Who is the client in your relationship with your PhD supervisor? No, really; who sets the scope of work, and who provides a professional service? I know it’s heretical to bring consulting language into the hallowed halls of academia, but trust me on this one. Seeing yourself as a client seeking the specialist advice of […] … learn more→

Universities have come a long way towards recognising the value of a brand. However, while some do an excellent job explaining what they are good at, there are still so many that fall at the first hurdle when highlighting what they are good for. It seems that everyone is trying to win students over by […] … learn more→

So we all know what scent marking is. It’s when animals set out the boundaries of their territory by leaving their scent in strategic places. Scentmarked territories are often used for sleeping and/or mating and rearing young. The marked area may also contain a food supply. Scent marking animals will fight others of their kind […] … learn more→

A climate of “anti-intellectualism”, faltering levels of trust in “experts” and an era of “post-truth” provides a rather dreary depiction of the state of academia today. Compound this with the reorganisation of higher education – where universities are run more like businesses – along with the politics of austerity, and it may be little surprise […] … learn more→

Despite 20 years of focus on improving university retention rates, we are still losing one in five of our first-year students. And the release of a new report by TEQSA again reminds us of the challenges of retention. The report highlights that, on average, universities have a 20% attrition rate. This builds on an article […] … learn more→

At hundreds of universities in dozens of countries around the world, some of the best learning is happening not in the classroom but in nearby towns and villages where students and faculty have found eager partners to engage in real-world problem-solving. An international movement of civically engaged universities is redefining how students learn, and where. […] … learn more→

How many times have you seen a post online or part of your social media feed that says something like “This Math Problem Is Stumping the Whole Internet. Can You Solve It?” or “Apparently 9 out of 10 people get this wrong. Do you know the answer?” At the heart of the post is usually […] … learn more→

As we see our campuses descend into riots over the most idiotic, non-academic issues of concern only to the most rabid of Social Justice Warriors, many huge questions arise. Why did Berkeley police stand down in the face of Leftist rioters? Why are the administrators and staff assaulting students who support free speech? Why is […] … learn more→

Obamacare, a flagship project under President Obama had lifted the health insurance segment of the country to considerable heights. But after a stretch of successful run, it has witnessed a drop in the number of registrations due to increase in premium amounts. This federal statute was enacted in 2010 with an aim to overhaul the […] … learn more→

The gap year was born in the ‘60’s, a revolutionary period for freedom of speech and independence. The idea for a gap year was discussed among governments as a tool to foster cultural and global understanding in an attempt to prevent world wars from occurring. More than half a decade later, the popularity of the […] … learn more→