In Ye Olden Days of Higher Education, college was about classes during the week and partying on the weekends. You didn’t even party every weekend, since sometimes you had papers and tests, and you certainly didn’t party final exam weekend. That’s pretty much gone. Administration moved in, and the Student As Customer paradigm changed that. […] … learn more→

Struggling with balance isn’t new for me; I’ve always been a full-throttle, grab-life-by-the-shoulders-and-shake kind of person. So when it came to starting my PhD, saying yes to opportunities to learn and stretch myself alongside the PhD was second nature. I’ve always worked full-time while I studied so “having it all” seemed not just attractive but […] … learn more→

Desensitisation is a psychological term. It is used to describe a process through which a very anxious – perhaps even phobic – person gradually becomes used to the object or situation which makes them afraid. Professional support is often required for effective desensitisation. Desensitisation usually consists of three steps – developing a fear hierarchy, relaxation […] … learn more→

The most widely respected world university rankings have all recently published their latest results. The release of the Times Higher Education 2016-17 and Quacquarelli Symonds 2016-17 rankings have coincided with a resurgence in protests at many of South Africa’s universities. Most of South Africa’s universities have dropped down these ranking tables. Some people argue that […] … learn more→

The new UK prime minister, Theresa May, didn’t take long to dump the idea of a post Brexit points-based Australian immigration system once it was suggested that UK universities might find it a better way to safeguard the flow of international students. Why? Because, in Australia, immigration is actually higher per capita than it is […] … learn more→

People should believe what they want to believe, and that includes hating who they want to hate. I don’t think hatred is such a good idea, mind you, but I would never be so presumptuous as to try to force another person into thinking differently. While beliefs should be free, I shouldn’t have to pay […] … learn more→

A new documentary, “Starving the Beast,” recently examined the state of public higher education. Directed by Austin-based award-winning documentarian Steve Mims, the film argues that a network of right-wing think tanks and educational reformers are undermining public universities. It suggests that America’s great public universities may die from a thousand cuts unless policymakers change course.< […] … learn more→

Fresher’s Week is now in full swing at university campuses across the UK with thousands of new students celebrating the start of their university life. But while these initiations are seen as a big part of the university experience, it is important to remember there can also be a darker side to this process. Over […] … learn more→

The discipline of economics has come in for a rough time since the 2008 crash. Not only did economists largely fail to predict what would happen, but many of their critics felt that the discipline shared some responsibility for the disaster. Economic orthodoxy, it was said, advanced a spurious set of models that had served […] … learn more→

Ahead of the Federal Reserve Decision on interest rates the dollar edged lower as data continued to point to moderating of the most recent economic rebound.  Housing numbers disappointed, reducing yields in the United States and weighing on the greenback.  The recent spate of weaker than expected U.S. economic data points has drained positive momentum […] … learn more→