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Campus Talks: The complex factors that drive students’ sense of belonging

An expert in student belonging and engagement in the digital environment explains the nuances of belonging, mattering and inclusion as well as how to foster well-being in higher education

Karen Gravett

University of Surrey

A student with a guitar surrounded by others smiling

Make your Freshers’ Week activities sing

Songwriting sessions, treasure hunts and biscuit decorating are among the creative Freshers’ Week activities that help students build self-confidence, connect with others and ease the transition to university life

Helen Eadon-Sinkinson

University of Chester

A woman holds her head in her hands over a laptop screen

Be aware of the invisible baggage of poverty your students carry

We need to acknowledge the realities of poverty and inequality, and the trauma it leaves our students with. Here are six principles to make higher education more inclusive

Jordan Donnelly

University of the West of Scotland

Engagement isn’t a trade-off – it’s a path to stronger research

REF 2021 placed more emphasis on impact and engagement, meaning we must no longer rely on our research to speak for itself. Read how to engage with those beyond academia to ensure your work has a greater impact on society

Florian Bauer , Raffaello Rossi

The University of Bristol

Bluetooth for better health: using tech to support student well-being

Students can self-regulate their learning and improve their well-being by spending less time at their desks and more time moving – thanks to Bluetooth headsets

Michelle Civile, Julie Pepper

The University of Exeter

Prometheus concept of technological innovation

Cultivating a responsible innovation mindset among future tech leaders

The classroom is a perfect place to discuss the messy, real-world consequences of technological discoveries, writes Andreas Alexiou. Beyond ‘How?’, students should be asking ‘Should we…?’ and ‘What if…?’ questions around ethics and responsibility

Andreas Alexiou

University of Southampton

How can higher education better support international students with disabilities?

Institutions need to work harder to understand international students with disabilities’ needs and challenges, and put in place more obvious and intentional communication with them

Carol Evans, Maurie van den Heever, Ralph E. McKinney

University of Salford, GoodX Software, Marshall University

Tackling accent bias: the ‘last acceptable form of discrimination’

Accent bias undermines Black international students’ confidence and belonging in UK universities. Institutions must tackle this exclusion through awareness, training, and a proactive celebration of linguistic diversity

Patrice Seuwou

University of Northampton

Seven questions to ask when reforming academic skills services

With academic skills services facing a perfect storm of challenges, many are under review. Here’s how to make sure your students’ needs are being effectively met, through seven questions

Steve Briggs, Ralitsa Kantcheva

University of Bedfordshire

Two people gently hold a tiny sprouting plant

How to collaborate on eco education – and how not to

When embedding sustainability education into the curriculum, barriers to interdisciplinary collaboration can limit progress. So, what needs to change?

Aideen Foley, Dale Mineshima-Lowe

Birkbeck, University of London, Parami University

Students working together in the library

How student-led research can build belonging and agency

A project that hired students as co-researchers to explore inclusion and connection resulted in higher levels of agency and belonging. Here, the academics behind the scheme share what they learnt

Jen Coleman, Vicki McDermott-Thompson

The University of East Anglia

How inclusive design can transform student well-being: a spiritual perspective

Integrate the sacred into the secular by making interfaith spaces inclusive for all. Here’s how

Yusuf Kaplan

University of Westminster

Creativity is buffering: why curiosity struggles in a world obsessed with certainty

Creative work demands exploration and uncertainty, but students today have been conditioned to expect fixed outcomes and instant answers. David Thompson explores how that mindset is stalling curiosity and what educators can do to restore it

David Thompson

University of Lincoln

An illustration of a group of people crossing a drawstring bridge from one head to another

To foster belonging, make a cultural shift

Here’s how to hone your EDI practices and make your university an anti-discriminatory institution

Denise Coles

Loughborough University

The power of partnerships in preventing regional talent drain

How one university collaborated with another institution and local employers to address region-specific skills gaps and retain graduates locally – plus advice for others looking to do the same

Hanna Hopkinson

Professors in a classroom having a meeting

How a collaborative portfolio review can help faculties streamline their teaching offering

How one school fostered cross-team collaboration to conduct a portfolio review and the lessons those involved learned along the way

Theresa Mercer , Multiple authors

Cranfield University

How to overcome ‘forum fatigue’ with activities that students enjoy

While online forums have been shown to boost learning and retention, if ‘forum fatigue’ sets in, students disengage. Here, Emilie Rutledge proposes a way to design activities that are most likely to elicit student participation

Emilie Rutledge

The Open University

Campus Talks: The secrets of effective policy engagement – from two academics who have worked in government

Two academics who are steeped in policy expertise, having worked in government in the UK and US, share practical insights on what works when trying to get research before the eyes of decision-makers

David R. Garcia, Michael Sanders

Arizona State University, King’s College London

‘What I learned when students walked out of my AI class’

Chris Hogg found the question of using AI to create art troubled his students deeply. Here’s how the moment led to deeper understanding for both student and educator

Chris Hogg

Royal Holloway, University of London

Generation Z students against yellow background

Reimagining connection and communication for Gen Z students

Generation Z students relate, communicate and build belonging in ways shaped by digital fluency, disrupted in-person learning and evolving social norms. This gives educators an opportunity to rethink how they teach

Gary F. Fisher, Dean Fido

University of Derby

An illustration of hands untangling threads in someone's head

Graduate apprenticeship students are facing a perfect mental health storm

Graduate apprenticeships are booming, but the pressure of holding a full-time job while working towards a degree can take a toll on apprentices’ mental health. Here’s what universities and employers can do

Gary Gillon, Alan MacDonald

University of the West of Scotland

How to succeed as a green leader

Small projects, broad buy-in, leadership-level commitment and consistent attention to energy, waste and water all add up to a more sustainable campus. Here’s how a UK university turned its climate awareness around

Andrew Church, Toby Maloy

University of Bedfordshire

How to choose the right industry partners

Developing long-term, successful industry partnerships starts by choosing the right one. Here’s how to do it

Andy Colley

Birkbeck, University of London

Enhance students’ employability with career storytelling

Teach your students how to articulate their career narrative and communicate their skills to potential employers

Lucy Gill-Simmen, Maria Simosi

Royal Holloway, University of London

‘Departmental orthodoxies silence dissent and chill scholarly enquiry’

Universities have not handled ongoing challenges around free speech, protest, academic freedom and safety well, writes John Hyman. Here he offers short- and long-term actions to promote secure, pluralistic campuses

John Hyman

UCL

‘We need to be united, confident and proud of who we are’: thoughts on the Supreme Court ruling

How can universities support gender-non-conforming members of their communities in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman?

Pippa Catterall

University of Westminster

Make social groups work for under-represented students

Collaborate with students to create social groups that foster connection among those with shared lived experiences. Above all, ensure these groups have a clear purpose and focus on inclusion, rather than emphasising difference

Ian Norman

The University of East Anglia

From peanut butter to effective policy impact

In a sector that often seems tasked with being everything to everyone, each university needs a policy strategy that focuses institutional expertise where it will make the most difference, writes Alistair Sackley

Alistair Sackley

University of Southampton

Two people interview a candidate, just out of shot

Prepare your students for the job market: part two

In the second part of this two-part series, find out how to coach your students to excel in interviews, from pre-meeting prep to a perfect thank you message

Julio Gimenez, Juan C. Palmer, Miguel F. Ruiz-Garrido

University of Westminster, Universitat Jaume I

Is the tick-box structure of promotion preventing true collaboration?

Academics can be so focused on the hoops they have to jump through on the path to success, they forgo opportunities for genuine collaboration. Perhaps it’s time for a shift in mindset, writes Nick Quinn

Nick Quinn

University of Glasgow

Campus Talks: Why internationalisation must remain a cornerstone of higher education

Hear academic leaders in the UK and Singapore discuss what is needed for effective cross-border collaboration

Lily Kong, Manuel Barcia

Singapore Management University, University of Bath

Coco the Therapy dog in the Templeman Library on University of Kentcampus

Ask students what mental health support they need

A student-led advisory board can help universities understand what services students will use and how they prefer to engage with support

Ryan Wong

University of Kent

A woman putting a shirt on a mannequin next to clothes rails

Use a professional student wardrobe to tackle waste and increase employability

A student-led clothing wardrobe scheme helps students step into professional roles while reducing textile waste. Here’s how to set one up to support both sustainability and student success

Debra Easter

Principles and practicalities of partnership working with students

For effective co-creation with students, university leaders need to move beyond surveys and get them involved in decision-making. The Russell Group institutions together set out best practice steps for doing this

Deborah Gill, Simon To

University of Southampton, UCL

A teacher guides students through an activity

Build empathy with your students – and grow as an academic

Find out simple ways to develop empathy in your interactions with students, and the effect it can have on your teaching as a whole

Oshan Uluşan

Near East University

When GenAI resets the assessment baseline

Generative AI is forcing university educators to raise their own bar on creativity, assessment and expectations. Here’s how one teacher reassessed their assignment

Chris Jones

Regent’s University London

Prepare your students for the job market: part one

How can you guide your students to make themselves stand out in a crowded field? In the first of a two-part series, discover six strategies to hone job applications to perfection

Julio Gimenez, Juan C. Palmer, Miguel F. Ruiz-Garrido

University of Westminster, Universitat Jaume I

An academic disclosing their disability to their manager

Stop treating disability support as an afterthought

Find out what prevents university staff from disclosing invisible disabilities – and steps their institutions can take to change that

Christina Dzineku, James Murray

Independent academic, University of Buckingham

Ubuntu philosophy: how embracing cultural heritage in the classroom can enhance teaching

Teaching that incorporates this African value system prioritises relationship building and authenticity. Here’s how to put it into practice

Chipo Simbi

University of Southampton

Seven tips to turn teaching practices into scholarship outputs

What are universities looking for when they ask for examples of scholarship outputs? Find out what could provide evidence of this work and how it can enhance your academic career

Steve Briggs, Julie Hulme

University of Bedfordshire

Navigating global uncertainty together: reframing our approach to control

In an ever-changing academic landscape, focusing on what we can – and can’t – control and influence helps us build resilience. Here, Imogen and Jay offer practical tips and strategies to help you feel more engaged

Imogen Varle, Jay Cotton

De Montfort University

The path towards a tobacco-free campus

For the health of students and staff and the good of the planet, a tobacco-free campus is the only option for a modern university. Özen Aşut shares how the efforts of her students prompted real change in northern Cyprus

Özen Aşut

Near East University

Campus Talks: How to look after yourself in higher education

Personal insights from a range of higher education voices on how they preserve their own well-being

Multiple authors

Campus

Why inclusion in EAP needs a rethink

Teaching English for academic purposes should be inclusive by its very nature. Here’s how to centre student voices, challenge assumptions about academic language, and design learning for meaningful participation and belonging

Angelos Bakogiannis

Independent academic

Young woman surrounded by light bulbs, creative concept

‘Creative students need environments where risk feels possible, not paralysing’

Creative students are often encouraged to be bold and brave, but it’s hard when doubt, perfectionism and fear of judgement cloud their minds. David Thompson explores what educators can do to help them reconnect with curiosity and play

David Thompson

University of Lincoln

An academic holding a pile of books in front of a library bookshelf

Arts and humanities scholars can engage with policy, too

Advice for arts and humanities academics who want to develop their impact profile while staying true to their roots

Charlotte Faucher

The University of Bristol

The power of short courses in transforming the workplace

What started out as a business research project into low productivity became a commercially successful short course. Perhaps it’s time to think outside the box and respond to what businesses need

Richard Saundry

University of Westminster

Illustration of an elephant in a library

‘Using GenAI is easier than asking my supervisor for support’

Doctoral researchers are turning to generative AI to assist in their research. How are they using it, and how can supervisors and candidates have frank discussions about using it responsibly?

Ross English, Rebecca Nash, Heather Mackenzie

University of Southampton

A woman sits in a beanbag chair with a laptop

How to spark student start-ups

Universities are the ideal environment to turn ideas into businesses. Here’s how to encourage entrepreneurship and foster a start-up dynamic in your students

Robert Crammond, William Shepherd

University of the West of Scotland

Reshaping assessment to outsmart AI

Adapting common assessment types can not only deter the overuse of AI – and avoid administration overload – but support student learning in a more authentic and engaging manner

Rebecca Mace, Viktoria Magne, Sarah Hooper, Sharon Vince

University of Worcester, University of West London

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