Feature article

AI won’t replace qualitative researchers – it might help them

Large language models may not simply replicate human analyses of qualitative data; they can offer additional insights and both challenge researchers' assumptions and prompt further reflection on their interpretations

Dimitris Raidos, Sarah Jenner

Ipsos UK, University of Southampton

A university educators’ guide to universal design for learning

What is universal design for learning, what benefits does it offer students and how can you implement it in your classroom? Find out all you need to know

Gustavo Espinoza Ramos , Marta Dermaku Hajdini , Noor Ghumran

University of Westminster

A group of students interacting happily around a laptop

‘Joy doesn’t dilute academic rigour. It sustains it’

By weaving playfulness, humour and authenticity into teaching, research and departmental culture, academics can spark curiosity, strengthen collaboration and tackle difficult conversations, say Alice Wilson and Madeleine Steeds

Alice Wilson, Madeleine Steeds

Manchester Metropolitan University, University College Dublin

More than singing: a university choir as a cultural hub

Flexibility, pedagogical sensitivity, community and well-being – far more than artistic perfection – emerge as strong notes in the process of establishing a university choir

László Matos

Semmelweis University

Students walking through a university library

So you’ve decolonised your reading list – what’s next?

Reframe knowledge, champion transparency and draw on student experiences to create balanced curricula that build belonging and critical thinking, says Patrice Seuwou

Patrice Seuwou

University of Northampton

How business schools can produce globally minded graduates

Make internationalisation a core part of the student experience, rather than an optional extra, by embedding it into the curriculum

Imad Jabbouri

Al Akhawayn University

Mature Asian woman looking at watch with laptop

‘Let’s treat writing as shared infrastructure rather than private struggle’

Academic writing is often framed as something faculty should simply manage better; when they struggle, the blame is put on the individual academic. But this explanation doesn’t hold, as Rachel Gabriele explains

Rachel Gabriele

Virginia Tech

A teacher discusses with students in the classroom

Tips on using GenAI to make the university classroom more interactive

Find out how to deploy GenAI tools to increase participation, tailor learning to each student’s needs and foster collaboration across disciplines

Ijeoma (Angel) Ojukwu , Sam Opio

University of Westminster

A young woman smiling to camera ourside wearing a t-shirt with a rainbow on it

Practical LGBTQ+ allyship within STEMM

Allyship in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine requires more than symbolic gestures. From inclusive language to visible signals of support, practical action can help create safer, more equitable workplaces for LGBTQ+ colleagues and students

Claire L. Davies, Eleanor M. Townsend, Andrew M. Griffiths

The University of Exeter

Balancing use of AI when doing academic writing

Yes, GenAI can make academic writing easier without making us less scholarly

Generative AI does not change scholarship’s foundations of judgement, authorship and care, but it does require academics to apply them more intentionally when writing

Nicole Brownlie

The University of Southern Queensland

A male researcher writing at his laptop surrounded by shelves of books

Can we use AI for academic writing? It depends

How researchers can use AI responsibly, without compromising scholarly rigour or integrity

Marios Kremantzis, Eleonora Pantano

The University of Bristol

How to embed STEM across all disciplines? Start small

Build the STEM skills students will need for the future into your existing courses – with a little-and-often approach. Here’s how

Kenneth Wai-Ting Leung

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

A guide to help journal editorial boards introduce ECRs to academic publishing

Academic publishing can be a harsh landscape. Here, a partnership model offers language and strategies to support new authors as they navigate early submissions and review

Jesper Hansen, Kristy Campbell

UCL, King’s College London

A teacher helping a student with mental health issues

I’m a well-being adviser: here’s how to support students with mental health issues

As students arrive at university with increasingly complex mental health needs, academics are often keen to help but unsure where to start. Tessa Warinner shares practical tips

Tessa Warinner

The University of Edinburgh

A physiotherapist inspects a patient's back

‘It depends’: navigating the uncertainty of reasoning in clinical practice

How can we teach our physiotherapy students to think like professionals when the honest answer is “it depends”? Using case studies could help

Aileen Scully

Singapore Institute of Technology

Exploration of style: practical ways educators can teach academic writing in the sciences

First-year students need to adapt their writing style when transitioning to university. Here’s how educators can support freshmen to develop flexible, analytical and evidence-based writing

Rui Xue Zhang, Xinzhi Li

Macau University of Science and Technology

International study experiences can be great equalisers – but only if diverse students participate

In part two of his series on outbound student mobility, Lucas Lixinski explains why international study experiences can be so powerful in levelling socio-economic inequality in higher education and how institutions can support this

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

Young Asian man recording observations in nature

‘The process of writing forces the writer to be present’

Writing is hard and uncomfortable, but the craft of turning thoughts into words should not be lost to the frictionless ease of generative AI, write Jackie Webb and Christina Birnbaum

Jackie Webb, Christina Birnbaum

The University of Southern Queensland

A book with heart-shaped pages in front of a stacked bookcase

Has your relationship with your PhD lost its spark?

Make sure you and your PhD aren’t drifting into a toxic relationship. Here’s how to recapture the magic

Lucia Juarez

Independent academic

An academic writing a journal article on her laptop

Writing your first journal article? Here’s how to get the structure right

By structuring your journal article effectively, you improve your chances of getting published and growing your opportunities to disseminate your work

Natalie K. D. Seedan

The University of the West Indies

Laptop with cloud of letters coming out of screen

Has AI cost academia the joy of text?

Rather than asking what writing can be outsourced to AI, we might first ask which parts of the process need to remain slow, imperfect and human, argue four academics

Viktoria Magne, Sharon Vince, Sarah Hooper, Rebecca Mace

University of West London, University of Worcester

Use social media to create a digital community for international students

Students are already relying on social media to help them settle in when studying abroad, so why not harness its power for support services? Here are six ways to do so

Liubov Darzhinova

The Education University of Hong Kong

Conversations with bots: teaching students how – and when – to use GenAI for academic writing

A four-step process teaches students how to use GenAI tools to brainstorm ideas, understand and act on feedback and edit their essays in line with assessment rubrics

Joseph Tinsley, Huimin He

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Pluralistic idealism alone won’t govern the future

AI governance is treated as an ethics problem, when it is increasingly a question of control, authority and speed. As AI systems reshape admissions, assessment and student support, universities need to govern what is live, not what looks good on paper

Alistair Sackley

University of Southampton

Harness the power of your university librarian in the age of information chaos

Find out how to tap the mine of knowledge your university library has, for trustworthy research sources, data expertise and information literacy advice

Ben Meunier

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Three students working from a laptop smiling to camera

Tips for co-creating education projects

Many co-creation projects fail not for lack of goodwill, but because power is never explicitly addressed. Learn practical ways to tackle hierarchy and empower students

Jenny Harris, Federico Palmisani, Greg Collinson, Zoe Mia

The University of Exeter

Young Asian woman concentrating working at laptop

Advice for protecting writing time and motivation

Social media, reading and the fragmented schedules of academia can all eat into precious writing time. Based on her experience supervising PhD students, Zhen Sun offers advice for supporting doctoral candidates to set and stick to a plan

Zhen Sun

Macau University of Science and Technology

Peer feedback is the secret weapon for better academic writing

Harness the power of your academic community to hone your arguments, sharpen your writing and develop your critical thinking

Dina Nasr , Rayan Awadalla

Dubai Medical University

A researcher in a lab sorting test tubes

A guide to building a research career in Japan

For those willing to put in the effort, Japan offers strong research environments, lasting professional networks and a distinctive academic culture that shapes careers long after researchers leave, says Daniel Moraru

Daniel Moraru

Shizuoka University

Flight attendant demonstrating safety procedures against blue background

How storytelling can turn international students into the most powerful voices in the room

Turning presentations into a visual storytelling task allows international students to demonstrate their learning through elements such as sound, visuals, silence and pacing rather than just language

Natalie Cummins

University of Technology Sydney

A lecturer at the front of class presenting to students

Let’s not patronise Gen Z students

Gen Z students don’t need flashy visuals to keep them engaged. They want clear, effective design, say Svetoslav Georgiev and Joseph Tinsley

Svetoslav G. Georgiev, Joseph Tinsley

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

How to design and supervise GenAI-integrated doctoral research

Strategies for research supervisors and curriculum designers when embedding GenAI in research activities

Kate Abraham

Hult International Business School (Ashridge)

Science isn’t a solo sport – let’s write accordingly

Generosity in authorship, sharing imperfect drafts and writing daily are academic habits that make research clearer, fairer and more impactful

Audrey Ruple

Virginia Tech

‘Prune the tree to let the fruit stand out’

Tips on how to turn your thesis into a book – how to edit yourself, how to pitch and when to use GenAI

Damián Fernández Pedemonte

Universidad Austral

Students sitting at a table with their laptops

Why fixing student problems one by one does not work

When efforts to improve student satisfaction fall short, the problem is often design rather than speed. İlkay Karaduman reflects on planning a more coherent student journey shaped by key transitions and connections

İlkay Karaduman

Istanbul Aydin University

Young woman writing notes with a pad and laptop

Colleges, not the College Board, determine university-level writing

Educators who teach first-year writing courses need to use their leverage to ensure students arrive on campus with skills that match expectations, writes Daniel M. Gross

Daniel M. Gross

University of California, Irvine

Beyond bans: AI-resilient and creative HE assessment design

To sustain academic integrity in an AI-present learning environment, educators must redesign assessment to foreground judgement, context and creative ownership, says Jasmine Mohsen

Jasmine Mohsen

SP Jain London School of Management

A man sitting at a laptop concentrates hard on a document

A practical tool for valid assessments in the GenAI-enabled university

An assessment flowchart can help guide educators through the delicate balance of whether or not to allow GenAI in their assignment design. Here’s how it works

Rebecca Smith, Paul Moss, Sasikala Rathnappulige, Carina Correas

Adelaide University

How universities can support employability for international students

If you work in higher education, you are part of the employability journey, writes Gemma Kenyon. And career readiness is a key driver for international enrolments

Gemma Kenyon

City St George’s, University of London

Students listen attentively during a class

Make inclusion work in practice in your global classroom

Embed inclusivity into your course to harness the diversity of international cohorts. Here’s how

Luana Carcano

Simon Fraser University

Two Asian students in a coffee shop looking at a laptop

How sustained mentoring can drive international students’ success

True integration for international students doesn’t happen during orientation week. It takes place over months and years, through ongoing mentorship, cultural events and year-round academic-career scaffolding

Jennifer Clevenger

Virginia Tech

Students smiling outside a university building

Students told us what GenAI guidance works. Here’s their advice

Students are using GenAI whether you’ve addressed it or not. Here’s how to provide the clarity they’re asking for

Tom Ritchie, Yanyan Li

The University of Warwick

The difference between good and bad impact management

How do academics and research managers really feel about impact management? Here’s how it can be done badly, and how to do it right

Andy Phippen, Louise Rutt

Bournemouth University, University of Plymouth

Young black male students working outside on laptop

Using technology to support international students

From scalable email systems to database management, universities can leverage specialised technology to support the academic success and career readiness of their international students

Kate Kirk

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Group of people in Kenya, looking at a mobile phone

Equitable research partnerships are no longer optional – here’s how to make them a reality

How to develop research partnerships between the UK and Global South in which knowledge, power and outcomes are equally shared among participants, based on a report by academics in South Africa, Kenya and the UK

BEAP (Building Equitable African Partnerships) team

University of South Africa, Lancaster University, University of Aberdeen, Kenyatta University , The Open University

Students working on a project together in class

Let professors play: the case for sandbox classes in HE

Some of the most powerful innovations in teaching don’t come from policy mandates – they come from freedom to play, writes Danny Oppenheimer

Danny Oppenheimer

Carnegie Mellon University

Why digital accessibility is now a leadership issue for universities

The question for university decision-makers is whether to settle for the minimum accessibility required by international regulation or to embed it as a marker of institutional excellence across teaching, research and civic mission

Ayala Gordon, Sarah Lewthwaite

Independent academic, University of Southampton

A woman stands in front of a class, holding a laptop

What your students are actually doing with GenAI

A student survey delved into how and why they use GenAI tools in their studies, and how they felt about it. Find out how this can inform teaching

Julio Gimenez, Katherine Mansfield, Richard Paterson

University of Westminster

Middle Eastern male millennial online student

Seven practical ways to improve student engagement online

Teaching via a screen makes it harder to read student understanding and sustain attention. These practical strategies show how educators can keep online students invested

Eliseo Mendoza Ortiz

CETYS Universidad

GenAI isn’t for the big ideas, it’s for the tedious jobs that spark them

The small, repetitive tasks that are crucial to research can drain your time and energy. Instead, let’s hand over the grunt work to GenAI

Qinghua Chen, Angel Lin, Yiqi Liu

The Education University of Hong Kong

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