Although some have spoken of the “end” of the teaching profession with the emergence of generative artificial intelligence, what this technology has actually meant is the definitive endorsement of a transformation in the role of the teacher, especially at the university level. And one of its most important functions is to facilitate critical thinking . Today’s university professor must […] … learn more→
Blog Archives

Responsible information management should be a basic learning experience at the university.

Top Australian unis have imposed new restrictions on campus protests. What does this mean for students, staff and democracy?
A wave of restrictions on protesting has been rippling through Australia’s top universities. Over the past year, all of Australia’s eight top research universities (the Group of Eight) have individually increased restrictions on campus protests. The changes include bans on indoor protests and restrictions on banners, posters and student announcements. At some campuses, groups need to give notice or obtain university […] … learn more→

Attracting the “best American minds” to Quebec universities? Figures versus magical thinking
Since the Trump administration began slashing the budgets of its main scientific agencies, some university administrators in Quebec—and also in Canada—have found themselves daydreaming aloud: why not take advantage of this “crisis” to attract the “best minds” from the United States, now established as a “bulwark against authoritarian excesses” ? These sweeping statements, however, make it appear as if […] … learn more→

Universities in Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union thought giving in to government demands would save their independence
Many American universities, widely seen globally as beacons of academic integrity and free speech, are giving in to demands from the Trump administration, which has been targeting academia since it took office. In one of his first acts, President Donald Trump branded diversity, equity and inclusion programs as discriminatory. His administration also launched federal investigations into more than 50 universities, from smaller regional schools such […] … learn more→

Have diplomas lost their value?
In a society where equality for all is a fundamental principle, but where “positions” are endowed with very unequal advantages (in terms of salaries, working conditions, etc.), it is a question of distributing these in such a way that the hierarchy of jobs is considered legitimate by all. This is a real challenge. There is […] … learn more→

Writing with research partners part two
I’m generally concerned about writing with partners. That’s because the power to say what is important, to name and to categorise, to summarise and to draw out implications, happens in writing. And in the writing, power can revert back to academic researchers. Despite our best intentions. In some situations where researchers do all of the […] … learn more→

Academic Mean Girls
There’s been a lot of … stuff going on at my university lately (just Google “Australian National University” on the news setting and you’ll see what I mean). People are, to put it mildly, upset. So upset that they’ve taken to writing articles for and against said management in our local city newspaper, The Canberra […] … learn more→

The Australian Coalition has announced an even more radical plan to cut international students than Labor. Here’s how it would work
Last year, the Coalition made the surprise decision to oppose Labor’s plans for new international student caps. On Sunday, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton proposed an even more radical policy of his own to limit the number of international students in Australia. He announced a combination of tighter enrolment limits, increased visa application fees and changes to temporary graduate visas, which allow […] … learn more→

Lessons from El Salvador for US university leaders facing attacks from Trump
Even before President Donald Trump took office, university presidents expressed concern about the impact of his agenda on higher education. Now they must lead their institutions in the wake of executive orders and directives that appear to undermine their authority and autonomy. They include cuts to research grant funding and the prohibition of diversity programs. The Trump administration has also proposed the dismantling […] … learn more→

Common Mistakes in Academic Transcript Translations and How to Avoid Them
Academic transcripts are crucial documents that provide details about a student’s academic history and performance. They summarize the courses, grades, credits, and degrees earned by a student at an academic institution. As our world becomes increasingly globalized, there is a growing need for accurate translation of academic transcripts between different languages. Students may require transcript […] … learn more→