Stories define people – they shape our relationships, cultures and societies. Unlike other skills replaced by technology, storytelling has remained uniquely human, setting people apart from machines. But now, even storytelling is being challenged. Artificial intelligence, powered by vast datasets, can generate stories that sometimes rival, or even surpass, those written by humans. Creative professionals […] … learn more→

There is a belief widely held across the Western world: Chinese students are schooled through rote, passive learning – and an educational system like this can only produce docile workers who lack innovation or creativity. We argue this is far from true. In fact, the Chinese education system is producing highly successful students and an […] … learn more→

If you live in the UK or are familiar with its wide range of accents and dialects, you can probably tell the difference between a posh or upper-class accent, (think the “King’s English”) and one more associated with the working class (such as Cockney). Besides accents, it is a popular view, reinforced in media and pop culture, that certain words […] … learn more→

Meta’s announcement nearly eight months ago that it would no longer do commercial deals under the News Media Bargaining Code has led to much speculation as to how the government would respond. The code became law in 2021. Facing the threat of designation under it – which would involve further legal obligations platforms may wish to avoid […] … learn more→

For the past two decades, investing in girls’ schooling has been hailed as a cornerstone of promoting gender equality in sub-Saharan Africa. Between 2016 and 2018 the World Bank Group invested US$3.2 billion in education projects benefiting adolescent girls. The logic is straightforward. Girls face significant barriers to education, among them poverty, insufficient academic support, adolescent pregnancy, child marriage, and […] … learn more→

Universities are supposed to be places where all students can learn, free from discrimination. A key part of this ideal is academics welcoming all students to study and research, regardless of their racial background. But as our new research shows, Australian academics responded differently to potential PhD students, depending on whether they were called “Melissa” or “Rahul”. Racism on campus […] … learn more→

First of all, there is the business model of the university. In Australia (where I’m based) almost all universities are teaching and research ‘liberal arts’ universities, and they are almost all pubic institutions. We have a couple of private universities, but I haven’t really considered them for the purpose of this post. The business model […] … learn more→

The Guardian and anti-fascist group Hope Not Hate have revealed the existence of a new network of far-right intellectuals and activists in an undercover investigation. Called the Human Diversity Foundation (HDF), this group advocates scientific racism and eugenics. Although it presents itself as having a scientific purpose, some of its figureheads have political ambitions in Germany and elsewhere. Research shows […] … learn more→

The first anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and the beginning of conflict in Gaza left UK schools with a dilemma: how to mark the event. It has affected many around the world, including school children and their families in the UK. Earlier in 2024, government adviser on social cohesion, Sara Khan, suggested that schools were […] … learn more→

Despite huge advances in cyber security, one weakness continues to overshadow all others: human error. Research has consistently shown human error is responsible for an overwhelming majority of successful cyber attacks. A recent report puts the figure at 68%. No matter how advanced our technological defences become, the human element is likely to remain the weakest link in […] … learn more→