Blog Archives

Declining PhD student numbers are a warning sign for NZ’s future knowledge economy

Declining PhD student numbers are a warning sign for NZ’s future knowledge economy

The decline in the number of doctoral candidates at New Zealand universities is a worrying sign for the country’s effort to build a knowledge-based economy. Aotearoa New Zealand’s economic trajectory has long been characterised by its reliance on primary commodities, such as unprocessed forestry exports, where high volume and relatively low value are common. Successive […] … learn more→

Good feedback is an art – here’s how I teach it

Good feedback is an art – here’s how I teach it

Title of Course: “Feedback Loops: How to Give and Receive High-Quality Feedback” What prompted the idea for this course? Given that my students pursue careers in an incredibly wide range of fields – business, philanthropy, sports, medicine, finance, human rights, education – I wanted to teach them skills that could serve a general purpose. Being […] … learn more→

Will replacing personal statements with application questions make university admissions fairer?

Will replacing personal statements with application questions make university admissions fairer?

Prospective students will no longer be asked to write personal statements as part of their application to university in the UK, the admissions organisation Ucas has announced. Instead of writing a single 4,000 character personal statement, from 2026 applicants will instead have to answer three questions. These ask why they want to study a particular course, […] … learn more→

Studying at university with intellectual disabilities: a right that becomes a reality

Studying at university with intellectual disabilities: a right that becomes a reality

Laura and Carlos are two people in their twenties who are eager to learn, meet new people and do things independently. They want to study at university so they can find a job. But their options for accessing higher education are extremely limited. Like them, most young people with intellectual disabilities do not finish high […] … learn more→

Should we ditch big exam halls? Our research shows how high ceilings are associated with a lower score

Should we ditch big exam halls? Our research shows how high ceilings are associated with a lower score

Can you remember your last in-person exam? You’re waiting outside the venue with your identification, pens and back-up pens. Everyone is nervously looking at their notes or avoiding eye contact. The doors open and you enter a cavernous space of numbered tables in rows. You find your seat and, waiting to start, glance around the […] … learn more→

As student visa fees jump to $1,600, Australia is refusing more applications than ever

As student visa fees jump to $1,600, Australia is refusing more applications than ever

On Monday, the federal government more than doubled the application fee for international student visas. The move is effective immediately and sees the non-refundable fee jump from A$710 to $1,600. The surprise news comes as part of a broader effort to rein in record-breaking migration levels, especially among international students. As Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said on Monday, […] … learn more→

5 ways anti-diversity laws affect LGBTQ+ people and research in higher ed

5 ways anti-diversity laws affect LGBTQ+ people and research in higher ed

Over the past year, nine states have banned diversity, equity and inclusion policies and programs in higher education. More than 20 others have similar legislation in the works. News accounts often focus on job cuts that follow the enactment of these measures in places such as Texas and Florida. But that doesn’t scratch the surface of the many ways these […] … learn more→

What worries university students?

What worries university students?

The world is transforming at a dizzying pace, presenting challenges such as an evolving labor market, climate change or the depletion of natural resources. Added to these challenges are more recent ones, such as the energy and economic crisis derived from the covid-19 pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine. For millennials (born between 1983 and […] … learn more→

College may not be the ‘great equalizer’ − luck and hiring practices also play a role, a sociologist explains

College may not be the ‘great equalizer’ − luck and hiring practices also play a role, a sociologist explains

The idea that a college degree levels the playing field for students of different socioeconomic classes has been bolstered in recent years. Research from 2011 and 2017, for example, found that earning a bachelor’s degree helped students from less advantaged backgrounds do as well as their better-off peers._ Jessi Streib, a sociology professor at Duke University, was skeptical. […] … learn more→

The expression of political opinions by academics: what freedoms, what limits?

The expression of political opinions by academics: what freedoms, what limits?

Can academics take a public stand for a political party or candidate? Are they, in their capacity as civil servants, subject to the duty of confidentiality? Can they participate in political demonstrations? At each electoral period, questions emerge around the freedom of expression of teacher-researchers, which is one of the components of academic freedom , and its […] … learn more→