Three cornerstones of a successful research careerSuccess in academia requires much more than topical expertise. Jackie Carter shares three vital areas of focus for building a research careerJackie CarterThe University of Manchester
What I have learned on the journey towards commercialising my PhDEngineering biologist Maggie Hicks shares what she has learned on her journey towards commercialising her PhD, with business partner and fellow PhD student Florentina WinkelmannMaggie HicksThe University of Edinburgh
Career mentoring can support student employabilitySupport for students extends beyond the classroom. Here’s how to develop a successful mentoring programme to help students take their first steps into the workplaceZurria QureshiUniversity of Westminster
Lessons from students in how to adapt teaching to online learningEmbrace the student voice in order to develop and improve your online teaching with varied media and plenty of interactive elements to boost engagement and learning, says Nick YoungNick YoungCardiff Metropolitan University
In the search for work-life balance, going part-time could provide an answerJames Derounian makes the case for part-time work, particularly as academics advance in their careers – and gives tips on how to begin the transition and make a success of itJames DerounianUniversity of Bolton
Playful learning: how to get startedIncorporating play into your teaching promotes student engagement and participation, explains Giskin Day and offers tips on how to get startedGiskin Day, Marcus Pedersen Imperial College London, UCL
So, you want to reach out? Lessons from a ‘science for all’ programmePublic engagement in STEM strengthens research relevance and trust in science, but how can universities do it well? Here, the team behind S4 give three considerations based on a decade of effective outreach to disadvantaged schoolsMary Gagen , Will Bryan, Rachel BryanSwansea University
To improve research culture, we must change the way we measure performanceJo Cresswell explains how universities can support more collaborative cultures by changing the way academics are reviewed, assessed and rewardedJo CresswellDr Joanne Cresswell Coaching
Towards independence: blazing your trail as a freelance researcherWhat options are open to you as a researcher if you decide formal academia within a university is not for you? Helen Ross outlines considerations and useful advice for anyone wishing to become an independent researcher Helen RossIndependent academic
It’s high time we rethought policy impactThe frameworks currently in use for rewarding policy impact are peppered with problems and pitfalls – here’s how to fix them, says Christina BoswellChristina BoswellThe University of Edinburgh
Ways to support research students in nursing and midwiferyPhD supervision requires a specific skill set – from communication to emotional intelligence – to meet its challenges and secure its rewards. Here, Helen Allan shares her advice based on more than 20 years of experienceHelen AllanMiddlesex University
International perspectives on teaching and learning forged during CovidAcademics from around the globe share practical advice and lessons learned for those teaching online now or in future turbulent times Katherine MansfieldUniversity of Westminster
To offset or not to offset – that is the questionCarbon offsetting is a hotly debated issue, with critics positing that it distracts from real efforts to reduce emissions. David Duncan explains why a compromise position in which offsetting is used to complement focused efforts at carbon reduction may be neededDavid DuncanUniversity of Glasgow
Students as co-explorers: how to build a synergistic research environment Working with and for postgraduate students towards the goal of improved well-being and thriving in their future careers is the basis for successful research teams. Soo Downe offers tips based on her experience in midwifery studiesSoo DowneUniversity of Central Lancashire
Assessment and feedback as an active dialogue between tutors and studentsSeven steps towards enhancing assessment and feedback as a participatory, social process that supports deeper learning, by Neil Lent, Tina Harrison and Sabine RolleNeil Lent, Tina Harrison, Sabine RolleThe University of Edinburgh
Counter-mapping as a pedagogical tool Engaging students with urban spaces can contextualise and deepen learning and bring in inclusive perspectives. Daniel Gutiérrez-Ujaque and Dharman Jeyasingham explain how counter-mapping can be used as a pedagogical toolDaniel Gutiérrez-Ujaque , Dharman Jeyasingham Brunel University London , The University of Manchester
Six tips for implementing a careers chatbot ethically and effectivelyHelping students make good academic choices fuelled by their career aspirations before they start studying is crucial – and a well-designed chatbot can be very usefulCaroline Tolond, Deirdre Hughes, Chris PercyArden University, CiCi
Doctoral training programmes: worthwhile or not?If the chance to work with gifted people and across unfamiliar disciplines appeals, a doctoral training programme could be for you, whether you’re a student or an academicGraham HugganUniversity of Leeds
Building emotional resilience is not creating a generation of ‘snowflakes’ Many students arrive at university adept at navigating challenging situations. Julia Downes explains how to leverage and add to these skills for positive and validating resultsJulia DownesThe Open University
Digital exclusion hits students hardest at the start of their journeyVLEs, intranets, sports and social apps – the digital ecosystem at university is vast. We must induct students into it quickly and carefully to prevent them falling behindClaire SmithUniversity of Sussex
Student diaries as a tool to improve the university experienceDo you really know what your students experience during their studies? It is more complex than many surveys suggest. Using student diaries may support deeper understanding to improve student experiences, as Dan Herbert explainsDan HerbertUniversity of Birmingham
Breaking barriers for women: closing the gender health gap in academiaIn the final part of their ‘breaking barriers for women’ series, eight female academics propose ways to tackle the stigma and career deficits caused by women’s health issuesNicola Hemmings , Ellie Harrison , Jo L. Fothergill University of Sheffield, University of Liverpool
Coping with long Covid: 10 strategies for academicsLong Covid would hit anyone hard, no matter their job – but academia’s culture of high stress, high workloads and high expectations makes the impact greater still. Here, Kerstin Sailer offers advice for scholars living with the condition’s often debilitating symptomsKerstin SailerUCL
As a black, female student, I wish I’d had a peer-mentoring schemeAsking more experienced students to volunteer to help first-years navigate their university journey can make all the difference in terms of belonging and confidenceBernadine IdowuUniversity of West London
Failure can feel hot and shameful, but we must normalise itFailure is essential in research, so we need to reframe it into an opportunity for learning, says Emma WilliamsEmma WilliamsEJW Solutions
What does ‘strengthen research capacity’ actually mean, and how can we do it?Leaders of research consortia face a difficult task in carrying out research and improving research capacity, but embedding a specialist team to make recommendations provides great gainsImelda Bates , Justin Pulford , Lorelei Silvester Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN)
University-edtech collaboration: how to leverage the best of both worldsSeven lessons for managing successful university-edtech collaborations that result in innovative new programmes, shared by Mònica CasabayóMònica CasabayóEsade
Covid should have taught us that campus needs to be a treasured spaceIf we’re to tempt stay-away students back to the physical campus, we must recognise that place and places matter following disasters, say Gemma Ahearne and Treasa KearneyGemma Ahearne, Treasa KearneyUniversity of Liverpool
Bringing in alumni as guest tutors to teach and inspire students Inviting alumni to contribute to a course can enrich the learning experience for current students. Ellie Devenish-Nelson and Sharron Ogle explain howEllie Devenish-Nelson , Sharron OgleThe University of Edinburgh
How to negotiate the politics of mark agreement between tutorsJames Derounian offers thoughts on how we can unravel the tangled and contested arena of mark negotiation between university tutorsJames DerounianUniversity of Bolton
Five tips for showing compassion towards and supporting new studentsThe step up from secondary to tertiary education can be daunting. Katherine Mansfield explains how to arm your students with the knowledge they need to succeedKatherine MansfieldUniversity of Westminster
Dos and don’ts for dual teaching: support for lecturers in higher education Dual teaching, when lecturers host a class with students attending in person and via a screen, requires careful planning to work well. Miriam Firth shares dos and don’ts based on first-hand experienceMiriam FirthThe University of Manchester
The practicalities of delivering a multi-institutional online workshopLessons from planning and delivering a multi-institutional online workshop for university teachers designed to find solutions to common educational challengesKelly Edmunds , Richard BowaterThe University of East Anglia
Blocks for building a stronger student communityBlock teaching can help rapidly establish bonds among students, and with their lecturers, which in turn maximises learning potential. Here, Sarah Jones offers insights from the 50-year history of block schedulingSarah JonesDe Montfort University
How professional practitioners help connect crime theory with real-world investigationsBringing professional practitioners into classes to share real-world case studies helps students contextualise learning and see how theories play out in reality. Paul McFarlane explains how this works on his crime science coursesPaul McFarlaneUCL
Campus Talks: How can universities tackle misinformation? Just providing a degree isn’t enough. Through their research, community engagement and teaching, universities can do much more to tackle misinformation.Phil Napoli, Simge AndiDuke University, The University of Exeter
Lessons from completing an award-winning knowledge transfer projectEight key components of a successful knowledge transfer project (KTP), drawing from the experience of an award-winning initiative to develop an online teaching platform for primary care cliniciansRachel McCrindle, Richard Mitchell, Yota DimitriadiUniversity of Reading
Tactics to ensure students engage with and learn from feedbackStudents often perceive feedback as criticism and fail to take on board the constructive guidance. Rebecca Lewis explains how she encourages student engagement with her feedbackBecky LewisThe University of East Anglia
Advice for academics interested in working in the NetherlandsTen tips for academics interested in relocating to work at a university in the Netherlands, by Tetyana Krupiy, who spent three years carrying out research in Tilburg Tetyana (Tanya) KrupiyNewcastle University
How to help students with widely varied prior education to thrive in first yearHow can university educators ensure their first-year teaching caters to widely varying prior knowledge and skills among students? Bethan Gulliver explains a three-pronged approachBethan GulliverThe University of East Anglia
We must remove technology worries from the student cost-of-living crisis Students and parents cannot be left to make up the shortfall when it comes to financing their studies and tech needs – they need help from universities and governmentSarah Purdy, Steve HallThe University of Bristol
Switching career directions: lessons from the first year as a teaching academicThe first year in a teaching role is challenging, particularly following the disruption caused by the pandemic, yet rewarding. Janine Wilkinson shares what she has learnedJanine WilkinsonThe University of East Anglia
Three key tips to help balance research and teaching dutiesWith ever-greater demands being placed on university faculty, Megumi Terui offers advice on balancing two key parts of the job Megumi Terui Tecnológico de Monterrey
Why getting a PhD is like building a Lego duckBen Marder provides a fun exercise that can impart important wisdom to help lessen PhD students’ anxiety over their progressBen MarderThe University of Edinburgh
The fundamentals of successful student knowledge exchangeWhat basics must be considered in order to build a successful student knowledge exchange project? Sharon Ingram shares insight based on supporting a student-led chemistry consultancySharon IngramUniversity of Strathclyde
How Socrates can help your students question informationIn a world full of answers, we must take time to ask questions, and the approaches favoured by Socrates can still be useful today, explains Konstantinos Arfanis Konstantinos Arfanis Arden University
Theatre icebreaker games for team-building in higher education An introduction to using theatre icebreaker games games to break down barriers between students and promote teamwork and trust at the start of a courseJóna Guðrún Jónsdóttir , Rannveig Björk ThorkelsdóttirUniversity of Iceland
Breaking barriers for women: enough talking, time for actionIn the second part of their ‘breaking barriers for women’ series, seven female academics outline key changes to help remodel a fairer HE system from the ground upEllie Harrison , Tiffany B. Taylor University of Sheffield, University of Bath
What does ‘taking sexual violence seriously’ look like at universities?Rates of sexual violence in universities are the highest in society, ONS data show. So what actions must universities take if they are serious about tackling this pernicious problem?Graham TowlDurham University
Walk the walk to benefit your academic researchWalking can be used to benefit academic research, help with problem-solving and promote creative thinking. Here, Anna Lois McKay explains the different ways it worksAnna Lois McKayUniversity of Leicester
