Australian universities are in dire straits. The sudden loss of international student fees due to the COVID-19 pandemic and recent court rulings of wage theft by some of our top universities have exposed the depth of these problems. The workforce is highly casualised. There is a sharp divide between senior management and academic and professional staff. On top of decades […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
Governing universities: tertiary experience no longer required
Is academic guidance sustainable at distance?
In return for the freedom to pursue the discipline they love, academics are lumbered with a wide variety of tasks, some of which are distinctly of the Marmite variety. Personal tutoring has to be near the top of that list, with some seeing it as a chore to be endured and others embracing the opportunity […] … learn more→
Does publishing tuition prices influence college choice?
The big idea A federal effort to identify less affordable colleges makes little difference in students’ decisions of which college to attend, according to my new study. The Education Department has maintained four lists of what it deems to be the nation’s priciest colleges in its online College Affordability and Transparency Center since 2011, as required by Congress. Lawmakers created […] … learn more→
What college students need to know about liability waivers for COVID-19
As college and university campuses across the United States reopen, administrators are faced with the task of protecting students while also protecting the interests of the institutions they lead. This includes reducing the risk of lawsuits. Some institutions have resorted to forcing students to sign liability waivers. What purpose do these serve and is this the […] … learn more→
2020 is a year for the history books, but not without digital archives
A seasonal change is in the air. With a minimal amount of nostalgia about the dwindling days of this unique summer, let’s turn to how we can make the most of the rest of 2020 — clearly a year for the history books. As a historian, what concerns me is: What will our history of […] … learn more→
Ethnic diversity on campus helps break down stereotypes
The big idea When students attend ethnically diverse colleges, their enriched experience transforms how they view different ethnic groups and better prepares them for life and work in 21st century America. This finding is based on the responses of nearly 4,000 students from 28 U.S. colleges who completed annual surveys between 1999 and 2004 about their […] … learn more→
Higher education needs a user experience overhaul
You’ve probably heard the term “user experience” in recent years, though probably not on your university campus. For those who haven’t, user experience, or UX for short, is the increasingly important sub-field of technology in which organisations seek to maximise interaction between users and products and services. By doing so, they make their goods and […] … learn more→
4 out of 5 international students are still in Australia – how we treat them will have consequences
COVID-19 has not stopped international education. As of August 24, 524,000 international students were living among us in Australian cities and communities. They represent 78% of all student visa holders, according to data the Department of Home Affairs provided to us. These students are potential ambassadors for Australia and our institutions. They could help shape […] … learn more→
Now more than ever, graduates need a helping hand from universities
Hundreds, if not thousands, of young graduates have seen their employment prospects vanish overnight as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. Entry-level roles have been the first to be axed, and it’s no secret that this economic slump has disproportionately affected the young. If significant steps aren’t taken to support those fighting for a spot […] … learn more→
International Chinese students are victims of new Cold War
It is not easy being Chinese these days. And it is even harder to be a Chinese student overseas. Chinese students have borne the brunt of the vitriol arising over the alleged origins of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has claimed more than 700,000 lives and infected 20 million worldwide. In practice, this has meant Asian […] … learn more→
