Explaining my work as a director of communications and impact in an academic institution can sometimes prove challenging. A case in point was a recent conversation with a new acquaintance about work that went something along the lines of: “So, what is it you do again. Something about research isn’t it?” To which I replied: […] … learn more→

After a serious accident, you may find yourself wondering where exactly to go next. You may be temporarily or even permanently unable to continue your work as usual. This doesn’t even include your duties at home, with family, or even hobbies that you miss out on. Here are some valuable tips and insight to start […] … learn more→

The Trump administration has announced its plan to transform education funding as we know it. The new budget proposal takes aim at a host of elementary, secondary and higher education programs that serve needy students, redirecting those funds toward K-12 school choice in the form of vouchers, tax credits and charter schools. Public schools that […] … learn more→

In his speech at the funeral of the Athenian Dead, Pericles famously said that the bravest are those who, while knowing the full strength of the forces ranged against them, still go out and face them. That they do not “faint beforehand with the meditation of future trouble”. Well, at least we now know what […] … learn more→

For an academic, participating in conferences is important for lots of reasons: sharing research and having it critiqued, building networks, identifying collaboration opportunities, and staying up to date with advances in the field. For PhD students there are additional advantages: you can use conferences to make your name known outside your immediate geographical area, potentially […] … learn more→

Playing games is ubiquitous across all cultures and time periods – mainly because most people like playing games. Games involve rules, points, systems, as well as a theme or storyline and can be massively fun and engaging. And there is an increasing body of research that shows “gamification” – where other activities are designed to […] … learn more→

On April 24, graduate students at Yale University announced a hunger strike in support of Local 33 of Unite Here, a labor union that represents workers in a variety of industries (including higher education) in dozens of cities across North America. On May 22 – nearly a month later – more than 1,000 protesters joined […] … learn more→

There was a fascinating moment towards the end of Wednesday’s hearings of the Senate Inquiry into the Future of Public Interest Journalism. Journalist Michael West was at the stand. West’s experience is in many ways emblematic. Once a marquee investigator for Fairfax Media with multiple scoops to his name, West was made redundant in one […] … learn more→

The kangaroo campus court system is doing a fine job of wrecking lives; it has way too much power, and is devoid of anything resembling the checks and balances system necessary to anything resembling justice. Instead, our campus courts are merely reinforcing the totalitarian infantilism that has become the trademark of many of our universities. […] … learn more→

Should PhD supervisors publish with their students? Should PhD students include their supervisors as co-authors on articles emanating from their PhD projects? To many academics, the answer seems, self-evidently, yes. But some – especially, in our experience, in the social sciences – remain adamantly unconvinced. We have worked in two universities where PhD supervisors publishing […] … learn more→