Academic work-life balance isn’t just about reducing the loadWith the right institutional support, a demanding academic role can enrich home life. Here’s howDiep NguyenThe University of Newcastle, Australia
Who are you when you teach?Teaching isn’t just about activities and assessments – it’s about how we fill the different roles the job requires, personally and professionally. Here’s how to shape your educator identityElysia Sokolenko, Matthew ArnoldAdelaide University
How a silent card game helps students develop intercultural communication skillsA game built on gesture can speak volumes about hidden norms and the skills to navigate them because it converts an abstract concept into personal experienceNasreen SultanaThe University of Queensland
How can we ease Muslim law students’ transition into the workplace?Muslim law students might feel a sense of belonging at law school but what happens when they enter the profession? Maria Bhatti and Sandy Noakes outline tips for making that transition more inclusiveMaria Bhatti, Sandy NoakesWestern Sydney University, University of Sydney
Beyond lived experience: choosing effective candidates for identified rolesRoles that centre diversity, equity and inclusion research and practice should be filled by candidates with lived experience. For recruitment teams outside these communities, however, it is not always clear what to consider or what to ask in an interview Brooke SzücsThe University of Queensland
It’s time to stop celebrating resilienceWhen universities ask their staff to do more with less, is it really a test of individual fortitude? Rachelle McKay explains why we should stop praising enduranceRachelle McKayDalhousie University
Simple ways to bring climate education into every classroomStrategies to empower students to engage with climate issues in ways that are relevant to their discipline, their futures and the world they are enteringBrittany Vermeulen , Ümit KennedyWestern Sydney University
How to apply for promotion in higher educationIn seeking a more senior role in academia, you will need to communicate a strong, positive story about yourself that emphasises performance and impact as well as contribution to the institution and its reputationDavid WallerUniversity of Technology Sydney
Rethinking course design to enliven student engagementTo foster students’ meaningful learning, educators should be using class time to maximise the benefits of the in-person experience, as Nasreen Sultana explainsNasreen SultanaThe University of Queensland
Identifying and addressing accessibility issues in courses that use LaTeXLearn how to use digital tools to solve accessibility issues with online learning materials at the source. Iliria Stenning and Paul Vrbik discuss a pilot programme to improve accessibility using tools such as Blackboard AllyIliria Stenning, Paul VrbikThe University of Queensland
Adding an E to an MBA: what an ‘executive’ rebrand costs in real termsRenaming an MBA an EMBA sounds like a branding tweak. It isn’t. Here’s what we learned about stakeholder buy-in, message sequencing and what a single letter can meanEkant Veer, Teresa van DugterenUniversity of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
The moats are still shallow but the stakes are much higherWhy a freely downloadable Chinese model and a security breach at Hugging Face should make universities wary of signing exclusive AI contractsBen SwiftAustralian National University
AI literacy cannot be bolted on to first-year coursesFuture teachers, nurses, engineers, lawyers and business leaders need more than rules and policies about when to use AI. Inexperienced students benefit from courses that help them practise responsible judgement alongside foundational learningNicole BrownlieThe University of Southern Queensland
Six assessment types that support deep, real-world learningIf traditional assessment methods feel limited, Temesgen Kifle shares alternative ways to measure students’ understanding and ability to apply learning to authentic problemsTemesgen KifleThe University of Queensland
Four ways that study tours can put decolonisation into actionInstead of discussing decolonisation in theoretical terms, engaging with those theories in practice via a study tour can be transformative. Here’s howKam Kaur, Welyne Jeffrey Jehom Adelaide University, University of Malaya
What the ‘overseas elective’ can teach us about adapting student exchanges for 2026 and beyondShort-term exchanges may be an effective way to rejuvenate interest in international experiences among students, writes Lucas Lixinski, drawing lessons from his department’s ‘overseas electives’Lucas LixinskiUNSW Sydney
Why we should teach students about academic freedomEmpower students with both a theoretical understanding of academic freedom and hands-on experience in advocating for those stripped of it. Here’s howKate Murphy, Tony Williams, Suzy KillmisterMonash University
Broken citation or academic misconduct? How to spot the difference Citation errors can come from people, tools or platforms. Here is a practical routine for checking suspicious references before assuming AI misuse, fake papers or misconductFaith JeremiahLincoln University
How a five-year plan can help realise your research career goalsEarly- and mid-career academics can find their long-term goals undermined with day-to-day demands. These steps can help define a pathway, set milestones and prioritise where time is best spentMultiple authorsMacquarie University, University of Technology Sydney
Can we work with students to ‘co-create’ international study experiences?Students tend towards safer, more familiar overseas study destinations so how can educators encourage them to make bolder, more adventurous choices? Lucas Lixinski explores this questionLucas LixinskiUNSW Sydney
The best way to teach students to think critically about AI? Make them argue with itEducators might treat AI as an integrity problem, but employers don’t. They need graduates who can decide when to trust the machine – and when not to. And that’s why you should design assessment that forces students to argue against AIReihaneh BidarThe University of Queensland
What bush turkeys can teach us about adaptability at workWhen ‘wildlife relocation’ became an unexpected part of her role, Liisa Partanen found the experience came with insight into workplace resilience and problem-solvingLiisa PartanenThe University of Queensland
Building internal change management capability as a future-proofing strategyUniversity staff have institutional knowledge and understand the organisational practices and interpersonal dynamics that influence decision-making. So it makes sense to develop their change competence, writes Karen MatherKaren MatherUniversity of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
How intersectionality impacts research with LGBTQ+ communities In designing and conducting studies that involve members of LGBTQ+ communities, researchers need to recognise the diversity and complexity of participants’ experiences. Here are seven ways to apply an intersectional approach for better researchEmerson Zerafa-Payne , Mackenzie Rubens, James A. FowlerThe University of Southern Queensland
Why do university websites drive international students away?For most international students, the university journey begins not on campus, but online. Nirma Jayawardena offers insights on how institutions can improve their websites for overseas students, based on a recent studyNirma JayawardenaUniversity of Bradford
AI literacy is the bridge between fear and the graduates we needWe need to meet the digital revolution with curiosity, rather than fear, and AI literacy is the way forward. Here’s howPhil LaufenbergLa Trobe University
Campus Talks: How to create university assessments that serve learningLearn what constitutes good feedback and how to get students actively engaged in learning from their assessmentsDavid Boud, Miranda PrynneDeakin University
Think again: reclaiming our ‘cognitive debt’ from AIGenAI’s insidious impact on human intellectual development calls for a return to the foundations of education – reading, writing and debating, writes Shahriar AkterShahriar AkterUniversity of Wollongong
‘Small changes in assessment design can make thinking visible’Many concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence on academic integrity and authorship have focused on controlling the tool rather than reconsidering the task, writes Nicole Brownlie. Here, she offers a shift to assess process, not just answersNicole BrownlieThe University of Southern Queensland
Four ways to make sure international students understand your teachingWhile all students have to grapple with new terminology, those speaking in an additional language have an extra hurdle to understanding. Find out how to tweak your teaching to better support themGabriel Azpilcueta, Kathy WatsonAdelaide University
You can’t teach ‘affective’ empathy from a case studyIf business schools want to produce socially responsible graduates, they must centre lived experience of social disadvantage in their teaching and learning, say Kathy Walsh and Mihajla GavinKathy Walsh, Mihajla GavinUniversity of Technology Sydney
Test match or T20? Helping PhD students navigate the multi-format reality of PhD researchDoctoral supervision involves helping students read the changing nature of the game, providing practice nets and empowering them to build the versatility needed for a sustained research career, writes Aastha MalhotraAastha MalhotraThe University of Southern Queensland
GenAI has turned teachers into auditorsWhen educators have to police how students use AI, and gatekeeping adds to the workload and emotional toll, teaching loses its joy, write Meena Jha and Amara Atif. Here are ways to reclaim the role of educatorMeena Jha, Amara AtifCentral Queensland University, University of Technology Sydney
Being a beginner is hard. Let’s make it easier for our studentsTips and strategies for helping students move beyond the fear of making a mistake – and feel more willing to tryKate SansomeAdelaide University
‘AI should support student services, not impersonate them’Are universities ready for GenAI in student support? When chatbots seem to offer a scalable, cost-effective way to meet rising demand for student support, universities need to consider how to shape their use without outsourcing care or increasing riskMichael Cowling, Joseph CrawfordRMIT University, University of Tasmania
Students are asking for AI guidance, not just policyThe defining educational challenge of this decade is to equip students to use AI ethically, critically and efficiently, write Mahmoud Elkhodr and Ergun Gide. Here, they offer a way forwardMahmoud Elkhodr, Ergun GideCentral Queensland University
Using universal design for learning to alleviate disclosure reluctanceDesigning courses accessibly from the ground up reduces the pressure on neurodivergent students to disclose in order to succeed, writes Luis Paterson Luis PatersonUniversity of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
GenAI practice blossoms through the open exchange of insightsHow a structured GenAI professional development series, built around practice, peer voices and multiple entry points, fosters open exchange among colleagues, universities and industrySamuel Doherty The University of Newcastle, Australia
Whose vulnerabilities get seen? Whose get missed? When student circumstances fall outside standard support categories, their difficulties can deepen. This means hardship of groups such as caregivers or international students grows quietly, until it becomes much harder to addressSorush Sepehr, David Waller, Ranjit Voola, Subhasis RayUniversity of Technology Sydney, University of Sydney, XLRI Xavier School of Management
I blame Plato: how ancient thinking still might shape belonging in STEMThe history of mathematics tells a rich story of collective labour, curiosity, dialogue, adventurousness and responsiveness to human questions. Educators have responsibility to tap into this for current and future students, writes Clemency MontelleClemency MontelleUniversity of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
How the artist game opens every classroom doorAn effective icebreaker can set students up for confident participation throughout the semester. Here, Natalie Cummins shares a structured low-risk activity that draws in all participantsNatalie CumminsUniversity of Technology Sydney
White out: how to defeat the blank pageEfficient academic writing requires a shift in mindset from simply counting words to incremental planning and using techniques that make progress visible even when the page looks emptyMultiple authorsThe University of Southern Queensland
The five levels of learning designer support Learning designers and academics may have different expectations when it comes to collaborating on course design. Here’s how a five-point scale can helpDaniel SearsonAdelaide University
‘I’ll just clear my inbox first…’Reframing productivity and defending your diary can transform academic output. Here are tips for protecting your writing timeMultiple authorsThe University of Southern Queensland
How to run effective industry-enriched project-based learning in STEMThe foundation of widening participation lies in a curriculum that is flexible enough to accommodate increasing student diversity while aligning with industry needs, writes James WilliamsJames WilliamsUniversity of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
Not just good intentions: how university staff can support genuine racial justicePractical steps can support racial-minority students, call out bias and make campuses safer at a time when racism in Australian universities is more real than ever, writes Aaron Teo Aaron TeoThe University of Southern Queensland
Why turn your thesis into a book? Publishing a book can boost your profile as a researcher, improve your h-index and increase your competitiveness on the job market. Here, Jessica Gildersleeve walks through the steps from thesis to bookJessica GildersleeveThe University of Southern Queensland
Yes, GenAI can make academic writing easier without making us less scholarlyGenerative AI does not change scholarship’s foundations of judgement, authorship and care, but it does require academics to apply them more intentionally when writingNicole BrownlieThe University of Southern Queensland
International study experiences can be great equalisers – but only if diverse students participateIn 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 thisLucas LixinskiUNSW Sydney
‘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 BirnbaumJackie Webb, Christina BirnbaumThe University of Southern Queensland
