If you’re at the end of your PhD and on the job hunt like I am, you’ve probably read articles on keeping yourself organised or how to improve your professional etiquette. You may even have completed mock interviews for various industries. Regardless of your status, it is important to remember that applying for and interviewing […] … learn more→

Oberlin College in Ohio recently lost what began as a US$44.2 million defamation lawsuit because of its involvement in student protests against alleged racial profiling at a local bakery. The payment was later cut almost in half to $25 million but the case has still sent shock waves through American higher education. It also has implications for Donald Trump’s […] … learn more→

These are times in which the revolutionary processes of digitalization are changing personal and professional relationships, as has rarely happened in history. That is why it is convenient to reflect, perhaps with the necessary integrity and serenity, on the future of higher education institutions that we know as universities. Precisely because it is the digital […] … learn more→

Mindfulness is usually translated into Spanish as “mindfulness”, and encompasses a series of practices that seek to bring attention to the experience of the present moment. These practices come from Eastern traditions, mainly Vipassana Buddhism , Zen, the Tibetan and Hindu tradition, but there are also practices of mindfulness in the mystical roots of the Christian tradition. In the […] … learn more→

Free speech is in the news. Not least because several leading universities have adopted a “model code” to protect it on campus. And then there’s the Israel Folau saga, and debate over whether his Instagram post was free speech, or just hate speech. If the Bible is to be believed, humans have sought knowledge since Eve. They have […] … learn more→

“Student Loan Forgiveness” is, among many other “free” things, being offered by Democratic Presidential candidate hopefuls. Normally, I’m against free stuff from government, but this particular piece of loot I support, as I’ve mentioned before. Thing is, conservatives are ranting against it. A very popular conservative commentator has a long video on it; his main […] … learn more→

What does maturing mean after elementary school? Here’s one thing it shouldn’t mean: dropping music at school. My colleagues and I at the University of British Columbia studied over 110,000 public school students. We learned that students involved in extended music engagement (between grades 8 – 12) do one full year better academically than non-music peers, […] … learn more→

Brain scans have revealed that reading aloud to young children on a regular basis contributes greatly to growth in the areas of the brain that provide mental pictures and reading comprehension. Although they cannot yet read, children under the age of five are building important skills they will need for their whole lives, and hearing […] … learn more→

“Young people today do not read anymore! Punctuated by an embittered sigh, this well-known chorus is often complemented by considerations of the misdeeds of the Internet – without even considering for a second that browsing the Web can mobilize reading skills. These remarks can also be concluded by a questioned question: “But what do their French teachers […] … learn more→

I’m not a big fan of broadcast news…it’s all a chorus at this point, so I can get the “mainstream” point of view when I’m forced to watch CNN every time I go to an airport, doctor’s office (lots of that for me anymore), or most any place citizens gather and are trapped. Nevertheless, a […] … learn more→