If you work at a UK university, your department will currently be using some form of internal review to identify which of your recent papers should be submitted to the research excellence framework later this year. Unlike some, I don’t have any visceral objection to the REF. Good performance measures generate incentives that motivate staff […] … learn more→

When your first degree was in Asian Studies and your first overseas trip was as an undergraduate exchange student to Japan, in some ways it shouldn’t be surprising that you end up in a teaching / research position in a university in Tokyo. But when people here learn that the lecturer in Japanese politics and […] … learn more→

The bombardment of messages about what “healthy living” is is constant. Organisms, institutions, private companies and fitness gurus try to convince us at all times that their formulas are the best solution to lead a healthy life and age in a healthy way. The questions we ask ourselves are: Are these “recipes” true? Are they based on scientific evidence? In the Report […] … learn more→

The idea that universities should look outwards, and locally, is a key component of the modern university. But one that is often downplayed or even ignored. The Conservatives’ 2019 election manifesto contained a rather surprising but welcome reference to the link between universities and the prosperity of local towns and communities. It said “we will work […] … learn more→

My starting point – Research is a creative process. The connection between research and creativity is embodied in some disciplines. C. Wright Mills for instance famously talked about the necessity of the ‘sociological imagination’ – understanding how larger unseen social relations are embedded in and frame everyday events, conversations, processes and relations. But perhaps the […] … learn more→

Ten years ago, I was employed on two part-time contracts at two universities in the UK. In one I was employed as an academic study skills tutor, in which I would give advice to students on essay writing, reading strategies, exam preparation and time management. In the other I was employed as a specialist dyslexia […] … learn more→

At one time or another, just about every parent uses food to reward their kids for good behavior and achievements – or to console them when they’re sad or disappointed. When children make honor roll, win a big game or persevere through a struggle, a parent might express their pride and joy with candy or […] … learn more→

“Educate in equality so you don’t miss a single talent due to lack of opportunities.” Josefina Aldecoa, Story of a Teacher, (1990). Every March 8 we commemorate the International Women’s Day declared by the UN in 1975. That important day for feminism has not only become a memory for textile workers who demonstrated in New […] … learn more→

Irina Dumitrescu’s November 2019 article in Times Higher Education “Ten rules for succeeding in academia through upward toxicity” highlights an important issue that all university administrators should be more aware of: an environment where some psychopaths flourish. She was correct to say that “universities sing the song of meritocracy but dance to a different tune. […] … learn more→

Even in public establishments or private establishments under contract, mixed education is not legally compulsory. In this case, we are not talking about the fact that there is practically no gender diversity which can exist in certain vocational high school courses where the rate of girls can approach 99% (for example 96% in medico-social sciences) or else […] … learn more→