Monthly Archives: November 2021

Drop in students who come to the US to study could affect higher education and jobs

Drop in students who come to the US to study could affect higher education and jobs

Driven largely by the global pandemic, the number of international students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities fell by 15% – or 161,401 students – from 2019 to 2020. However, early data for 2021 indicate the number might bounce back soon. This is according to new data from the Institute of International Education and the U.S. State […] … learn more→

2 out of 3 members of university governing bodies have no professional expertise in the sector. There’s the making of a crisis

2 out of 3 members of university governing bodies have no professional expertise in the sector. There’s the making of a crisis

To say Australian universities are in crisis is to state the obvious. A common narrative suggests the most immediate cause of the current crisis is “reduced international student revenue and income from investments, such as dividends” during the pandemic. Some correlation is undeniable. However, many commentators have noted that the problems besetting our universities transcend financial issues alone and […] … learn more→

Writing – pleasure and/or satisfaction?

Writing – pleasure and/or satisfaction?

As AcWriMo 2021 finishes off, so am I. The self-imposed discipline of producing the first draft of a short book ( 50k words) in a month is just about over. I began the month with 14k words in hand and finished with just over 51K. A good effort. Better come clean though. 51k is not […] … learn more→

Artificial intelligence may not actually be the solution for stopping the spread of fake news

Artificial intelligence may not actually be the solution for stopping the spread of fake news

Disinformation has been used in warfare and military strategy over time. But it is undeniably being intensified by the use of smart technologies and social media. This is because these communication technologies provide a relatively low-cost, low-barrier way to disseminate information basically anywhere. The million-dollar question then is: Can this technologically produced problem of scale and […] … learn more→

Australia’s strategy to revive international education is right to aim for more diversity

Australia’s strategy to revive international education is right to aim for more diversity

The Strategy for International Education released today by the federal government highlights the importance of international education to the Australian economy and community. But, with the arrival of COVID-19, commencing international student numbers fell dramatically by 22% in 2020. The impacts prompted the government to further rethink its ten-year plan for international education and exposure to risks in foreign markets, […] … learn more→

Learning to read starts earlier than you might think: five tips from an expert

Learning to read starts earlier than you might think: five tips from an expert

Learning to read does not begin when a child puzzles over the words in a book for the first time. In the early weeks of their lives and even before birth, babies are skilfully processing important information about the sounds they hear. They are attuning to tones, patterns of language and distinguishing their own familiar adults’ voices. Making […] … learn more→

In adolescence, this grossophobia that does damage

In adolescence, this grossophobia that does damage

In 2019, the term “grossophobia” entered the French dictionary. The Larousse definition states that this is an “attitude of stigmatization, discrimination towards obese or overweight people”. While it is true that grossophobia refers to the discriminatory phenomenon in the broad sense (including insults, harassment, bullying, etc.), it is nevertheless important to stress that the recognition of discrimination […] … learn more→

How hiring people with disabilities helps business

How hiring people with disabilities helps business

For quite a long time, people with disabilities have been sidelined by a large margin, especially when it comes to employment opportunities. This has been largely attributed to the fact that there has been a preconceived notion about such people and their capabilities. They have been long associated with low expectations and output, which has […] … learn more→

When should my daughter first go to the Gynecologist?

When should my daughter first go to the Gynecologist?

One of the questions many parents to girls ask is whether their daughters should go to the gynecologist and its reason. The notion is because many people see gynecology visits as invasive. Visiting the gynecologist is more than just having a pelvic exam. Knowing when your daughter should see a gynecologist will help you plan […] … learn more→