universities must step up their efforts as civic institutions

As major employers and civic bodies, universities have the opportunity – and responsibility – to work with local communities to drive meaningful change. Here are lessons from community organising

Farhan Samanani, Michael Bennett

King’s College London

Employees sitting at a long table in a boardroom

Try a ‘not by the book’ teaching approach for student-centred, industry-focused learning

By replacing classroom work and exams with real-world projects, educators build soft skills and foster industry partnerships that prepare students for dynamic careers

Marie Taillard

ESCP Business School

A snail on a laptop keyboard

Use GenAI to slow down and reflect more deeply

University staff are under pressure to produce more with less. But what if, instead of using GenAI to save time, we took a slower approach?

Sam Illingworth

Edinburgh Napier University

University students celebrating their graduation

Rethinking neurodiversity in higher education

Strategies to embed neurodiversity support into teaching and assessment to unlock talent and drive innovation across higher education

Patrice Seuwou

University of Northampton

Mother holding small child’s hand

‘We stopped talking at communities and started working with them’

From consultation to collaboration, a ‘new’ approach to building meaningful community-university relationships results in connection, trust and true partnership

Kimberley Simms, Luke Parmenter

Nottingham Trent University

An illustration of a book with coloured and newsprint rays shining out from it

Honour the university library as a creative space with an artist residency

Make your institution’s library a hub of innovation, exhibitions and community art by inviting artists to use its space. Here’s how

Darlene Maxwell, Corinne Noble, Alexandra Genova

Royal College of Art

Students playing a table-top game

Use games to get students back to class

Gamified learning can transform passive teaching into engaging, student-centred experiences. Matthew Jones offers practical advice on creative delivery and scaling up

Matthew Jones

University of Salford

Three Asian men working on a robot

‘Adults bring experience and cognitive strengths to lifelong learning’

The science of adult learning provides a road map for strengths-based, age-inclusive programme design and helps turn classrooms into vibrant hubs of intergenerational learning

Sally Ng Siew Hiang, Adam John Privitera, Annabel Chen Shen-Hsing

Nanyang Technological University

A student in a lab coat smiles

‘Support is not remedial. It is pedagogy’

STEM foundation years are key to widening participation. Find out how to make them supportive and structured, with well-being at the centre

Darryl Morgan, Hannah Seale

University of South Wales

A group of students discussing something on an iPad

Stop asking students to be the lesson and focus on choice and consent

When students are asked to share personal stories to illustrate lessons, the emotional cost can outweigh the educational gain. Aasiya Satia explores how consent-based pedagogy can create safer, more equitable classrooms for all students

Aasiya Satia

McMaster University

Older man in university class

How to build a bridge from adversity to university

In this video, academics explain the essential elements – initial outreach, support and an interdisciplinary approach – behind the success of the Adversity to University bridging programme

Christopher Smethurst, Becky Edwards, Sandra Lyndon

University of Chichester

A student talks intently to an out-of-focus lecturer

Empower LBGTQ+ people to be their authentic selves on campus with Rainbow Office Hours

A simple, low-cost idea helped one university campus become a more welcoming space for members of the LGBTQ+ community. Here’s how it worked

Rafael Henry-Venson, Emily Nordmann

University of Glasgow

A hand taking a book out of a shelf in a library

How to support humanities PhD students with ethics applications

As creative and digital research grow within the humanities, PhD supervisors can help their students approach the ethics approval process thoughtfully and productively. Josie Barnard explains how

Josie Barnard

De Montfort University

A healthy array of vegetables and pulses

Put food sustainability on your university’s menu

Steps for embracing food sustainability and fostering behaviour change across campus, which any higher education institution could take

Graeme Collie

King’s College London

Students eating breakfast together

The power of breakfast to boost student attendance

Learn how a free weekly breakfast initiative has strengthened student belonging, improved attendance and proved surprisingly easy to sustain on a small budget

Jean O’Donoghue, Jessica Thackeray, Adrian Penny

The University of Edinburgh

Chester, UK

Lessons from first-time festival planners

Co-creating a large-scale, impactful public event can seem more like a ‘would love to’ than a ‘must’, particularly in the face of resource pressures or lack of an established culture or calendar. Here’s advice learned from developing a four-day festival from scratch

Sarah Cameron, Jane Pearson, Hannah Perkins, Katherine Wilson

University of Chester

A Black artist holds a paintbrush out to the camera

Helping Black students thrive in art education

How to make art school a welcoming, inclusive environment for Black students, and support them into artistic careers

Emily Moore

Royal College of Art

Someone standing at a crossroad, unable to make a decision

Top business graduates lack one key skill – execution

Top-performing graduates often struggle with execution in the workplace. Educators can change that by designing learning exercises that hone decision-making skills and resilience

José Ignacio Sordo Galarza

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Woman asleep on a snail

What happened to creativity in the classroom?

When generative AI leads 150 students to submit the same ‘creative’ work, something is afoot in arts and humanities education. Here, Leah Henrickson and Luke Zaphir turn insights from cognitive science into ways to use AI to boost students’ creativity

Leah Henrickson, Luke Zaphir

The University of Queensland

A meeting takes place around a long table

Build intellectual virtues in your business students by crossing disciplines

Here’s how a faculty programme helped educators embed qualities that underpin sound thinking and responsible leadership into the teaching of business students

Cecilia Primogerio , Camila del Carril

Universidad Austral

Wind turbines and solar panels across the horizon

Support smaller businesses’ sustainability efforts through education

For businesses to improve their sustainability, they first need to understand how. Paula Whitehouse shares lessons from a programme specially developed to educate executives in environmental strategies

Paula Whitehouse

Aston University

One student comforts another with a hand on the shoulder

Support students’ mental health with bespoke workshops

With mental health concerns and student suicide rates increasing, a partnership with St John Ambulance offered a practical way to support students to ask for help when they need it. Here’s how it worked

Lisa Simmons

Manchester Metropolitan University