Some academic writers are crippled by the desire to write perfect prose from the very start. Even though they know that the first draft is always rough, they find writing rough difficult. They have what writing advice calls an over-active inner critic. Rather than saving that little critical voice for reading and refining the first […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
Dealing with perfectionism
Seven methods to achieve optimal academic performance
Let’s imagine two students with similar abilities in different academic, social, and family environments. Logic tells us that the better the environmental conditions (quality teaching, a stimulating environment, personalized attention, or a family atmosphere conducive to study), the better their academic results will be. And yet, we often encounter students who, against all odds, achieve […] … learn more→
Harvard fights to keep enrolling international students – 4 essential reads about their broader impact
A federal judge in Boston on May 23, 2025, temporarily blocked a Trump administration order that would have revoked Harvard University’s authorization to enroll international students. The directive from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and resulting lawsuit from Harvard have escalated the ongoing conflict between the Trump administration and the Ivy League institution. It’s also the latest step […] … learn more→
Teacher -researchers in search of lost time: a look at the academic malaise
As higher education transforms, administrative burdens are increasing and the race for publications is accelerating. How do academics experience their work today? This is what the major survey “Teachers-researchers: a great sick body” (Enseignants-rechercheurs: un grand corps malade) , published in May 2025 by Le Bord de l’eau, sheds light on. We invite you to read an […] … learn more→
Strategic management skills from online Graduate Business programs
Are you ready to advance your career by gaining essential leadership abilities designed to help you manage the challenges of today’s unpredictable business world? Effective leadership through changing times requires strategic management skills to make informed decisions while guiding teams. And guess what? You can obtain these skills without having to stop your professional activities. […] … learn more→
Rethinking engineering education: Why focusing on learning preferences matters for diversity
For decades, colleges, government agencies and foundations have experimented with recruitment and retention efforts designed to increase diversity in engineering programs. However, the efforts have not significantly boosted the number of women, students of color, individuals with disabilities and other underrepresented groups studying and earning degrees in STEM and engineering fields. Latino, Black, Native American and Alaska Native students are […] … learn more→
Taking intermittent quizzes reduces achievement gaps and enhances online learning, even in highly distracting environments
Inserting brief quiz questions into an online lecture can boost learning and may reduce racial achievement gaps, even when students are tuning in remotely in a distracting environment. That’s a main finding of our recent research published in Communications Psychology. With co-authors Dahwi Ahn, Hymnjyot Gill and Karl Szpunar, we present evidence that adding mini-quizzes into an online lecture […] … learn more→
Where tomorrow’s scientists prefer to live − and where they’d rather not
Graduate students interested in an academic career after graduation day have often been told they need to be open to moving somewhere they may not want to live. This advice is because of how hard it is to get a tenure-track professor position. These days, this advice may be less relevant as graduate students are increasingly pursuing and […] … learn more→
I’m a business professor who asked dozens of former students how they define success. Here are their lessons for today’s grads
As the Class of 2025 graduates into an uncertain and fast-changing working world, they face a crucial question: What does it mean to be successful? Is it better to take a job that pays more, or one that’s more prestigious? Should you prioritize advancement, relationship building, community impact or even the opportunity to live somewhere new? […] … learn more→
Why we need social sciences in an increasingly complex world
In a world facing complex and interrelated challenges—such as climate change, poverty, accelerated disruption from new technologies, migration, and international conflict—the social sciences play a fundamental, though often undervalued, role in the search for sustainable solutions. Faced with this challenge, ten leading European universities in the social sciences are joining forces in CIVICA to discuss the need […] … learn more→